Just a few gray hair comments...

It has come to my attention on several occasions that people are making judgements about me based on my gray hair. I just laugh because:

#1 They obviously have not taken the time to get to KNOW me
#2 I have had some FUN interactions with the some very nice people because of my gray hair
#3 I doubt these judgmental folks could keep up with me and my day-to-day activities -- just ask some of the people who volunteer with me!

I started to turn gray in my 20's. Appalled, I decided to 'frost' my hair to hide the gray. After years of torturing myself, I decided to stop and just let nature take its course. After attending a 50 year wedding anniversary party for relatives, I saw a picture of myself and I thought EGAADS, I look as if I am 50!!! I was 42 at the time.

So I decided to try again to experiment and dye my hair with a temporary hair dye. No one noticed. Hmmmm. Then someone suggested I go to a hair stylist and get a professional dye job and cut. I did and suddenly everyone was commenting on how great I looked, but no one seemed to know why. So I chalked it up to good job from my hair stylist and kept the look going. When my job changed, I really had to decide if the shampoo, dye and cut was really worth the $$$. So I went back to dying my hair myself, after all it was easier to dye the whole head than frosting it.

At this time, my hair seemed to grow faster between dye jobs and I ended up half the month with the inevitable skunk line on my head. NOT a look I was going for. I also began a quest to eat healthier, get more active, losing weight -- all things to IMPROVE my health. I also began hearing of people having allergic reactions to hair dye and started to think about what I was doing as I soaked my head in chemicals twice a month to maintain a fake appearance. So I began contemplating going completely gray again to see what it would look like. I did have some moral support and someone who actually was going to go through it with me. (She chickened out.)

So I began the process of painfully growing out my gray...can we say EPIC skunk line?!?

Thankfully, God blessed me with a beautiful head of hair and a really nice shade of gray and NOT those kinky uncontrollable gray hairs that my brother warned me about!

 

I started to get compliments on how great my hair looked. Young and older men offered me assistance when I was struggling to carry groceries or pick up a heavy load. Comments like "you shouldn't be doing that" amused me because I knew it was coming from the perspective of 'we can't let this old lady do this!!!'

I am currently on a business trip of sorts and the attention I am getting is so amazing. Young women are offering to help me so I don't "have to walk that far" and offer me the bus schedule. They are astounded when I come back with my filled backpack and I tell them I decided to walk. All the hispanic men sharing breakfast with me say "Good morning" or teasingly say "You don't want to get in the elevator with us, go ahead" and then hold the door, move aside to let me get my breakfast or on the elevator. I LOVE IT!

I am also glad to see I am up with the times:  It's hot to go gray.

I volunteer at our local Love INC ministry almost daily since I was let go from work. But the guys and gals who work with me know -- I am strong physically and emotionally. They rush to help me, but have learned, I can tow the line when needed. Once last week I was helping two men carry a large cabinet when I stated, "I can feel the back going." They both looked at each other and tried to wrestle the cabinet out of my hands. When I realized what they were thinking I told them "the back of the cabinet, NOT MY back!!!) Both breathed a sign of relief and we continued to load the cabinet into the shed. I just had to chuckle!

I keep telling people..."The experts tell us to lift weights as we age. So I am lifting weight!!!" Now let's get her done and stop judging!

Blue Sparrow Dreams

This morning I awoke from a dream...

I dreamed I had gone into the garage of our home that is attached to the house and can be entered into from the kitchen. When I opened the door I noticed a beautiful blue bird that looked more like a sparrow flitting around trying to get out. I wanted to catch him as he was so beautiful and unlike any sparrow I had seen before. Knowing I couldn't keep him, I caught him and took him to the back door of the garage and set him free.

When I came back into the kitchen I noticed another blue sparrowlike bird inside my house! This one was not flitting, but was struggling to fly and I could see that while he was not hurt, he was in desperate need of some help. Since I had no idea how long this bird had been in my house or what was wrong, I knew I couldn't set him free the way he was. I went to get a old birdcage that I had and put  the bird into it. Here he was safe from hurting himself and I had an opportunity to look at him closer.

Photo credit to Richard Shears
http://richardshears.com/2009/10/16/blue-sparrow/

His wings were not broken, yet he struggled to fly. Every time he landed his feet could not hold him and he tipped over onto his chest. He look so small and weak. In the cage were a few items that I had not removed and before I knew it the bird was pecking at what appeared to be a small toy. I looked closer and saw a small plaster animal that must have either been stored in the cage or dropped in by one of the kids. The bird feverishly pecked at the object and then would spit out the pieces. I realized he must be starved so I went and got some birdseed from the garage and placed it in the cage along with a small bowl of water. The bird ate and drank and became more alive before my eyes.

I wanted to keep the bird because he was so unique and beautiful, but I knew I could not. I would free him once his strength returned and he was able to fly safely.

I have had many dreams, but this time I asked the Lord to provide an interpretation and He gave it...

The house was not my own, but His church. Some people get trapped inside and stay within the walls of the church that they believe they are no longer able to escape to fly freely as He had designed. They just stay because they can't find their way out or become accustomed to where they are. Others are poisoned by what they are feeding on or are being starved altogether from what is being taught.

We as believers need to feed on the True WORD of God, the Living Word, His Manna for us. We also need to share what we have learned as we have the seed to give others life, health, and freedom.

As I have been on an intense journey over the past two years, learning much more of what the Lord wants me to do in my life, I have lacked the confidence to think I had much to share. This dream has taught me that what I have could be just the food some need to survive. I must share it and not just store it up!

By the way, Blue Sparrows are out there. They are very rare and many do not even know they exist! They have been spotted in Australia and in Texas, USA. See the link under the photo.