My Passion for Tea

Assalaam Alakium ladies!

How has this humpday been for you all? I just finished up with work and just came to to the library for a bit before I pick up the Writer from work. I think I may have started an obsession of sort...nothing bad, I think. When I left Barnes and Noble to head for work I realized I didn't bring a fork with my lunch so I instantly had the thought "Go to Starbucks, they have forks!" haha 

Can you tell I'll try to work things around in my favor. I could have easily went across the street from my job and gotten a fork but Starbucks has been on the brain since the weekend, so I gave in. I had a few dollars left on a rebate card so I figured I could use that...oh and I had a buy one get one free coupon hahaha, it just gets better and better right? To make a long story short, the coupon wasn't valid on the drinks I wanted (teas and frapps) so I tried something new, and it was AMAZING! 

Isn't it beautiful! haha

After researching around on Starbucks' website for a new drink I decided on the Shaken Tazo Passion Tea Lemonade. Yeah, it was pretty amazing! This is what may have started my obsession. I only got the tall/small and after drinking it all I wanted to go and get another. Don't worry, I didn't. But my mind is already telling me to go again tomorrow. This isn't good for a person who is trying to budget! I made a promise to myself that I would allow myself one small drink per week. Yes, only one. Coffee and tea drinks are highly addictive for me so I need to have some clear limits. 

After getting the drink of passion I went off to work and ate my lunch, with that much needed fork remember the one I just had to get from Starbucks. Here's a picture of my lunch for today. I had the Lean Cuisine tortilla crusted tilapia with southwest rice and a fruit cup.  

So yeah, the actual food part of my lunch doesn't look as pretty but in all fairness it was equally good Alhamdulliah. A lot of prepacked fish meals are kinda dull but this one is pretty good just don't overcook it. 

If you go to Starbucks, what is your favorite drink?

If you don't go to Starbucks, what is one "fast food" item you can't resist? 

Have a wonderful afternoon!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Book Love

Assalaam Alakium ladies!

Good morning! I got sucked into The Hunger Games last night and stayed awake until I was finished with the book. Needless to say, I didn't get up again this morning to workout. I guess that means I'm going to have to workout when I get home tonight. I hate working out at night, I'm way more into the morning thing. 

This morning I'm at Barnes and Noble, yes, again. I enjoy the atmosphere here. It's so quiet and helps me be more productive. When I walked into the store today I immediately grabbed the second book of The Hunger Games, Catching Fire. I haven't been into a book this much for a long time, it's exciting to take your mind somewhere else for awhile. 

I also have a sense of guilt because I know I've been spending way too much time reading The Hunger Games while I could have been reading the Qur'an or some other Islamic book. I try to make time to read the Qur'an everyday, but I have to admit some days it just doesn't happen. I have an app on my phone with the Qur'an and that helps a lot. I feel better having the Qur'an at my finger tips but without having to carry the actual book around. I get nervous when I carry the Qur'an around in book form. I'm always scared I'm going to get it dirty or drop it on the ground so having it on my phone helps. 

I've been meaning to tell you all about a book I came across at the Islamic bookstore this past weekend. It is called The Metamorphosis of a Muslim! Can you believe it, that is my little slogan for this blog. I was thrilled when I seen it. It's a book on a converts story to Islam and was around $10 at my Islamic bookstore. The book is probably around 100 or so pages so should be a quick read. InshAllah I plan on picking it up next time I'm there. 

Look at this awesome bookshelf!

As you can probably tell, I love books. I try to prevent myself from going crazy and buying a bunch of books at one time so I get a chance to read each one, but sometimes it's just so hard. Also, having an actual hard copy of the book on a shelf seems more "real" to me than having it in Kindle form on my phone. Don't get me wrong, having it on my phone is super convenient but I love being able to look at a shelf of books and find something that is right for me. 

Have any of you read The Hunger Games? If so, what did you think of it?

What books would you recommend, Islamic or not?

Articles of Interest:

http://johnshore.com/2010/08/18/evangelicals-and-muslims-both-love-jesus/

http://theletteredwayfarer.wordpress.com/2011/08/11/why-i-love-the-prophet-muhammad-so-much/

Enjoy your day!

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Changes

Assalaam Alakium! 

Good morning! Happy Wednesday! We're officially halfway through the week! This morning I'm at Barnes and Noble...again. Having one car is a challenge for sure but I know it's a test and I just need to be patient. For this mornings post I wanted to discuss changes. Dun...dun...dun I don't think anyone likes changes. 

Change can definitely be a good thing but the fear of the unknown can sometimes prevent us from taking the first few steps into the direction of change. Coming into Islam is a huge life change and can be quite the adjustment. As I've mentioned before everyone is different and we all come from different backgrounds, cultures and experiences. These life experiences make us who we are today. Imagine living 20-30 years of your life being someone than converting to Islam and having to change all of that around okay, maybe not everything. But nonetheless, it's a tough thing to do. 

For example, before I converted to Islam music was. my life. I lived music, all day I listened to music, wanted to become a successful performer (vocalist) and hit it big in the music world. When I converted to Islam I began learning that music was undesirable and should be avoided due to the content of it. The first time I heard music was looked down upon in Islam was through a YouTube video. A part of me was crushed, I felt like I couldn't be my true self, like I had to become someone completely different. At first I resisted this change and would make excuses for listening to it. I then dug deeper into the subject and found more information and took a drastic change, I completely stopped listening to music. Cold turkey. I deleted almost all of the music on my computer and stopped listening to music in the car. A few months later, I broke down and started gradually listening to music again. It was so hard to change my thoughts on music. It's been a roller-coaster ride since but I know I need to take things slowly from now on. Completely ridding my life of music at once was not the best idea. I should have started out by getting rid of the most offensive music first and going from there. I'm still in the process and I trip up sometimes. Baby steps. 

When making a huge change in your life, especially in an area of your life you are very passionate about, start off small. There is no need to rush into a huge change. As long as you're intentions are right Allah will understand. No matter if we know it or not, we are changing everybody, inshAllah for the better, we just need to be open to the change and believe that Allah will get us through it. 

Here are a few tips on change:

1. Slow down. As I stated above, start with baby steps. Don't rush into a big change this will only make you uncomfortable and may be detrimental in the long run. 

2. Be willing to change. In order to change, you must come to terms with it. Don't just change something unwillingly. 

3. Reflect. Think about how this change will make you a better person. Try to picture your life in the future with this change. 

4. Support. Seek out support in friends and family. Find people who will respect your need to change and understand why you want this change in your life. 

5. Be positive. Use empowering words such as "I CAN do this, I WILL do this, This IS doable, I WILL be a better person after this" 

"If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living."Gail Sheehy

Please share in the comments any tips you have for making a change. 

Feel fee to share a experience you've had with change and what worked for you. 

Also, in the comments, leave your suggestions and recommendations. 

Have a great morning, 

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~

Coming to you from....

Assalaam Alakium! 

Good morning, inshAllah you all had a great nights rest. Again, it was hard getting out of bed this morning, the Writer just started a new job so we're still getting use to his schedule change. 

I'm coming to you from Barnes and Noble this morning. Today I'm sticking around the Writers job so we can go to lunch later....Souper Salad anyone? We both work in the same area and share a car so today I'm saving some gas by staying in the area. I love bookstores, I could get lost for hours looking at books, and ending up buying maybe one haha. 

I thought I'd share a picture of a butterfly just to give this blog some visual appeal and since I absolutely adore butterflies. I think it's the metamorphosis/change that occurs. They start out being a caterpillar and change into a completely different animal, a beautiful butterfly.  

People have asked me why I chose the name Hijabi Butterfly, I guess it's because I think of myself as a butterfly in a way. I'm a convert to Islam so in a sense I had to go through a type of metamorphosis to become who I am today. I'm ever evolving into a better person, I hope, everyday so my metamorphosis is still in progress. I have a lot more left to learn and plan on sharing what I learn with you all. I want this blog to be a place for anyone really but specifically, Muslimahs. I found a lack of blogs dedicated to Muslim sisters and I feel that I can fill a void somehow. I want this blog to be a place of knowledge, so please let me know what I can do to make it a better place to come and read. 

Spotlight on hadith:

Reported by Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "Whenever a group of people sit in a gathering in which they do not remember Allah the Exalted, nor supplicate to elevate the rank of their Prophet, such a gathering will be a cause of grief to them. If Allah wills,  He will punish them, and if He wills He will forgive them." (At-Tirmidhi) 

Have any of you gone through a type of metamorphosis so to speak? 

Have a blessed day and inshAllah (If God wills) I'll be back with another post later today. 

Wasalaam,

~Hijabi Butterfly~