'Tween You And Me

WHO SAID YOU WEREN'T CREATIVE?

Good morning, Mini-Women! Is this one of the coolest pictures we've had on the blog yet or what?  This was done by our own ABIGAIL, one of the winners of the wardrobe contest. I would wear any one of these outfits in a heartbeat -- especially the second one from the left with the little flirty pleats at the bottom of the skirt. I think we can all imagine Abigail now as a fashion designer -- just hurry up, Abi, before I get too old to wear your designs!

Sometimes seeing creativity like this makes you want to get out the sketch pad and the crayons and start doing your own drawings. And yet sometimes it can also put you in a blue funk, thinking, "I could never do anything like that. I'm a creative loser. I'm going to go watch re-runs of "Lizzie McGuire".  Let's try a little "test" to see where you fall. Let's say I announced that I was having a contest and I wanted each of you to do something creative with the assignment. Choose which response you would probably have (or the closest one):

            A -- "Ohmigosh I have more ideas than I can ever do! Which one do I pick?"

            B -- "Well, I'm kind of good at drawing, and I do (play an instrument, take dance lessons, write in a journal once in a while). I guess I could do one of those."

            C -- "I can't make anything but cookies -- and faces at my little brother. Are those creative?"

            D -- "What if I create something and it's lame? What if I do it wrong?"

            E -- "I'm not creative! I can't do it! I'm not even going to enter! I'm such a Loser!" 

If you chose A, you know your own creativity and you embrace it and probably drive every nuts with it if the truth's known.

If B was your choice, you don't realize how creative you are because you're only thinking about what you're "good" at.

Picked C? You don't see that what you do naturally, every day, is creative at all.

Did you see yourself as D? You're a little afraid of your creativity because of what other people might think of it.

You think you're totally E? You don't think you have a creative cell in your entire body.

But here's the deal:  EVERYBODY -- that's each and every person ever born -- is creative in some way.I'm serious. Every person -- including you -- has the ability to make art in some way. Not necessarily in the form Abigail uses -- it just means you can take an idea from your mind and make it into something that can be enjoyed, even if it's just by you and you alone. All of these things are creative -- check it out:

    Baking a cake                Decorating your room                    Styling hair
    Planning a party             Figuring out a soccer strategy        Making a baby        
                                                                                                                    laugh
    Painting faces                Planting a garden               Making up a basketball drill
    Creating a costume        Wrtiing an email                    Making a birthday card
    Wrapping a gift              Making a killer sandwich    Writing new words to an
                                                                                                                old song
    Making up a dance         Cheering up a friend              Reading a book out loud
    Writing in a journal        Decorating cookies                 Keeping a scrapbook
    Painting your toenails     Displaying a collection            Singing in the shower

Making art isn't the painting, the toothpick structure, or the short story you end up with. It's the PROCESS of getting from an idea to a finished product -- and it's a process that makes living much more fun. Just doing it can make you feel rich inside, no matter how it turns out. The best news is -- ANYONE can do it. We're made that way by God:

                    "S God created man (humans) in his own image," says the Book of Genesis. And just in case we didn't get it the first time, it goes on to say, "In the image of God he created them." (Genesis 1:27)

What that means is that God made us to be like him -- in a human form, of course. And just like him, we were born to create.

Okay, so, no, we can't all draw cartoons like Charles Schultz or write music for Hannah Montana. Not everybody was born to be a PROFESSIONAL artist, musician, writer, whatever, but we can all:

        *  Experiment with our little creative sparks and feel God when we do it
       
        *  Let God create through us in even small ways

        *  Use our special creativity as a way to thank God for all the creative things God does for US

So here's what I'm thinking. It's summer, right? You have more free time than usual, and may already be wailing, "Mom, I'm bored!" Why don't we jazz things up some with a series on ways to be your absolutely most creative self this summer? We'll start with a quiz tomorrow and some ways to get your creative self moving. Then in the weeks to come we'll talk about cool journals, creative adventures, imaginary lives, and teaming up with your friends to do awesomely creative things. Sounds like a God-thing to me

What do you think? Are you there with me?  And what do you say that from time to time I ask for things I can post here on the blog -- examples of your creative process? I'm lovin' it!

If you want to post today, tell us which category you fell into. THAT should be a hoot!

Blessings,

Nancy Rue       

FINAL BEAUTY QUIZ

Good morning, Mini-Women! Today is our last day to talk about The Beautiful You. Well, actually, that isn't true because we are ALWAYS talking about how to be the most beautiful people we can be inside and out -- but you get the idea. I thought the best way to wrap up our series would be to try a little experiment. Ready?

    Step 1.  Pick out a few girls you know who are considered cute or pretty. Watch them whenever you can. IF you see one being rude to somebody or basically acting bratty, watch even more closely. Is she still pretty? What if someone caught her on camera at that moment? Would a magazine put it on the cover? (The picture you see of me here is a prime example! Fortunately, I was doing a skit. I hope I don't ever look like that when I'm talking to someone in real life!)

Step 2.  Go through a magazine you can tear pages out of. A teen or tween magazine works best. Collect all the pictures of what you think are pretty girls, just from the way they look. Then put them in two piles:  (1) girls you'd like to be friends with, and (2) girls you might steer clear of. What's the difference? Which pile is truly beautiful?

Step 3.  Make a list of the people you love. Next to each one, write in a few words why you love that person so much. Then picture each one in your mind or look at the person for real if you can. Do you see ANY of those people as "ugly"?

Step 4.  If you want to watch someone become even more beautiful, tell the person why you love him or her and see what happens on that person's face. (You'll be more beautiful too, as you're doing it).

That's what these weeks of discussing Beauty Tips have been about. Yes, make the most of the physical gifts God has given you -- your hair and your skin and your personal style. Use your Beauty Book and keep adding to it as you get to know your gorgeous self better. But don't neglect the best beauty secret there is: the fact that you were made by God to love and laugh and live knowing you are treasured.

If you want to post today, then, tell us about the most beautiful person you know -- whether he or she is magazine cover material or not. Let's hear about the truly Beautiful People today. One thing is for sure -- each of you belongs on that list!

Blessings,

Nancy Rue

BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET . . . NOW HOW 'BOUT THOSE LEGS?

Hello, Mini-Women! Have I mentioned that I love the Scripture verses on feet you've been sending in?  

ISABELLE pointed out that in the Bible Jesus washed the disciples' feet, teaching us to be servants to people.

VERONICA gave us Psalm 110, where it says, ". . .  I (will) make your enemies a footstool for your feet." She adds, "Just please don't go stand on your little sister because that's not what it means!" (I love that!)

ERIKA asked "Doesn't it say somewhere that Jesus will crush Satan under his heel or something?" Yes, actually, it does. 

ANNA brought us "Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. (Psalms 119:105)

EMILY even did a post about "The dust beneath his feet" on her own blog.

RACHEL found my favorite one -- "Beautiful are the feet that carry the good news." In fact, when I went on a missions trip with a bunch of teen girls once, we called our team "The Beautiful Feet."

As REGAN puts it, "I wonder if God made feet for us to learn something! I think feet are a great way for people to learn more about God!" I agree. In fact, I think anything God made tells us something ABOUT God. Maybe that even includes hairy legs and arm pits . . . 

I'm serious. If you haven't started growinghair under your arms, or the hair below your kinees hasn't gotten thicker than it used to be, it will eventually. It's part of that whole puberty thing. Then you'll need to decide whether you want to shave or not. Not everybody does it, you know. In Europe, for instance, it isn't unusual to go to a beach and see plenty of leg and pit hair, and nobody seems to be bothered by it. Here in the U.S. -- I don't know about Canada and Australia and China, so some of you will have to help us with that -- most women remove the hair from their legs and armpits to give themselves a smooth look.

So where does the God part come in? It has to do with that commandment about honoring your father and your mother. There are few coming-of-age issues that cause more battles between mothers and daughters than leg-shaving. Daughters want that sleek look and moms are saying:

            *  "You're too young. There's plenty of time for that. Don't grow up too fast."

            *  "Are you SERIOUS? I'm not turning you loose with a razor!"

            *  "No -- because once you start, the hair that grows back in will be more stubbly, and then you'll HAVE to shave. Just leave it alone for now."

THAT's where God comes in -- because if your mom says no, it stands. You have to honor her wisdom for you, because that's why God gave you parents.  Nobody says you have to LIKE it -- but how you handle not agreeing with her is a God-thing, too. Once you've stated your reasons calmly (leaving out "Everybody else is doing it" because that never works), back off. No begging, whining, crying, tantrum-throwing, silent treatment, or door slamming. Just a mature agreement that even though you think she's dead wrong, you're going to go along with her wishes. Here's the good news: she isn't going to make you go hairy forever. Try asking her again in another six months. Meanwhile, trust me, you don't look like a gorilla, even if you feel like one. Keep in mind that everybody else your age is so busy thinking about their own "stuff" they aren't even looking at your legs, hairy or not. Try not to draw attention to your legs by trying to hide them, or pointing out to everybody who even glances your way that you KNOW your legs resemble a gibbon ape, okay? God-confidence is beautiful, no matter what, and even bushy legs can't change that.

There IS the other side of the situation, where your mom says it's time to de-fuzz those armpits and you do NOT want to take the time to do that, or the thought of going after your skin with a razor blade freaks you out. Try to think of it this way: when you go into puberty, your sweat glands become more active and, frankly, those pits can get pretty smelly. The hair growing there (another delightful result of puberty) traps the bacteria that makes that not-very-delicious aroma even less delicious. Shaving your legs is a matter of appearance. Armpits are about hygiene (that is, smelling better than your brother when he comes in from playing baseball).   

If you and your mom do agree that it's time to break out the razor and the shaving cream, have her show you how to do it. Then add it to your Beauty Chart under EVERY DAY or WEEKLY -- that's up to you.

If you want to post today, tell us your shaving (or not shaving!) experiences -- or ask any questions you have on the subject.  This just about wraps up our series on beauty, although we can continue to discuss the Beautiful You whenever you want. After all, EVERTHING we deal with here on teh blog is about helping you become the gorgeous person you were made to be inside and out, who will love and serve the Lord. Alleluia!

Blessings,

Nancy Rue

PS -- Heather, will you please email me so I can tell you how to collect your prize? Other winners: don't forget to email me your wish list!

WINNERS!

Good morning, Mini-Women! You have been so patient waiting for the names of the winners of the wardrobe contest - and here they are! The following FaithGirlz will each receive their choice of three books from a list I will email to you. Drum roll please . . .

        TENLEY-- a precious dress and three two-piece skirt outfits I would totally wear myself

        ABBIE -- great flowered shorts, cute flowered top and skirt, very cool dress with citrus print, adorable top with matching bag, and a bright butterfly ensemble. (the top with matching bag was my fave of hers)

        ABIGAIL -- photos of her sweet self in some tops I would LOVE to have in my wardrobe (and could you throw in the pup, too?) LOVED  the long pink dressy one

LIBBY -- completely organized closet; I should hire you to put my office in order!

KATIE -- her fabulous school uniform (I would go back to school if I could wear that!); her fave striped polo (everybody needs one); and her way comfy jeans (loved the shoes, too, Katie) -- AND her gorgeous oil pastels of holiday outfits, exquisite gowns, even a bathing suit -- AND colored pencil drawings of an entire creative/romantic wardrobe. There was one long yellow dress with a diagonal scarf at the waist that I would put on immediately and wear all day, seriously

HEATHER -- a great pull-together of dress, leggings, and sweater -- so incredibly hip! I happen to be wearing almost that identical sweater today, Heather!

MIKAYLA --  verbal description of her wardrobe, including a great t-shirt that says "I'm Not Short. I'm Fun Size!" I bet you are, Mikayla!

 
Congratulations, all of you. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed your photos and drawings and explanations. So much so that I would like to post some of them here on the blog. I'll be emaiing you about getting parental permission. (And if anyone sent in an entry and I didn't mention it above, please let me know)

You are such a wonderful, fun group and I get so into your creative ideas -- so I'm busily dreaming up another contest. I think this one will have something to do with sports and other stuff you do in the summer. In the meantime, please remember that every single one of you is special -- not only in God's eyes, but in mine. Thank you, Mini-Women!

Blessings,

Nancy Rue

 

    

   

       

OKAY, SO MAYBE GLAMOUR IS THE WRONG WORD!

Good morning, Mini-Women! Loved your posts yesterday -- everything from great suggestions for nail polish colors to a major protest against glamor!  It's the BEST -- because you're all showing that who you are is just exactly beautiful enough. You're totally getting it! Some of you should definitely be in the nail-polish-naming business -- "Dazzling Purple" -- "Pleasantly Purple" -- "Loquacious Lavender" --  and my personal fave, "Lots of Latte", although I'd be too tempted to drink it. Right alongside you was our new commenter, Anna Solomon, who speaks for many of you when she says  having your hair all spirally up and wearing make-up is pure torture. (Have you read the Lucy books, Anna S.? I think you'd love them!) Yes, Anna, it is PERFECTLY okay to stick to your straight hair and freckled face and no make-up at all (and Caitlin agrees). The whole point of our Beautiful You series is to help you find out exactly what YOUR own PERSONAL beauty is and go with it -- anything from glamor nails to a quick face wash and a ponytail. Don't you just love that there are so many ways to be a girl?

That applies to feet, too. You may be as into taking care of your piggies as my great-nephew Landen (I have about ten pictures of him doing this!), or you may be thinking, "Toenails? Do I HAVE toenails?"  And yet even the most anti-manicure among you have said that painting toenails is a lot more fun than fiddling with your fingernails, especially now that we're into sandal and barefoot weather. So let's do a quickie look at basic foot care.

You pretty much tend to your feet the same way you do your hands, with a few special variations:

        *  Since toenails are tougher than fingernails, trim them with clippers instead of trying to file them.

        *  It's better to cut your toenails straight across instead of making ovals. Otherwise, you can get ingrown toenails -- which belong in the Major Owie Department.

        *  While you're doing your weekly manicure, soak your feet in warm water to soften them up

        *  Then use the pointed thing on the nail clippers to clean out the dirt from under your toenails. You think your FINGERNAILS get icky . . .

        *  If you're going to polish your toenails, put pieces of cotton between your toes to spread them out. That way you won't get polish all over them.

I think one of the reasons toenails are more fun to paint than fingernails is because you can do it for each OTHER. Ever had a toenail-painting contest at a sleepover, where you choose a partner and you paint each other's toenails using as much imagination as possible and then compare? It's TOO fun -- and being a girl is supposed to be a blast. Of course, if you would rather be bound and gagged than paint somebody's toenails, that's okay, too!

While we're on the subject of feet, let's talk a little bit about foot funkiness -- the things that make feet a nuisance.

        *  WARTS. Although they're not anybody's best look, they're harmless and usually go away by themselves. You can try treatments from the drug store, but it still takes a while for them to shrivel up. A wart on the bottom of your foot is called a plantar wart and can realy bug you. A doctor can "Freeze" that off. Oh, and BTW, frogs and toads don't give you warts, so go ahead and chase them on these warm summer nights!

       *  SMELLY FEET. Yeah, that can get stinky. Once they start to reek, the only thing to do is wash them. To PREVENT the pee-yew every time you take off your tennies, wear socks made of natural fibers, avoid plastic tennies, sprinkle baking soda inside stinky shoes and leave them over night, and wear sandals or flats instead of sneakers as much as you can when the weather's hot.

        *  HURTING FEET:  If you get a lot of blisters or you can't wait to take your shoes off, you're probably wearing shoes that don't fit well. Your feet are growing right now, so have your feet measured every time you go shopping for shoes. And don't beg for the pair you love if the store doesn't have your size. BTW, if your feet are bigger than your mom's, don't freak. Women's feet are commonly larger now than they were even a generation ago. Some of the most beautiful women in the world have slipped into a size nine or larger.

        *  THE BATTLE OVER HEELS. If you want higher heels now and your mom won't let you .. . .  listen to her.  Three-inch heels when you're ten are right up there with the long fake nails and the heavy eye shadow. You're going to loook like you're playing dress up with your mom's shoes. Besides, high heels throw your spine completely out of line and cause all kinds of problems with hips, knees, and even necks. They're cool for special occasions as you get older, but never for all day. Be part of the generation that says, "We will NOT walk around around on stilts! We will take care of our bodies!"

    *  BETWEEN THE TOE FUNGUS.  That's called athlete's foot, even if you aren't into sports. To avoid it, wear flip-flops when you take a shower in a locker room or at a pool, since that's where we usually pick up the fungus. Dry your feet really well after a bath and don't wear the same shoes all the time. If you do get athlete's foot, start treating it with a powder, spray, or cream you can get at the drugstore. It won't go away by itself, and who wants itchy feet 24/7?

That's it -- that's all there is to it. Whether you want a butterfly painted on your big toenail at all times or you just don't want to drive everybody out of the house with your stinky feet, that's foot care. Today, go to your beauty chart and under WEEKLY add "clean under toenails" and "clip toenails". In your HANDS AND FEET section of your Beauty Book, write down any of the instructions above that apply to you. Your Beauty Book is almost done!

Want to post today?  See if you can find a reference to FEET in the Bible. I know of at LEAST seven -- and I know there are tons more. Oh, and don't forget you have two more days to send in or email your wardrobe pictures, drawings, or descriptions. I'm LOVING what I've received so far! You are a beautiful group of mini-women!

Blessings,

Nancy Rue       

EVERY GIRL CAN GET GLAMOROUS WHEN SHE NEEDS TO . . .

Good morning, Mini-Women! I loved your posts from yesterday. You are definitely a hands-on group! We have pianists and violinists, typists and those who like to write longhand -- there are  painters and ticklers among you, as well as bike riders and mandolin players  and story writers One of you is even learning sign language. I can just see your angel hands at work on all this great stuff. The world is a better place because of you.

And because you have your fingers into just about everything, I'm thinking some of you might want some tips on how to make those nails a little more lovely. If you're a ballerina, your nails need to be less showy, I'm told, and if you're playing a stringed instrument you have to be careful not to let them get too long. But just about every girl, even if you play every sport known to womanhood or think less about having a manicure than you do absolutely anything else, has occasion to get dressed up now and then. Take my great niece, Madeline, who just turned 15. Usually she hangs out in shorts and flip flops because she's in and out of the pool or playing soccer or raising rabbits for 4-H. But in May she was going to a special dance -- and did she pull off the glamour or what? You can't see her nails in this pic, but they were as polished and exquisite as the rest of her. Being able to make those nails looks fabulous is a good skill to have, just in case you're invited to a great party or your grand parents are celebrating their 50th, or your cousin asks you to keep the Bride's Book at her wedding. And this next section is DEFINITELY for you if you want shiny, manicured nails every day.

        (1)  First do everything we talked about yesterday. Putting nail polish on nails that are cruddy and ragged is sort of like putting frosting on a cake that hasn't been baked.

        (2)  REMOVE ALL OLD POLISH. You'll just need cotton balls you can dip in nail polish remover. Wipe from bottom to top until it all comes off. Putting new polish right over old is not a good look, trust me.   

        (3)  USE A CLEAR COAT OF POLISH FIRST. There are special base coats, or you can just use clear. This is important if you plan to paint your nails a lot, because without it, colored polish can make them look yellow after a while.  Just use two or three strokes with a polish brush to cover your whole nail. That's all it takes. Any more and it gets gloppy. Let that dry before you move on. Don't rush. If that looks nice to you, you can stop there. Clear polish doesn't show as much when it chips off, and your nails will look shiny and pretty, IF you want color . .

        (4)  PUT ON TWO LAYTERS OF COLORED PLISH. Again, just two or three strokes and let them dry completely between. Instead of shaking the bottle to mix the polish, roll it between your palms a couple of times,. That way you won't get bubbles on your nails.

        (5)  APPLY A CLEAR COAT OVER THAT, which keeps the color from chipping.

        (6)  DON'T DO ANYTHING NAIL INTENSIVE FOR SEVERAL HOURS.  You might want to do your manicure before you go to bed. Don't let water touch your nails. Even if you speed dry by putting your hands in the freezer for two minutes, all the coats won't be entirely dry for three hours. So if you don't go right to bed, at least don't finger paint, dig a hole, or enter a pie-eating contest!

        (7) REMOVE OLD POLISH AS SOON AS IT STARTS TO CHIP.  A flake of polish in the middle of each nail is definitely not an attractive look for anybody. Not a good idea to chip it off with your other nails or with your teeth. Wait until you have tine to sit down with remover and cotton balls. And by the way, it only makes sense that if remover can take off nail polish, it can also take the finish off your mom's table or the color out of your jeans. Be sure you have everything covered. And do we need to mention not to get it even close to your eyes, your mouth, or a flame?

If on Tuesday you chose "A funky expression of your wild self", do ALL of the above, except that when you get ready to polish, use your imagination. This is one form of makeup parents don't usually object to (although you'll want to check with yours first) and it van be a blast. Find fun colors you like -- nail polish can be pretty cheap to buy, and  a bottle lasts a while. Enjoy wild, strange nail color now, because as you get older, it won't always be the thing to do.

If you decide that polishing your nails on a regular basis is your kind of fun, go to your beauty chart, and under WEEKLY, add "remove old nail polish" and "put on new polish."

You know what would be fun today? Dream up what you think would be the perfect nail color and give it a name.  (I always thought naming fingernail polish shades would be a fun job --right up there with being an ice cream taster). Is it "Perfectly Peachy"? "Sunrise Surprise?" "Purple Pleasure?"  Even if you're still a nail-biter and have no intention of picking up a bottle of nail color any time soon, this could be fun for ya. After all, so much of our blog series on The Beautiful You has been about you learning to enjoy being the girl God made you to be. Yes, yes -- who you are on the inside is what really makes you gorgeous -- yet highlighting that on the outside is like piling the whipped cream onto that ice cream sundae. Make yourself declicious!

Blessings,

Nancy Rue

THE BEAUTIFUL YOU: THINGS THAT COME IN HANDY (AND FOOTY)

Good morning, Mini-Women! I don't know about you, but I don't think I could talk if I didn't have hands. They wave all over the place the whole time I'm jacking my jaws, emphasizing a word here, making a point there, inserting punctuation marks everywhere! That's one of the biggest reasons why I take care of my nails. People see them almost as much as they see my face.

Some of you seem to like the whole nail thing, too. RACHEL likes to paint different colors on her fingernails and toenails --because then she doesn't have to decide between her favorite colors, hot pink and purple. I love that! ISABELLE loves painting hers cute fun colors and has even discovered how to have them professionally done for only five bucks!  ALLISON is into hot pink toenails, while ALISHA goes for normal pinks and reds, toenails only. Others of you are more like I was as a tween. VERONICA says hers are totally nail polish resistant. ISABELLE is a major fingernail picker, and Caitlin bites hers right along with her. Here's the good news: I got something for all of you.

No matter which of the four looks you chose yesterday, you can follow some basics for taking care of your hands:

(1)  WASH YOUR HANDS. Well, duh, right? You'd be surprised how many people don't even think about it, though. Really clean your hands with warm water and soap while you say the alphabet to yourself. That's how long it takes to really get them de-germed. At the very least, wash them just after you've gone to the bathroom, you're about to eat (whether it's sticking your hands in a bag of chips or sitting down to a big dinner); you're getting ready to fix something to eat; you've been touching an animal; you've been shopping; you have a cold (wash twice as often); you've been around somebody who's been sick; your hands feel sticky, greasy, grimy or a little icky. I know that makes it sound like you have to have your hands in the sink all the time, but once it becomes a habit, you won't feel that way. It can be hard to get to soap and water when you're in school all day, so keep some hand sanitizer or wipes in your backpack. If somebody calls you a clean freak, pass him a Wet Wipe.

(2)  GET THE DIRT OUT FROM UNDER YOUR FINGERNAILS. Once a day when you get out of the shower or tub, use a metal nail file (the kind that comes on nail clippers) to gently scrape any left-over stuff from under your nails. Do it even if they don't look dirty. You'll be amazed what hides in there. (You don't really want to know . . .)

(3) MOISTURIZE. When you're putting on lotion after your bath or shower, pay attention to your hands. This is epecially important in cold or dry climates.

    If yesterday you decided you just want hands "Cleaner than your brother's", you're done!

    If you chose any of the others, read on for what to do ONCE A WEEK:

    (1)  FILE YOUR NAILS.  Use what's called an emery board, which is a nail file that has really fine sandpaper on it. Don't file with a metal thing, even though it's called a nail file (Go figure!)

            *  Don't go back and forth like you're sawing a log. That makes your nails weak. Start at one side of your nail and file in one directon toward the center, and then do the same from the other side. Try doing it while you're watching a movie or something -- it's boring otherwise

            *  File until all your nails are the same length and shape, probably an oval or straight across. You might have one or two nails that are nice and long and you're proud of them, but if the rest are way short, it's going to look funny if you leave them there.  Say good-bye to the long ones and file away.

    (2)  TAKE CARE OF YOUR CUTICLES.  That's the skin around your nails that tends to creep onto them. It's healthier if they stay in place

            *  Soak your fingers in a little bowl of hot, soapy water for a few minutes to soften up your cuticles

            *  Using what's called an orange stick (a little wooden thing with a slanted end) or a cotton swab (Q-tip), gently push the cuticles off your nails. Think of it as persuading them to get back where they belong rather than forcing them to

            *  If any little pieces of cuticle stick up, you can clip them with tiny manicure scissors. Just to be on the safe side, have an experienced person show you how to do that. The broken cuticle is dead, but the skin that's still attached isn't. Nobody should bleed during a manicure!

    If you just chose "basically clean and neat," you're done. Nice hands!

Tomorrow, we'll talk about the fun part like polishing. For today, go back to your beauty chart and under EVERY DAY write in "wash hands often" and "clean under fingernails."  Under WEEKLY, write in "file nails," and "take care of cuticles." If you want to, under your new Hands and Feet section, copy down the above instructions or print out this post and paste it in. You are going to be SO set.

Want to post today?  Tell us your fave use of your hands. Are you a painter? Volleyball player? Pianist? Do you carry on conversations with your hands going, or do actual sign language? Tell us your favorite way your hands come in handy!

Blessings,

Nancy Rue  

   

THE BEAUTIFUL YOU: HANDS 'N FEET

Hello, Mini-women! I'm ba-a-a-ack~! I MISSED you! The conference was SO busy, and picking up all the pieces of my life when I got back was even busier. I haven't even had a chance to read all the comments you posted while I was in a non-blogging state. I will, though -- and that should be a total blast for me. There's almost nothing I'd rather do than read what you have to say.

In the meantime, let's finish up our series on The Beautiful You by talking about a part of yourself you used to be totally in love with and probably never even think about any more. That, of course, would be you hands and feet. Chances are you were just like my great-nephew Landen when you first discovered that those things you'd been kicking since before you were even born actually belonged to you, and that grabbing them with your hands was the best thing ever. Wouldn't it be nice if that were all it took now to make you grin like that?  Actually, paying attention to your fingers 'n' toes can bring a smile to your face, or at least make you feel kind of put together and polished. Trust me, on a day when you've had a fight with your mom on the way to school and then you bomb the vocabulary test and then your BFF acts funky at the lunch table -- it's nice to be able to look down and say, "Well, at least my nails look good!"

Let's start by taking a look at your fingernails right now. They may be anywhere between shell-pink little ovals to ragged looking things you chewed off during the year's last math test. Whatever they look like, of COURSE they have nothing to do with how smart you are and what kind of friend you are,  but your hands ARE part of the body God gave you to take care of -- and for a lot of good reasons. You use them to appeal to God for help (like raising them up and saying, "PLEASE don't let my little brother be like this forever") To heal (Jesus healed people's bodies by laying hands on them; you can heal a friend's spirit with a hug). To clap (haven't you imagined a whole audience applauding you -- or at least your BFF clapping when you tell her your latest exciting news?) To create (notes to your friends, a sandwich for your mom when she's too tired to fix herself lunch, that picture frame you painted for your dad for Father's Day). Working (you know THAT thing!). Helping. Praying (ever noticed how much easier it is to focus on your prayers when your hands are folded?) If you stopped doing all of that because your hands didn't look like a nail-polish commercial, you'd be letting God and yourself down. But since there are about a bajillion things you use your hands for, why not keep them looking at least clean and neat (if not downright fabulous?)

So that's where we're going to go tomorrow. Between now and then, do two things. One, create a new section in your Beauty Book called HANDS AND FEET. Decorate it however you want. You might even take some "before" pictures of both (or outline your hands and feet on paper and draw in the details) so you can compare after you give them a make-over this week. Next choose the description below that best completes this sentence for you:

            I WANT MY FINGERNAILS AND TOENAILS TO BE:

            (A)  CLEANER THAN MY LITTLE BROTHER'S 

            (B)  BASICALLY CLEAN AND NEAT SO I'M NOT EMBARRASSED TO RAISE MY HAND IN CLASS

            (C)  A LITTLE POLISHED AS WELL AS CLEAN AND NEAT

            (D) A FUNKY EXPRESSION OF MY WILD SELF (AND ALSO CLEAN AND NEAT)

Remember, there's no right or wrong answer. If you can't see yourself spending your birthday money on a bottle of Sparkling Scarlet, basically keeping your hands/feet and nails clean is find, even for the rest of your life. If you get really jazzed about drop-dead gorgeous nails, that's okay, too. Copy the sentence with your answer in the new section of your Beauty Book. You'll already be off to a good start.

Want to post today? Tell us about your nails. Do you have a wacky design on your bigt toe? Can't kick the nail-biting habit?  Have each fingernail painted a different color? Already into a weekly manicure? Haven't thought about your nails in forever? We wanna know! Manwhile, keep those hands and feet busy being your beautiful self, inside and out.

Blessings,

Nancy Rue
 

HANG IN THERE 'TIL FRIDAY

Good morning, mini-women! It is SO busy here in Colorado, I barely have time to eat. Okay, well, maybe not THAT busy . . . It looks like I won't be able to blog again until Friday. Can you hang in there 'til then? Keep remembering that you are beautiful, and I'll check in Friday with fun stuff about hands 'n' feet. Thanks for understanding!

Blessings,

Nancy Rue 

WHEN BAD ISN'T REALLY BAD

Good morning, mini-women! This is going to be a fast blog today because I'm at a writer's conference in Colorado, teaching writers how to be even better writers. It's totally fun -- but it's keeping me way busy, so if my posts are short or I miss a day or two this week, not to worry. We'll get back into our routine next week.

Last week we talked about the "bad girl" look, and I want to  clear some things up about that. Not everybody who has a lot of piercings or tattoos or hikes the skirt up to there IS "bad." In fact, I don't think any of them are. It just LOOKS that way. There are a lot of reasons why girls go for the "bad girl"style -- and they aren't the reasons we talked about last week, the ones they THINK are the explanation for piercing that tongue or wearing that shirt that says "Bite Me." It's good to check out what some of those reasons might be so we don't judge people. Here are a few:

 

            *  In some cases it's just for fun. PAIGE set me straight on this one. What really is wrong with coloring your hair pink if it matches your outfit?  It does NOT mean you're "bad" or messed up or a rebel headed for juvenile hall! It probably isn't your best look for certain occasions and of course it is COMPLETELY up to your parents whether you head for the purple wash-out color for the weekend. The point is, when  you see somebody with multi-colored locks, don't jump to the conclusion that she has issues

        *  The person doesn't really know how she's coming off. She doesn't mean to send the message she's sending with that tiny bikini.

        *  She REALLY needs some attention and she's crying out for it. We ALL have to have attention or we sort of wither up.

        *  She wants to be understood SO badly. Ever felt that way? You may have expressed it differently but you get that, right? 

        *  She's trying to figure out who she is. Aren't  we all?

So,  as Jesus says, we can't be judging people. We've got to be taking care of our own stuff and praying for everybody else's. I'm gonna work on that myself today! If you want to post -- tell us what you could wear/do to express how you feel today. 

Blessings,

Nancy Rue