Construction Phase .....

Daddy,
Thank you for being God's Love.  Thank you for saying with each prayer - "Father thank you for loving us."  You taught me love in so many ways.  But you also taught me who God is.  Knowing that God is Love has proved my literal saving grace forever.  There are so many conversations I want to have with you today about God.  I think I need to hear your opinion.  But if I am honest- I already have - God's Love meant everything to you.  And it is how you treated others - you lived God's Love in all that you did. 


Sometimes we look and we cannot see things the way we might should.

The typical view that I would choose is the picture above.  This is out my front door - the one I go in and out all the time.  I think it is a beautiful picture.  I love the colors - the definitions - just really think it is pretty.

Same skyline - from a different vantage point - this time my side yard.  Typically Kerry feeds our dogs - today I did.  Or  maybe typically when I feed the dogs because I do that (not as much as him) I don't take time to look toward the western sky.  

And this close up view nearly took my breath away.

Same skyline - same home - same.

But yet not at all the same.

There is a God story in these pictures for me.  In the popular religious circles of today there is a word that is being used.  I think it has been around for about 5 - maybe 10 years.  This word of "reconstruction".  The time in life when one looks at what they believe - how they believe and decide to do something different with the knowledge.  

Look at the last bullet point ... an impression, model, or re-enactment of a past event formed from the available evidence.

That is where I am.  And while that definition is so incredibly vague to me - I think I can explain.  I am not sure that this is where others on this journey are - or if they would even agree with my interpretation of the reconstruction definition - but for me this is where I am .... today.

I am finding that while some things seem new - they are in fact really not.  I mentioned to Kerry last night that it almost aggravates me at times because I wonder why it has taken until 54 to figure some of this out.  He reminded me that I have learned a whole bunch of stuff about other areas of life as time has gone - why would this God journey be any different.

He is right.  I have always had somewhat of an impression that I should understand all the God stuff just perfectly - like right now.  That what I knew growing up should be what I know.  If it is God and I have to know God for all the things of life and the after life to fall into place- then surely I understand the God part in its entirety or at least enough to get where I surely want to go.

Good heavens.  Seriously - such a naive approach to life.  

Of course God is not something for me to completely understand and figure out completely today - or yesterday and probably not tomorrow either.  But I can go back to my original viewpoint and see.  I can look to the same spot from a slightly different vantage point - but yet still be in truth and see new.

I was still in my home.  I was still Cheryl looking at the western skyline.  The foundation was the same - I just took a different vantage point.  But the western skyline was still the western skyline.

This is what is happening to me right now.  

My foundation was formed a long time ago.  I suspect it was formed as she carried me from Florida to Tennessee back to Texas before I was born.  Then they carried me throughout Texas and raised me almost exactly how she would have raised me.  I have learned about the birth family and to use an expression of old - they are a "God fearing" family.  The messages I have received about my grandparents - the stories that are told all show their foundation in God's Love.  Her life is also an example of God's Love.  She is still today a living breathing evidence of God's Love.  

The same is true for the couple who raised me - my parents.  Everyday of my life I knew of God's Love.  I felt love - I lived in love.

And so Love is taking me on this journey to examine what I believe to be true about God.  Jesus is guiding the path - I am looking at what I know to be true - the foundation - but I am also looking to God from all kinds of vantage points.  The foundation has not changed.  The views to see him are multiplying. 

That was the message in 1989 - the other side is below and hangs on my kitchen wall today ...

Continue reading I John 4 - it is a wonderful chapter about God's Love.

"Dear friends, if God loved us this way, we ought to love each other.  No one has ever seen God.  If we love each other, God remains in us and his love is made perfect in us." 4:11-12, CEB.

Growing up in that wonderful church in Perrin - we used to sing a song ....

There is no fear in love - but a perfect love casteth out all fear.

For fear hath torment and he that feareth is not made perfect in love.

We love him because he first loved us and I will not be silent.

I will praise his name forever - for my God is Love.  

God is Love.

Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.

Learning History

It is really difficult to "not be political" these days in our country.  And I have decided that it is really difficult to "be me".  Maybe you feel the same.

I do not support the death penalty.

I do not support the right of a woman to have an abortion.  

I do not like the idea of someone without public education experience being the leader of the education system in our country.  

I am completely confused over the immigration rulings.

I believe racism sucks.

Heavens the list is long ------.   I am for LIFE.  Life for all.  I am quite confused how I have been against abortion for all of my life - yet I would have told you in my past self that I was in favor of the death penalty.  Not anymore - I cannot justify it in my mind.

That is the key.  Justify in MY mind.  These opinions are mine.  I am certainly not trying to influence anyone because I will not present enough valid information to sway an opinion (at this point).  But I hope we can consider a couple of thoughts.

Maybe WE can be the change we want to see in our world.  We can choose to be loving - kind - tolerant - etc....

Many times our change is one sided.  We want the other side to change but we many times are not willing to do the things we expect others to do.

And this is not an easy time ----- for either "side" - for any of us.


My thoughts....

What legislation impacts the issues that I find important?

What governmental agencies and groups impact "my issues"?

What is the history behind these issues?

What is the financial ramifications of change?  

What FACTS can I share - what FACTS do I know?  

Are my emotions charged because of FACTS or feelings?

The challenge is to not only talk about the work but to in fact do the work.  The civil rights legislation from the 1960s - did things that helped to create change.  The Montgomery Bus Boycott - the March on Selma - the March on Washington all of those events plus many many more - used their voice to impact change in laws and policies - and the way people were treated.

The SPLC actively monitors hate watch issues and provides a legal resource.  

President Trump - like him or not - he is doing.

Shane Claiborne is - with every ounce of who he is as a person - against the death penalty.  He is willing to protest on the Supreme Court steps - and get arrested for his stance.  

As I look to these leaders of the past and see leaders in our present setting - I want to make sure that I learn the historical accounts and when appropriate follow in their examples.  MLK - marched and boycotted to influence a needed change in our society.

What changes do I want to see?

death penalty - not an option anymore - what can I learn from Claiborne - if I find myself agreeing with his viewpoint - am I willing to join him?

racism - eradicated - eliminated - not an option anymore - what am I willing to do?

My homework must consist of reading - listening - and learning about the historical development of the death penalty & racism.  Not only how it impacts me personally but how those two issues have impacted us as a country.

Since it is the new year I have a new daily planner.  It took me about a month to figure out which one I needed (wanted).  I found one that I was able to design by Erin Condren - great product.  

It is not enough just to have an opinion without a specific action that eliminates oppression & violations of civil rights for any of us.  My hope is that we will monitor legislation - monitor court decisions - fight for injustice - and in the end be willing to stand on a hotel balcony. ~ Dr. Cannon Groves 

Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.

Bone broth, NingXia Red, & No Eggs!

I love eggs.

Fried, scramble, deviled, not so much raw - but just about any other way I truly enjoy.  Since I eat a diet void of gluten - eggs come in pretty handy.  I enjoy them.

I found out this week that I have a sensitivity to eggs and I have been told to avoid them ...... for at least 2 months.

We have new non stick pan just for eggs!

So during this endeavor to figure out the egg part - I also have been searching for true healthy foods - foods that can keep a body above the wellness line.  

Bone broth is one of those foods.  So I made some today.  I used my Instant Pot with 2 cooked whole chicken bones, an onion, some carrots, and some celery.  

The bone broth was surprisingly good & comforting!

My other staple at our house is a juice made from the Wolfberry or Goji berry - called NingXia Red.  It is a special product from the Young Living line of supplements.  

One of my favorite ways to have NingXia Red is with kombucha tea - but Kerry & I each have about 2 ounces a day - first thing in the morning.  Our belief is that it helps us stay above that wellness line (oh and it tastes really good!).

NingXia Red can supplement your wellness regimen in so  many ways!

Wellness is certainly a journey.  

I am reminded that our "bodies are the temple".  I haven't always taken this approach to eating.  I loved fried _____________ (fill in the blank - they are pretty much all my favorites).  Now that I have had various issues with foods and sensitivity - I am on a quest to learn as much as I can about the foods we eat. Sometimes I think it is a curse to have these sensitivities - but in reality it is a blessing.  I honestly believe that the "junk" is not good for anyone - I am just fortunate that it bothers me quickly and gives me encouragement to change the way I am eating. 

I told a friend the other day that I am wise enough to realize that not everyone will view things the way I do and respectful enough to not be judgmental in my presentation of thoughts & ideas.  I can say though - my thoughts come with research - reading, listening, watching.

Netflix is a great place to find documentaries on food and health and eating.

Three of my favorite that have made a positive impact on our lives are (at least to date - I am hoping there are even more to watch....)

This film helped us decide to juice, juice, juice!!!

My friend said that everyone should watch this film.  The ending is almost the best.  LOVE really does matter!!!

I am actually watching this one right now - and I had to pause and finish this blog entry.  I was almost in tears -----  what some farmers put in our food just makes me sad.  I know they do it so they can make money - I get that part - I know they do it because of mass production.  But it is still very troubling.

We are on a wellness journey.  

Links to shows:

Hungry for Change

Fat Sick Nearly Dead

GMO OMG

Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.

LIFE is a Dream!

Kerry tells me that I am a person who takes ordinary circumstances and turns them into extraordinary events!  He is right.  I suspect I learned that way of perception as I was growing up - my parents always instilled in me the need to pay attention to what God wants for your life.

Some of the highlights along the way that have led me to this time and the assurance that I am exactly where God wants me to be....

While in junior high I participated in the UIL Poetry contest.  The Touch of the Masters Hand was the poem I read.  I still can recite the poem without the printed copy.  What an incredible poem - 

Then in high school - I became an extemporaneous speaker.  The UIL contest of Persuasive Speaking was my platform.  I competed at the district and regional level and as a senior placed 5th in Regionals.  This of course was without in real speech training.  But that led to my career pathway of getting a degree in speech and teaching speech for several years.

My dad's secretary asked me one day (as a junior in high school) - what I planned to "be when I grew up" - and my answer was Oh something in public relations  - my mom told me last week that she always thought I should go into public relations too.  I can still remember talking to Nicki that day - in the Perrin ISD school cafeteria.  Little did I know that it might take a while to come to that public relations dream.

There of course have been other signs along the way - that much like reading a literary work the symbolism is evident once you finish the "book".

Oh yes "book" - my friend Crystal has been encouraging me to write a book for quite some time now.  I had no idea how to even really go about that endeavor but with LIFE - I will write a book (some time in my future) and LIFE will help me market that book to readers everywhere.  Pictured below is Crystal, Kerry, me, & Brent.  

LIFE encourages us to dream - to remember those dreams we had growing up.  LIFE wants us to reach for those dreams.  For some it is a new car, new house, secure retirement, pay off all debt - each of us have a different perspective on the dream.

For me LIFE is the dream.  

I have always wanted to be a part of a community.

I have always wanted to be in a position to truly help others.

I always love speaking!

I always enjoy sharing with others what God has done in my life.

I have always truly loved serving.

Now I have a system in place that shows me the way to do those things every single day with proven results as I own my own Leadership Company.

LIFE is my Dream.

Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.

Pi Day - March 14

Well I totally missed Pi Day.

Oh I was here but I had no idea there was such an event.  I did what I usually do on March 14th - think about my Grandma Cannon.  She was born on March 14, 1900.  I have always thought that was so neat that she was born in 1900 - made figuring out her age easy for all ages!

My Grandma Cannon receiving an award for her service at the Denton State School. 

Notice the line in my browser at the top in the screenshot below....  "Celebrate Mathematics on March 14th" - that could be why I missed it.  I haven't so much celebrated math at any point in my life.  Oh at one time I thought I could major in math - I made it through Cal I and on day 1 of Cal II when I thought the teacher was speaking a foreign language - I knew I had to go somewhere else!  (I ended up in Spanish - a truly identified foreign language...)

I noticed some friends of mine on Facebook with the Pi symbol on their arms...

It was after seeing this picture that I really had to go figure out this Pi Day.  From the Pi Day website:

"Pi (π) is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Pi is a constant number, meaning that for all circles of any size, Pi will be the same.

Pi Day is celebrated on March 14th (3/14) around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol used in mathematics to represent a constant — the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter — which is approximately 3.14159.

Pi has been calculated to over one trillion digits beyond its decimal point. As an irrational and transcendental number, it will continue infinitely without repetition or pattern."

Now I understand why Rhonda's family has the Pi symbol on their arms.  It was on March 14th of 2010 that Rhonda said her earthly good bye to her son.  I totally understand why she would want a constant memory of him.  I understand why Rhonda would want to remember her son for her lifetime - for infinity.

I must say I think Rhonda (and her family) can cling to that hope of infinity because of their love for Jesus.  (I am not being presumptuous - I have had several God conversations with Rhonda and I have worshipped in Austin with her daughter before.... they are Jesus people.)

Rhonda, Me, Candi, Mike - Getting ready for the Rotary Banquet just a few years ago!

Perhaps Pi can be all about Jesus and His love for us.

Jesus is constant.

When calculating Jesus' love for us it is infinite and without repetition and it certainly doesn't have a pattern.  

Jesus is the same for any of us. 

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.

Year of the Goat?

I first learned about the Chinese New Year when I went to Vegas about 16 years ago. Our first Vegas trip was a learning experience on many levels.  We learned how to play cards - learned how to walk and walk and walk - and learned about the Chinese New Year.

We tend to go to Vegas around the same time each year (unless we are celebrating a birthday) so we have the opportunity to celebrate the Chinese New Year each year.

Well celebrate isn't exactly what we do - but we do enjoy the beautiful decorations that the hotels will create.  The Bellagio has the most amazing displays.

This year's trip was for Son Two's birthday (which is actually in July - but we celebrated in January)

 

We will try to stay at The Linq next year.  Near the casino is a jumbo camera and you can take your picture as you walk by.  The Linq was formerly The Imperial Palace.

Son Two (and everyone but me....) rode a ZipLine down Freemont Street.

 

This week there seems to be several opportunities to learn about dates and calendars.  This week also included Ash Wednesday.

When I googled "Chinese New Year" and "Ash Wednesday" both instances showed links to "Things to Know About....."  We are certainly a society that likes to know about so many things.  Sometimes that knowledge gets all jumbled up and we forget to "know" about the things in life that are really important.

The Chinese New Year is important to a billion people and I would suspect that Ash Wednesday is important to almost that many too.  Both are significant times for people to reflect on certain things.  Both are interesting to me.

I also find it even more interesting that this year they occurred in the same week.

But after writing this I will not think too much more about The Chinese New Year but I will try to remember Ash Wednesday.  

My college roommate is a practicing Catholic and she doesn't really know this but my admiration for her goes so deep (perhaps she knows now!).  First of all you must know that I pretty much prayed for her before I knew her but God forgot to hear all of my prayer.  I would have NEVER prayed for my college roommate to be a Catholic.  I grew up during a time period when Evangelical Christians were basically scared of the Catholic faith and therefore did a great job of sharing false teachings about the Catholic faith. 

I have a sincere respect for Regina - a sincere respect for how she was raised - and recognize that she loves Jesus and serves Him each day of her life.  Our worship may look different from the outside but the inside is just the same.  

Regina's MIL lives in Perrin and is one of my mom's best friends (all happened after we originally met on the TSU lawn)  Regina brought her MIL to Graham to see my mom and we got to visit!

Regina emailed me the other day and she said... "I think it is so amazing how like minded we are.  It was no accident on the lawn at TSU that day."

Well of course not - I had been praying for a lifetime for us to be roommates.

It may take me a few days but I will come up with my practices for Lent.  I like to participate in the traditional "giving something up" practice.  I feel quite sure that I do not practice as my friend might - but I think as long as grow in my walk and relationship with Jesus then I am on the right path.

Article about Lent

That's what new years and new seasons should be all about.... They should be about growing and worshiping and learning more and more about this life of following Jesus.  

Take a look at the website from this internet picture - some interesting things to consider! 

Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.

Gracious & Football

If you have read my blog for any length of time you know all about my absolute LOVE for football.  My first love is high school football - that stems from years and years of walking with my dad on the sidelines of Perrin High School football.  Then that love just escalated with Nephew One hit high school and our dedication and admiration for Graham Steer football began and I suspect will never end.

We have laughed, cheered, yelled, and we have cried.

This year I also got to see graciousness on the field of play.

Nephew Three is a Graham Steer.  He is also the perfect example of what preparation can do.  He played football for Perrin and really had a great freshman and sophomore season.  Then his junior year he started both ways for Graham on the junior varsity team.  He was moved up to varsity and finished the season as a slot receiver for the 2013 Graham Steers State Semi-Finalist.

Junior Season

Nephew Three with Coach Brad McCoy (My boys' football coach)  & Dillon Cobb - Nephew Three's coach from Colt Camp.  This was after JV game against Abilene Wylie in the Junior Season.

Grandson One wearing the helmet became a tradition in the Junior Season.

The helmet wearing continued into the Senior Season.  

Back to that "what preparation can do".  

The summer of 2014 our #33 spent the entire summer working hard to prepare for the Senior Season of football.  If you want to know how to truly be a part of a winning football team - then ask #33.  He spent day and day in the weight room and practicing 7 on 7.  In fact that Graham Steer 7 on 7 team won the State 7 on 7 meet for the 2nd year in a row!!

Nephew Three & Coach Son Two - State 7 on 7 Champions!

Then came the Senior Season - of which there is much to write about!  Nephew Three was a running back and receiver - played on both the kick off and return teams.  And scored touchdowns!!  It was just the most awesome season and we had so much fun watching him play as a Graham Steer.

Nephew Three with Dillon Cobb again - Wylie football game - 

we won (we beat them twice this year!)

Funny thing about high school sports - there is an ending.  Even though we WON on my birthday - that second win against Abilene Wylie - WON again while playing a tough Stephenville team - even if we could have won that game on December 12th - the season was going to end.

Ours ended one week earlier than what we had hoped.

But in the midst of all of our tears - mine included (I simply hate the ending....).  I witnessed graciousness.

Gracious defined --- very polite in a way that shows respect, showing consideration, showing a natural kindness - thoughtful (prepare2prosper)

One more time he posed for the traditional picture....

That's how one prospers in life - live graciously.  Nephew Three showed that -

Nephew Three knows Jesus.

Nephew Three lives as Jesus instructed and prepares each day for that living.

Nephew Three is a Graham Steer - 2014 State Semi-Finalist.

Always, May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14.