Looking Back! New Year, New Giveaway!

 2010 has been a world wind for me. Several highs and some low lows, but overall it has been a good year. There were some things that kept me going and some things that tried to stop me dead in my track. I laughed and cried very hard this year. But now it must come to an end.

I am a lover of jewelry and for my 2nd and last giveway of 2010, I wanted to do something special. One lucky winner will win the necklace and jewelry set below. (Two pictures to show the detailing, but only one set will be given away).

The rules are as follows:

The rules are simple. Each comment should be written underneath this blog post describing how you entered. There are several ways to increase your chances of winning.

1. You must be a follower of Mind of a Brown Skin Beauty (Mandatory Entry)
2. You must comment below this post something you are going to change or keep for the new year  (1 entry)
3. Subscribe via email and confirm your email address (3 entries)
4. Share this blog post giveaway with someone on Facebook, Blogger, Twitter, email, etc.(Please leave your facebook, twitter, link to the blog post under the comment section , 2 entries)
5. Like my Facebook page "Mind of a Brown Skin Beauty" (3 entries)
6. Follow me on Twitter @brownmindbeauty

Enter as many times as you like to increase your odd. A winner will be selected at random using random.org

The contest will begin on 12/21/10 at 12 a.m CST and will end on 1/9/11 at 10 p.m. CST. The winner will be randomly selected through a computerized process and will be announced on 1/12/11.  Please visit the blog at that time for the name of the winner. The winner will be given instructions on how to claim their prize, a valid email address is required. If the prize is not claimed within 7 days a new winner will be selected and so forth until the prize is claimed. All products are brand new, never opened or used and are the sole responsibility of the winner. Directions for product use should be followed according to the company's instructions.

Good Luck to everyone!

Food For Thought- Why I'm Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!
This Food for Thought closes my Thanksgiving Series. I hope you all had a chance to reflect within yourself and see some of the random things I reflect on.

Last Thanksgiving was a rough time for me, I was going through a terrible heartbreak and the pain felt never ending. The rain tonight reminded me of how I felt and after a moment of sadness, it didn't take much for me to realize why I am thankful.

I am thankful because:

1. My family members are all safe (I love them all, no matter what)
2. I have the best child a mother could ask for.
3. I am in good health and sound mind
4. My friends are wonderful (they guide me through everything, without them I'd break)
5. I am employed (too many people are without)
6. I have a warm place to call home
7. I know who I am
8. I can touch people through my words
9. My heart healed
10. I am loved!

What are some  things you are thankful to have experienced, learned, overcome, shared, or hold dear to you?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Making it Through This Holiday Season

The Holidays can be a difficult time for many people. Those that have lost loved ones, the homeless, the poor, the sick, and the lonely. Sometimes we forget that people around us are silently suffering through what should be the happiest time of the year.

Holidays are filled with joy and cheer, parties and gifts, and most importantly friends and family. So how do you cope through this blissful season when something in your life is surely missing?

I can say that I have managed through all of the situations above, with difficulty of course, but more importantly with strength and the grace of God. I remember not having a dime to my name and no real place to call home one Christmas. It was a very sad time for me. The thought of Christmas gave me a sense of isolation and a queasy feeling to my stomach. Instead of allowing the feeling to overcome me, I made some adjustments. I remember buying a plant and making decorations from notebook paper to attach to it to call “my Christmas tree”. It wasn’t much but it brightened the table of the dingy hotel room that was called home. I can’t say what I ate that year, but I do know it was a humbling experience. I never looked at the Holidays the same again.

You see the season isn’t about what you have or what you can give monetarily; it is about how you allow God into your heart. Without prayer and hope I don’t know where I’d be. Hope is a powerful trait to possess. Having hope, and the belief that situations will get better are the ends to all mean when you are down on life. The constant belief that God will help you through, leads for a brighter day and a new beginning. I know it may sound cliché and sometimes hard to understand, but it is true that if God bought you to it, he will lead you through it, you simply have to listen

The lonely are often overlooked because the shear emotion of being lonely is something that doesn’t have to physically display itself to the world. Rather it is something a person could be holding inside. An invite to a Christmas dinner or holiday party could be all that someone needs to help make that day easier. While some people that are dealing with depression choose to be alone, others yearn for a sense of acceptance. When you are healing through a rough time, it is natural to cry and feel alone. One way to take your mind off the pain is to surround yourself with people that love you as much you love them. If you don’t have anyone like this in your life, it is a great idea to volunteer to help others (if you have the capability). Volunteer at a homeless shelter, send a child a gift, or help an elderly neighbor wrap Christmas gifts. Initially it may be difficult to go and you may want to stay at home and feel your pain, but once you are out and about your mind won’t feel as cluttered.

Life difficulties can be overwhelming, but remember the Holidays are just another week and this too shall pass.

Happy Holidays and a Bright New Year
With Love, Janelle