Love, True Love ...

Awesome post on love from Ryan

< http://www.farizz.blogspot.com/ >

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Right there at the core, it really is all about love.

I like pondering about what Ryan shared

about four different kinds of love

and making sure we're working at the best kind.

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I think what is hardest about managing the whole eros love

is the emotional high that comes with it.

It has an attraction like drugs, and when it's gone,

it can leave you feeling like a downer.

Like something is missing. Like something is wrong.

When in fact that's not the case at all.

Unless your in love with being in eros love :~)

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And there's a bit of full-circle to it all

with the Real Meaning of Life, Happiness, and Love.

Because I think all three are based on whether

we are willing to deny ourselves the short-term desires and pleasures

of our self-indulgences (including emotional highs) and self-pity

to chase the long-term prize of giving the best kind of our love,

agape love, to God and others ...

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Onward!

The "Real Meaning of Life"

This < http://sarahjohnv2.blogspot.com/2006/02/real-meaning-of-life.html > was an awesome post by Sarah. I've always loved her blog, what she says, the humor she finds in life, how she processes what's up. So I don't mean to take away from the rest of what she says and who she is, it's just that I loved her "The Real Meaning of Life" post.

Of course, as with you I would assume, reading it makes me wonder what I think the real meaning of life is. And today, unequivocably, I would say that somehow I find "meaning" in the concept of living life "well" ~ meaning that coasting or overly-stressing do not qualify for "meaning" in life. And living well ... hmmm...

Living on purpose, living with purpose, finding and following the right purpose. If God is real, then that would involve finding God (a key issue to sort through). Once we find God, does He have anything to say that would impact how we live? If so, what is it? Are we doing it?

Jesus said our purpose is to Love God with everything we've got and Love others as we love ourselves. Yesterday I was told that JOY could be an acrositic for Jesus ~ Others ~ Yourself ... I thought that was pretty cool. I think our "happiness" quotient is a pretty good measure if we're living well.

Truth is, over the years I've proven to myself over and over again that I'm happiest when I'm loving on God and loving on others. So I guess what I think is that ... The real meaning of life is finding happiness, and God gave us the roadmap, so the key is to follow it.

But the challenge comes in this ... Are we willing to deny ourselves the short-term desires and pleasures of self-indulgences and self-pity to chase the long-term prize of giving our love to God and others? That's where the rubber meets the road.

There's been a lot going on in my office ...

... if only I'd taken pix of ALL the fun and excitement we've had!

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Oh well, these few photes will just have to do.

(I wish I had snapped freeze, kelli, brit, lars, sam, natalie, & so many others!)

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Thank you to my family, friends, and pups who have

brightened my life this busy season
with your love, visits, and hanging out in my office!

Busy Season ...

On the home stretch!!

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I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and

I'm pretty sure it's not an oncoming train :~)

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The sun is out and it's warm in my office.

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Our family is loving, happy, and healthy.

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We had dinner & a comedy show with Robyn & Darold Saturday.

(Perhaps the 2nd time I've been out of my office in 2 weeks? Wow!)

It was sooo wonderful and fun!

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And we've had more kids and teens in our home

Over the past four days than I can count!

It's such a blessing to be working from a home office ~ hurrah!!

Happy family and friends make me so happy :~)

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And in a strange sort of way, I've just gotta' admit ...

I do get a bit of a high of chasing all the complex numbers & projects,

And getting them done RIGHT!

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Love and hugs,

Sherrie

Happy Valentine's Day

These pictures are some of the first that I ever took DIGITAL :~)

Going down to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta with Robyn & Darold in October 2001 was the perfect time to jump into the techy age.

Now that we can print digital prints so easily from walgreens.com; I don't miss my 35mm at all.

Enjoy your day ~ live from your heart ~ up, up, and away!!

Some Random Pix from 2001-02

Happiness

Drew loves his job.

I mean he just LOVES his job. He started working at Office Max on December 5th of this past year. It's the one by Ace Hardware very close to our home. Generally, he works Tuesday & Thursdays from 4.00 till 9.30 and Saturday from 1.00 till 8.30. When he comes home, he plops down in front of me and while catching up with his text messages and buddies, he bubbles over with stories and laughter from his latest shift. An interesting customer, his awesome manager, something really cool about a co-worker, how he enjoys working "the front end" (register & greeting, rather than stocking, shelving, and organizing). He laughs, he smiles, he jokes. He loves his job so much, he even says, "I just love my job" at least once during these wind-down sessions.

This morning as I woke, I thought about what makes me happiest, and as a parent it is undoubtedly when my kiddos are happy and filled with joy. Yes, I love their friends and girlfriends and having these dear kiddos in our home, getting to know them, and investing in their journey of life. Yes, I am so pleased when one of our sons brings home a great report card. Yes, I do love when they spontaneously just clean their rooms and make their beds (and that is rare enough that the smile it gives me is pretty big!). Yes, I love watching them play sports, use their bodies, and explore new things. But at the top of my list ... has to be when they are just bubble-over happy, laughing, and living life well. Drew's joy about work so captures this -- he's being healthy, productive, loving on others, laughing, and joy-filled. Man does that feel ohhhh-sooooo good. Their happiness makes me so happy.

As my eyes fluttered between sleep and awake this morning, and my body stretched, and as I wiggled the fingers on my left hand that are stiff and painful every morning now as I age (grr!), I pondered about how another really cool thing about parenting is that by giving us children, God has given us an bit of an understanding as to himself as our Father. The things that bring tears of grief to my parenting eyes so resemble the things that grieve God about humankind. And conversely, the things that bring me the greatest joys ~ the miracle of a new baby, the spiritual birth of a child, the loving contribution our kiddos make to others ~ are the same things that bring Him great joy with all of His children.

So back to where I started, Drew loves his job and in sharing his happiness with me, my heart is filled with great joy. God intends for us, even more so, he LONGS for us to be happy and joy-filled, too, and to share it with Him. It is in such happiness that His joy in us is made complete. If we are to be "dutiful children" and honor our Lord, then we really do need to figure this issue out, get over the mindsets that make us feel that we "shouldn't be too happy" and manage better our life issues so that we aren't robbed of our happiness. We need to make happiness a priority!

Grace Chapel will be providing a weekend getaway entitled "Joy in the Rockies" for women to refine, refuel, and refresh ~ it will be held, God-willing, April 28-30, 2006 at Beaver Run Resort in Breckinridge (Friday evening through mid-day Sunday). As part of this retreat, there will be lots of time for swimming, hot tubs, lady chitter-chatter, in addition to great teaching sessions (I believe our Char is speaking ~ yeah!) and worship. And on Saturday morning, the attendees will be able to choose 3 workshops (out of 9 offered) for one-hour sessions on something tailored for individual hearts. I will be teaching one of these workshops which I've entitled, "The Happiness Workshop." We were purposefully designed by our creator for Happiness ~~ by living in the true love of God and love of others ~~ and we will be exploring and applying His lessons during this workshop.

I love the April Ladies Retreat. I love the close, close time of hanging out with dear friends ~ staying up too late talking, laughing over girl things, and sharing hurts that are struggling to get healed. I love the teaching and worship that is focused on application and growth. I love the connection with my God and my others. And I want to make sure that if this is something that would be a blessing to you that you have the opportunity to attend. Registration will begin soon, and prices vary based on room size and number of women per room. Check your hearts and check your calendars. This will be a fun time for everyone.

And whether or not Joy in the Rockies will be part of your life in April, my hope and prayer for you is that your day be filled with love, joy, peace and HAPPINESS! Love like there's no tomorrow. Laugh like no one is watching. Dance under the stars and through the house. Be filled with the knowledge and faith that God loves you without measure or limit. Skip around the block. Call someone just to share a word of love and encouragement. Pray for your loved ones. And more than anything, let's give thanks to our creator for all the blessings He's bestowed upon us and the ones we love :~)

Love you all,
Sherrie

Busy Season

In my work, my largest client is a company with an incredibly complex and difficult year-end close. As a result, rather than asking, "What's Up, Sherrie?" you've probably been asking yourself, "So, Where IS Sherrie?" Sorry about that!

In the midst of this really rough busy season, which has also included me providing an in-depth multi-day seminar for another client on Leadership (which was awesome :), Dave and I have been very busy with lots of other very cool things ...

1. Playing lots with our boys and engaging lots with our teens
2. Hosting youth group twice a month
3. Launching the fellowship cafe at church on Sunday evenings
4. Spending wonderful time with neighbors and friends
5. Eating well and exercising regularly
6. Taking care of miscellaneous things around and about the house
7. And I've been working a lot with some wonderful ministries (business plan for 1 Liquid House, powerpoint & small group with Impressions, participating in our neighborhood bible study, supporing ministries through board meetings, etc)

And here's a wonderful thought on love that I'd like to share with you ~ it describes so well the love of God and the best love we can have for those around us... "But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearless on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort -- the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person -- having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away."

If you think of it, could you please pray for me and my productivity over the course of the rest of this month? I would be very grateful.

Love,
Sherrie