Monday, October 14, 2013

Legacy








What does bananas, cantaloupe, Hershey’s Mr. Goodbars, homemade ice cream, pink things, daiquiris’ in the barn, over salted brownies, Kraft macaroni and cheese topped with Pace Picante sauce and spud nuts have in common? 

What does sudsy, slippery, cold water fun, diving to the drain and Marco Polo imply? What is the combining force behind sleeping in the car because I missed curfew, clothes-lining myself- literally- I had a giant-sized, hickey looking bruise across my neck for weeks, and determining whether you have the mumps by drinking pickle juice
Why does macramé, playing cards to see who washes the dishes, Polly Ana, competing in a race to shell peas and snap green beans, and piano sing-a-longs, say” I love you”?

What does feet too small to fit in water skies, rodeos, bowling league tournaments, and miniature golf suggest? How do German shepherd dogs, rattlesnakes, planting seasonal bulbs, moving pipe, the north forty and flipping a three-wheeled ATV relate?

What does scavenger hunting in country abandoned homes and buying out a small Texas town’s entire supply of” pink things” and The Red Rooster indicate?

Why does the thought of Thanksgiving, cotton harvest, frosty Christmas mornings, tumble weeds made into snowmen, whiskey for cough syrup, and countless hours traveling up and down the same road make me smile?

I might have a few of you bewildered with terms like pink things, spud nuts and red roosters.  “Pink things” were a type of frozen treat similar to a Popsicle, but way better. As a child, my cousins and I bellowed “Pink Thing, you make my heart sing...” to the tune of the ever popular hit- Wild Thing. “Spud nuts”, not to be confused with "sputnik", are donuts made of potato flour, these light and airy glazed pastry circles were always a special morning delight.  Oh, and the Red Rooster  was a quaint little drive in restaurant, not more than a shack really, with a red rooster on top.  It was usually my family’s first stop on the way into Brownfield from Amarillo. Regardless of appearance, they had the best hamburger in the basket.

I am sure some of you are curious regarding daiquiris in the barn, but I promised to keep that secret to my grave! And whiskey for cough syrup, what can I say, it was truly for medicinal purposes. I was a sickly child; I came down with a case of tonsillitis one Christmas.  Needless-to- say, I had the family chuckling as I staggered down the hallway that Christmas Eve- one too many hot totties, I suppose.

The answers to these questions are found held within my childhood memories. My cousins and I had such fun as kids spending our summers in the pool, celebrating the holidays and vacationing together. Oh yes, and we got into our share of mischief- cruising the streets of Brownfield and in various bowling alleys across the great state of Texas.  The night we slept in the car, we were past curfew and Missy, the German shepherd, knew it.  She would not let us out of the car! Yes, we learned our lesson and were never late again. Missy took being watch dog to a whole new level; she was more like “mistress of the manor”!   Oh dear, now I can't remember if was Missy or Lady, who kept us trapped in the car... so many great German shepherds and age is fogging up my memory. I do know that it was Bo-bo, who stood guard and frantically raced around the pool, every time all of us where in it. We made that dog so anxious!

All of the above questions can be answered with one person - my Aunt Ellen.  She is the one common thread weaved throughout all of these what? why? and how? questions. She made my childhood so memorable; she turned chores into games, sickness into a comedy, and West Texas country living into a grand adventure. My aunt was a bit rough around the edges, she had a raspy voice from years of smoking, but held within her stern correction, was a sincere twinkle in her eye.  Her life experiences created such a rare and priceless wisdom. She imparted her knowledge with the perfect blend of hilarity mixed with reality and always topped off with truth- shaken not stirred. She had a way of shaking you up, then gently pouring out her nurturing tonic upon you.  At our family gatherings, oh the stories she and her sisters would tell.  

Thank you my wonderful  dear Aunt Ellen, you are an enduring legacy, you left a lasting imprint my childhood.




Friday, July 26, 2013

The Allurement of a Smile...

A smile is the light in the window of your face that tells
people you're at home.  ~Author Unknown
Picture
There is insurmountable beauty held within a smile. When I see someone smile, I cannot help but wonder, what well of joy is hidden inside?  I get an urge to draw near and soak up the goodness around them, to stand in the shadow of their happiness.  I am puzzled, where does their joy come from?  Have they received good news?  Do they hold a precious secret?  What gave them liberty, that resulted in a smile? 

 The teeth are smiling, but is the heart? ~African Proverb
 I have met a few people in my life who always smile.  I have often wondered if their face is just shaped that way, you know a permanent, somewhat manufactured glued- on smile?  It is like the face is frozen, more like a “snile”, instead of a smile.  I will explain, to say smile, you must close your mouth; your lips contact each other in forming the word.  But, in saying, “snile”, your mouth is open, your lips apart, teeth touching, in a frozen position.  Go ahead, try it!    I love bashful naïve smiles that reflect silent giggling innocence. The carefree toothless smiles are the best. I am intrigued by the "I'm so happy full-face smile", where the smile captures the entire face causing the eyes to squint. I am captivated by the wide-eyed smile of wonder.   But a fake smirk, I can live without! And a sinister grin, well that is just downright scary!  What about the hand over the mouth smile, what's up with that?

Alright, so I analyze smiles.  I ponder and ask these questions because I find it a difficult task to smile. My face does not fill the shape of a smile easily.  There must be something unique and wonderfully special to set my heart to laughter and bring forth a smile. Please, don’t get me wrong, I love to laugh! It is a magical liberation, a glorious emancipation of self.    

I think my eyes are my, tell “tale”, they reveal my story held within.  They shine as the morning sun, when I am truly joyful. They tear when I am moved by awe.  At times, they are held downcast refusing to look at sorrow and deception. They twinkle when I am feeling ornery or excited.   They appear distant when I am deep in thought.  They dilate when I am curious.  They are heavy when I am tired and weary. They are focused when discerning the written word. 

Therefore, after I am lured by a smile, I look to the eyes of the gleaming face.... and I wonder, “What is your story, what treasures are hidden within”.  

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Desperado....

A desperado - a person out of hope 

and living in despair.

 
 
Hopelessness is that feeling when all seems lost.  Breath does not bring life, it is only a reminder that you are alive, but hopelessly empty. Life has no meaning. All expectation, anticipation and confidence are gone.  Hopelessness, is that feeling when everything around you is spinning rapidly out of control, you are caught in the middle, and cannot escape the vacuum.  Hopelessness is that feeling that you have done everything you know how, strived to do and live right, yet to no avail.  Hopelessness is the feeling of complete loss of control. Hopelessness is utterly being dumbfounded with life, or worse, being found dumb in life.

How is hopelessness achieved?  It comes by choice, it comes through surrender.   At some point, a conscious or subconscious decision was made and it haunts your thoughts. This choice has become a weighted scarf around your neck, and slowly it has wrapped itself around you like a python, tightening with each move it gradually chokes the life out of you. Everything becomes a struggle; sweat drips from your brow into your straining eyes causing a clouded stinging perception. Your body has become weak and your thoughts are consumed in defeat. You have become prey to hopelessness.

For the hopeless, hopelessness has become their constant companion. These desperadoes cannot see anything good, there is nothing pure, and life is vanity. Vain and futile, life is aborted, it is useless. The hopeless are held convicts jailed within their own desperate souls. The hopeless looks upon others with disdain, their faces are hardened, their words are bitter and their breath is rank. Their steps are hindered, backs are hunched over, and movement is crooked. The hopeless have forgotten beauty and believe that innocence is a mere mirage of deception. 

Nothing is as it seems, everything is black or white, but really everything is just BLACK! Every thought and every word are spoken in absolutes - nothing, never, always.  Their mottos are verses of misery:  “Nothing every works”, “I will never succeed.” “Bad luck follows me where ever I go.”  “They have everything, I have nothing.” “I can’t win, for losing.”   “Everything is wrong, nothing is right.” "I can't!"   Hope deferred has created a sick and embittered heart!  

The hopeless wade in the muck and mire.  They have no zeal, no courage, nothing but appalling memories and a vacant present. To think of the future is utterly absurd, “why bother?” nothing good is waiting there. They boldly declare,” it is only going to get worse!” 

We see these people every day, and we ask ourselves, “What happened to them?”  You try to reach out to them, to pull them out; they look back with disgust and turn away.  Darkness is their friend; they fellowship with doom and gloom. They would rather remain in their obscurity than dare to hope. The idea that anything could get better is terrifying.  The notion that a wrong could be made right, that there is beauty for ashes, that there is a sweet taste available instead of life’s bitter gall, that their life could be full and satisfying, that there is a loving embrace waiting for them- ridiculous! 

Boisterously, hopelessness declares, “Goodness, love and prosperity may happen for others, but it is not ever going to happen to me”.  Hopelessness mocks kindness; it shudders at the thought of happiness. Hopelessness lurks, it tempts and persuades the hopeful to join its desperate parade. 

We have all faced adversity and endured hardship, it is escapable.  We live in a fallen sinful world.  But not all of us surrender to its power.  I may be considered foolish for believing that life is greater than hardship. That good triumphs over evil.  That something good is beyond the bend.  I refuse to be bullied by life.  Life has not been easy, I have been knocked down, blindsided and left for dead.  But I will not lie in the dirt, raise my fist and curse life.

“I would have despaired, unless I had believed I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”

Life is too precious.  Life is a mystery, it is a treasure chest of wonders, it is a challenge, it is an essence to long for, and it is a heroic quest.   I prefer to look for the good among the bad. Some days are difficult, they have little to offer, but I choose to face the spirit of depression and violently push it aside. I place despair under my feet, and jump up and down upon its ugly head!  I put on the mantle of hope; I crown my head with faith, and fill my heart with joy. Laughter is medicine to my wounded heart; thanksgiving changes the condition of my downcast soul.  I look up, and I breathe in the vitality of life.  I wrap peace around my feet, and I move forward.  I head toward the light at the end of the tunnel. 

The temptation to dwell on the negative is an easy endeavor, at times a mindless option.  Therefore a choice is required, a standard of hope must be raised. I choose to uncover good, to discover the quality of excellence, instead of measuring the quantity of mediocrity. Decisively, I look for hope, I wait in anticipation, I opt to rely and have confidence in something greater than my circumstance.  I choose to dwell in the land of the living.  Come join me,  there is plenty of room.
 
Choose hope....
 
 
 


The door is open.... walk in.

Seek Truth

I woke up this morning with this question..."What lies below the surface?  I laid in bed and pondered this question for awhile. 

If you dive into the ocean, you see the underwater beauty that cannot be seen from the shore.  If you look at ugly crustacean covering of an oyster, toss it aside and never open the shell, you miss the pearl held within.  If you dig beneath the surface of the soil, you find tremendous wealth of mineral deposits.  If you dare to enter a dark cave, you may discover a molten rough piece of coal. However when this hardened stone is cut and polished, it reveals the rare sparkling luster of a diamond. Don’t be fooled by what is seen on the exterior, the outer shell can be deceptive.

To seek: to go in search or quest of
                
There are many masters of deception, covering up and concealment is their persuasive art form. They disguise truth with fear and  hopelessness, misdirection, half-truths and illusion.  Discovering truth requires a patient, yet ravenous hunger. Seeking truth is a noble life quest. Truth must be tenaciously pursued and often it is necessary to excavate for genuineness. Dig Deeper! Truth seekers must look beyond the shell of ugliness, peer into the darkness, and take a plunge into the deep.

I hope that you will join me in the pursuit of truth!  Together we can expose deception.

Excerpt from:  Exposed!

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

A Day in the Life of a Child

Gavin and me...
“One hundred years from now it will not matter what kind of house I lived in, how much money I had nor what my clothes were like. But the world may be a little better, because I was important in the life of a child!”

A day with my grandson Gavin is a day well spent. With his mom, his aunt and his big sister off for a girl’s day, Gavin was left in my care. On the night before, while preparing for bed, Gavin was already making plans for the day. Movies, walks, game, playing outside, and eating “all” of the ice cream were high priorities!

All days with Gavin start off early! So there was no sleeping in for this Gramma, this happens – “never”! But today, it was Kylee who came in proclaiming,” Gramma, we’re leaving.” This of course was slightly premature, for they were not out of the door for another good hour. But she was eager to go! Why I am not sure, as she was going to a doctor’s appointment? The idea of mom and aunt Daphne all to herself coupled with a day out of school was obviously very exciting!

As girls were doing the final things that girls do to get out the door, Gavin adamantly asked me to make him pasta for breakfast! Yes, it was a surprise to me as well. Regardless of this out of the ordinary request, I set a pot of boiling water on the stove, and began to wash the
morning dishes.

Finally, the ladyfolk were ready to go! We said our goodbyes, followed by hugs and kisses. Hurray! At last, our day of adventure would begin.

The pasta shells were prepared to perfect al dente texture and topped off with.... soy sauce! That’s how Gavin rolls! Knowing that the boy is an eating machine, I began to prepare the second breakfast of banana pancakes. As predicted, by the time I had mixed the batter and prepared my morning coffee, he was hungry again. Therefore, he was given my pancake and he headed to his room for a dose of Tom & Jerry! I cooked myself another pancake. As I swallowed my last bite of pancake, he was literally hopping around ready to play.

First thing to do was change out of PJ’s and put on clothes, socks and shoes. Clothes were easy, finding a pair of socks; well that is where our adventure begins. Gavin goes through socks, like a train through a tunnel! Somehow they seem to escape very rapidly within the dark. They go where socks go - the mysterious sock abyss. By asking him to go find a pair of socks, I put the boy in motion and sent him on a mission.

After awhile he must have discovered the entrance to the sock abyss, because he came running into my room, exclaiming, “Gramma, I found socks and they even match!” Lickety-split the socks were on followed by shoes... out the door we went!

I set the outdoor parameters; this is a very important thing to do with a boy of adventure! First thing to play was, “you count, I hide” better known as hide and seek, this one of Gavin’s favorite games. He is a stealthy hider; he remains still and extremely quiet even when you are drawing near! After hide and seek, Gavin drew a cobblestone pathway of small, medium and large chalk circles to follow along the patio. I drew the largest, multi-directional hopscotch path ever! It became quite the workout when it was completed! All that hopping wore us both out!

The sun was shining bright, so we retreated to the shade, where we played grocery store. I was the storekeeper, and Gavin was shopper. He filled his basket with many make-believe items: salad, carrots, milk, yogurt, ice cream, meat, juice, gold fish crackers. On his second trip to my store, he needed more salad and carrots, plus a bag of sour Limon chips! He paid for his groceries and headed home to put them in his refrigerator. He carefully laid each make-believe item out on the cement, but in his mind it was a cold, top-of-the-line refrigerator!

In our imaginary land, it was time to cook dinner, we mixed and stirred and poured. Fruit salad was our dinner delight! It consisted of: ice cream, donuts and chips, absolutely- no fruit included! Yummy, we ate and ate.

Out of the blue, Gavin quietly leaned over as if he had a secret to tell and whispered in my ear, “Let’s make a birthday cake!” We softly and silently mixed the pretend ingredients together. Gavin then cautiously carried the cake over to his imaginary oven! Wonder of wonders, immediately the cake was done!

The magic of the imagination is not controlled by time!

After removing the cake from the oven, he meticulously frosted the cake. Then we began to sing: Happy Birthday to Gramma! Which of course was a load of fun, he giggled loudly as I sang. “Happy birthday to me... happy birthday dear me, happy birthday to me”! Yes, of course I blew out the candles, thank goodness this was pretend, I don’t think he can count that high yet! Phew!

After the secret birthday cake was eaten, we rode bikes, made chalk pictures of the sun, moon, bees, rainbows and tea cups! Next we smashed red ants, how dare they walk upon our masterpieces!!!

All too soon, it was time to go back to the real world. Potty breaks for us and the dog were necessary! Gavin cooled off by watching Team Umizumi while eating ice cream right out the carton- that’s how Granma rolls!

Believe it or not, it was now lunchtime! The morning had flown by! Remember time does not exist in the land of make believe! Opa announced he was hungry, and he had a grand idea - homemade French fries! Gavin got a snack (come on, this is no surprise) and retreated back to his room for another round of Tom & Jerry, while Opa cut up potatoes and I fried up some fries! We sat down and ate... and then it happened. The girls were home, our day had come to an end.

This is a day in a life of a child, the best adventure ever!
Try it sometime you won’t be disappointed....
 
 

Monday, April 15, 2013

My Pursuit of Self

“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” - Margaret Mead

I have experienced a few devastating betrayals, and I have made terrible, life-altering choices. The choices we make, dictate the life we lead.

“This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day,Thou canst not then be false to any man.” –William Shakespeare

I have believed my share of lies, and I have worn a deceptive disguise, I have tried to be someone I am not. I have been a friend of darkness, yet I have received divine illumination. I have lived my days confused and loud, therefore, I now cherish the tranquil silence of the night. I have been gagged and lived in a self-imposed prison. I have been rescued from shame, healed of a broken heart and spared from death.I have lived parts of my life in the shadows of others. My individuality has been assimilated through relationships. I can relate to the wives of Lot and Noah, for I have often been identified as a possession: “oh, you are _________’s girlfriend,” “you are Bob’s daughter”, “you are Christopher’s mom” or, “you are Dr. Ray’s wife.” All of these exposures have contributed in the pursuit of the real me.

I have looked back on my life and I have humbly realized how blessed I am. Sure, it has not been an easy road, but I prefer the roadblocks, detours, the bumps and even the derailments I have taken. I have gained wisdom through costly experience. I received most of my education from the School of Hard Knocks. Would I like to go back and do it again? No, there is too much in front of me to go back. Reliving the past is not an option. I am pleased and satisfied with the woman I am, and the woman I am becoming. Believe me the pruning, molding and the shaping is not over! There is so much more to experience, learn and see before my earthly days are over. The more I learn, the less I know. I am hopeful that the next passageway of life will take me to new and faraway places. The here, there and everywhere are waiting for me. New sights, new sounds and new people! The journey will not be carefree, but free of care, for have lightened my load, I have less baggage to carry.

“Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.”

Who am I? I am a diamond in the rough! I am being polished and shaped into a one-of-a- kind gem. I am a rare and costly wine, I have been grafted into the True Vine, and I am improving with age.

“Learn to ... be what you are, and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not.” - Henri Frederic Amiel

I am a nurturer; I am the most content with a sleeping baby in my arms. Children bring out my true essence. I cherish all of the firsts: rolling over, words, crawling, steps, teeth and day of school. Riding a bike, reading, dating and driver’s license, graduations, birthdays, song solos, dance performances, soccer, baseball and football games and marriage proposals are all priceless treasures. Silly giggles, sloppy wet kisses, and goodnight hugs, storytelling and the endless sea of questions make life worth living. Every wound, broken bone, busted tooth, scraped knee or stumped toe are embedded in my memory. Even the worries of “where are you?”,“why didn’t you call?” SAT scores, college finals and flights across the ocean are etched within my soul. My heart beats for every child that has entered and exited my life. Children have made me, me.

I am the most comfortable in the midst of nature; I am enraptured by the setting sun upon the sea. I am enthralled by the sparkling light dancing on the ocean waves. I am drawn into the power of the crashing surf. I am aroused with the newness and freshness of spring. I am at peace and joyfully transformed with autumn’s falling leaves. I am nestled and calmed when the air is crisp and the mountains are covered with pure white snow. I am warmed inside and out by the rays of the summer sun. I am at ease when there is sand beneath my toes. I am transcended with the scent of the ocean breeze.

I am an encourager, my words are useless if they are not used to encourage or promote confidence. I love to see doubt and confusion transform into assurance and clarity! I feel complete delivering hope to a downtrodden soul. The day I was born, the doctor proclaimed, ”Coach you have got yourself another cheerleader!” I am living out those prophetic words! When tears are turned to laughter, when mourning turns to dancing, when sobbing turns to shouts of triumph - I am living life to the fullest!

I am a child of God, born with a purpose and filled with greatness. I am chosen and beloved. Am I perfect? No, but I am forgiven. I am no longer a slave to sin. I am a prisoner set free. I am God’s workmanship created for good works. I am special; I am the apple of my Father’s eye.

Have I arrived? No, everyday is a new beginning. Mercy and grace greet me every morning. I am not the same person I was yesterday, last year or three decades ago. I am a new creature. The old has passed away. I am being renewed daily. Beholding myself in a mirror of glory of the Lord, I am being transformed into His image, going from glory to glory. I am a daughter, a princess, an heiress in God’s Kingdom. Most importantly, me and Jesus, we be mates!

I am a communicator. I find this aspect of me ironically humorous. Due to the fact, that for most of my life, I have been misunderstood! This is one of those lies I paraded around. I am energized when God gives me inspiration. It is like a high-voltage electric charge zaps me! There are times I cannot scribe quick enough the wonders He reveals. In those moments, words explode on the page, I am bathed with satisfaction. “My heart overflows with a goodly theme; my tongue is like the pen
of a ready writer.”

I am a watchman on the wall; I vigilantly stand guard and look to the horizon. I watch. I pray. I don’t like confrontation, but I will protect those in my care at all costs. I will call out the enemy! I will sound the alarm, and give warning to those going astray. At times the night watch is grueling and long. With every sunset, you can rest assured that the light of day will break through the darkness of night.

Nightwatchman! How long till daybreak? How long will this night last?” The night watchman calls back, “Morning’s coming...”

I am a trouble-shooter. Unfortunately, I graduated with honors from afore mentioned School of Hard Knocks! I do not want to continue my education by obtaining a master’s degree! Therefore, when I perceive trouble, I strive to eliminate it. Seriously, if at all possible I try to avoid life’s nuisances; I look for ways to offset potential problems. I do recognize I have lost some of my youthful spontaneity. I have toned down my risk-taking! I now prefer to be cautiously clever using common sense, not irresponsibly stupid using nonsense! At this point in life, I diligently count the costs of decisions. No more jumping out too fast, or backtracking! I never want to lose sight of where I am going. In my race of life, I want to run unencumbered and finish strong.

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this racewe’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”

Who am I? There is more to me than meets the eye. I am a rose bud! A deeper, richer, more fragrant Cheryl is blooming and unfolding. A rose is not beautiful because it is like something else. A rose is beautiful in and of its self, yet is surrounded by bush of thorns. I am a rose among the thorns of my life.

“Truths and roses have thorns about them.” – Henry David Thoreau

I am waiting to meet the finalized version of me. But for now, I will enjoy the me that I am.



This is an excerpt from my new book: Exposed! The portion is from the chapter entitled, Self Exposure- The Real Me. I hope it has inspired you to travel down your road of self discovery. Remember we all have a story, a story worth telling.
Cheryl



Picture

Monday, March 4, 2013

Why We Read

So, why do we read?  
 
Recently, I asked my “social network friends”, what their favorite book was. I got a diversity of answers, which was exactly what I wanted.
  

I believe what we read is a reflection of our personality and a revelation of self. Deep thinkers, like my husband, do not read for pleasure or escape. They read for information and knowledge. Students don’t often have the time to read for entertainment or inspiration, because they are required to read volumes of text books.

Since I mentioned text, let me also acknowledge that, due to instant phone messaging (texting) and email, we have learned to read, communicate and gather information by phrases and simple letters. No capital letters, no sentences structure and not even words,” btw”, “tmi”, “omg” and ”k”. As a result, our reading, writing and communication skills are declining into an all time low. I am fearful that this will cause the next generation to become stagnant in regards to reading. They will not have the pleasure of seeing the beauty of a written word come to life. Technology is nurturing a new age of quick video learning. The days of Did you read ....?” have turned to, “Did you see that movie, broadcast or YouTube video? Alright, enough.

Many women read to escape into a world that is not like theirs, they prefer alluring romance and charming historical time period novels. Most men read for adventure; hunting, sporting and war are their prime selections. If you learned to enjoy reading as a child, you might be drawn more to the classics, where the written word is a timeless adventure or a wonderland of fantasy.

I love to read, I have read hundreds of books for pleasure, inspiration and for deeper knowledge. In my youth, I would escape into a book embracing the characters. As I grew older I found myself more intrigued and drawn to the scenery and time period, it took me away from my surroundings. In my 40's, I became captivated with the plot and conflict of books, as I discovered my own life was full of plot twists and various conflicts. There have been many seasons of, Cheryl versus “_________”! Just fill in the blank...

Lately, I am reading more and more for knowledge and understanding, I find myself hungry for reasoning and self improvement. Therefore, I spend hours researching ideas, philosophies, truth ... and digging for inspirational nuggets. The “when” and the “where” are necessary, but
to me, the “why”, the “what” and the “HOW” are now my reasons for reading.

"Tell me what you read and I'll tell you who you are" is true enough, but I'd know you better if you told me what you reread.” ~François Mauriac

Why do we read? Pleasure, entertainment, knowledge, understanding, escape, enlightenment, inspiration, the list is long and personal. I hope your reading takes you to places that you have never been. That it enhances your imagination, thus stirring up your ability to hope, believe and dream. I hope your reading gives you understanding of your purpose in life, uncovering who you are and why you are here. There is revelation in reading; I hope you find yourself there.
Happy Reading!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Love does...doesn't it?

This is not going to be your normal Valentine's Day message. I find it extremely bizarre how we bottle up human virtues and celebrate them on one day a year.Today is Valentine’s Day, the day we set aside to express love. February 14th is a display of red, pink, hearts, cards, and flowers, a day where you feel obligated to show your love. Love is a irresistible fiery, flaming action of the heart, not an obligation.

Call me dumb, maybe even naïve, but seriously I do not understand how we evolved to this state of being. One day a year marked for love, what about the other 364 days of the year? This holds true to the other anniversaries as well. Thanksgiving, one day to give thanks, hog wash... shouldn’t we give thanks every day? Christmas, the annual day to celebrate the birth of Redemption, I believe we should celebrate the birth of our salvation each and every day. Same holds true with Easter, one day set apart to recognize that death has been conquered, that the grave does not hold us! Mother’s Day, Father’s day... one special day to give attention to those who chose to give us life. I don’t think so! Love, thanks, honor should be shared daily, given without thought! Should they not?

Love does, it has action. Love is passionate, tender, caring, love is endearment and deep affection. Love is sincere appreciation forged with bonds of never failing allegiance. Love is a powerful force, one that should not be contained and shared only one day a year! If you love someone give them recognition and devotion daily. Give, candy, hugs,pink and red hearts whenever love compels you too! Because Love does...

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Fighter's Ballad


I love words like: valiant, victory, courage and battle.

I grew up around athletic competition as my father was a coach. The noise of the gymnasium was my lullaby; I toddled through the infield at track meets, and climbed over the bleachers of the stadium, and even spent hours in the locker room.

Every learning analogy of life always referred to sports, especially football. That is why I embrace the writing of Paul, because he speaks a common language. I want to run the race, I desire to fight the good fight- not just to fight. I want my struggles and hardships to result in victory. And like Paul I do not want to box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary. It is necessary to aim accurately resulting in maximum impact; I want every swing to be effective - to count. I do not want to be caught up in the battle, and never see the victory. I wish to fight valiantly alongside courageous warriors! But to do this I must buffet my body; allow my body to go through strenuous training through discipline. To sweat and agonize, to take on the pain of breaking down, so that God can build me up.

I need to pursue righteousness, to be in right standing with God. To strive for genuine and true goodness. To chase godliness, which is the “loving fear of God”. I desire to be like Christ…to have faith, to love, be steadfast, have patience and gentleness of heart. I want to contend with honor; engage in a worthy and noble fight! To press toward the goal, to win the supreme and heavenly prize. Don't you?

God stands high above the stadiums of our lives, and He cheers us on. He proclaims our victory. God is surrounded by a great multitude of witnesses who join Him in the encouragement.

Therefore, we must throw off anything that would hinder us, anything that would entangle us from taking secure and accurate steps, any weight that would hold us back from running freely our race. We must not let anyone or anything the enemy throws in our path to defraud our efforts. The enemy will act as an umpire declaring us unworthy and and try to penalize us; disqualifying us from our prize. However, God will throw the red flag and challenge the call! After all, He is the Man Upstairs, He sits in heavenly places! He sees all; every play of our life.

Thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory, making us conquerors through Christ! We must keep our eyes on Jesus; avoid anything that would distract us. We need to put on blinders to the world and on our past. In horse racing, they often put blinders on the horse. Blinders equip the horse to see only the track in front of him. These blinders help to remove fear and anxiety. They enable his eyes to remain focused on the finish line, not on the horses pounding the turf just inches away.

Like the race horse, our focus must remain always on Jesus, Who is our Leader, Who is the Source of our faith. He has given us divine incentive to believe. He is also the Finisher of our faith. He is standing at the finish line, waiting to place the crown of victory upon our heads.