Life with Cherie

Faith, Family, Friends

The “Real” Good News

Whether we realize it or not, this pandemic has stolen or damaged even the simplest pleasures we had in life. As a woman of a certain age, I thought I’d finally earned the right to laugh at the silly things teenagers dream up. Yet here we are facing an unprecedented rise in teen suicide. It would be easy to blame social media and the lack of “real” relationships in their “self-isolating” lives, but I think we all know there’s something deeper going on here.

Where is our hope? Why don’t they have it? Have we even offered it to them?

My hope is in Jesus and I believe that He sacrificed Himself so that we can enjoy eternal life. Do we talk about that anymore or are we afraid of being viewed as “pressuring” and maybe even offending someone? I’ve been guilt of that. For sure, I have!

So as I was thinking about the pain in this world and comparing that to my own experience, it occurred to me that I’m being selfish. If I have a hope that brings me joy in everyday life, if I know that secret, I want to share it!

The “real” good news is not just about what happens to me after I die. It’s about how I get to experience THIS LIFE through Jesus’s eyes.

I see how incredibly different and uniquely gifted each person is and I notice how their perspective adds something I wouldn’t have seen without them. I feel compassion for their hardships and sadness and look for ways my own uniqueness might make things a little better. You see, my faith isn’t about what happens “some day.” It lets me experience life through the eyes of Love which, in turn, yields the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These aren’t virtues to be worked on. They are gifts that God gives freely to those who walk in His ways.

If you know someone who needs this good news, I’m posting my very first sermon here. It’s addressed to the teens who attend my church. You see, I’ve been a Youth Leader and I hadn’t even shared this secret with them.

The Times, They Are A Changing!!!

I started this website when I knew my life needed to change and had decided to take some risks. It’s been a long time since I’ve posted and it just occurred to me that, without my realizing it, I have changed too. So much!!! I’m looking forward to sharing my adventures with families and friends – and those who might be considering a change themselves.

Let me very quickly catch you up on the visible changes: We had a metal pole barn built. In the process of looking to add horse stalls, I met an amazing friend. And what an exciting blessing that she had 4 babydoll sheep (the breed I’d selected after extensive research)!

After a flurry of work, we have two beautiful stalls and are in the process of building collapsible lambing jugs. Yes, that’s right, lambs!! Two of our girls are expecting!!!!

And if that weren’t enough, I am expecting 13 apple trees to be delivered next week from Ithaca, NY. Through my seminary studies, I’ve been taken with the desire to pour myself into Creation Care. It’s not just a garden anymore. Soon, we will have a perma-culture tree guild.

Yes, it’s springtime in Missouri! Our plans are in place to set up a rotational planting schedule, I’ve selected and purchased the seeds. Besides my plans for a vegetable garden, I’m also planning to set up a few beds for flowers. It will be exciting to have fresh flowers for the table and to share with friends.

There is so much to learn, and so much to share!

The Journey: Week 1

Perfect timing?!

This blog was supposed to come out last week.  Might as well come right out with that…
And there I was telling you how EASY it is to grow your faith!  Umm, by any chance, did you happen to read the blog I posted on September 1st?  It was titled “Why do I have trouble finishing things?”  Oh, the irony. LOL. But here’s the thing, I believe God is using my weaknesses, the ones I exposed in that September 1st article, as an object lesson for all of us.  A lesson that is the PERFECT way to begin The Journey.

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Let me explain.  It IS easy to have more of Him.  In fact, it’s EMBARRASSINGLY simple to reconnect.  Want to know how?

JUST ASK.  He will answer.

For real.  It’s that easy.

OK, Cherié, if it’s that easy, and if that’s all you have to say in The Journey: 

  1. Why are you writing a blog?
  2. Why is it a series? And
  3. Why wasn’t your initial post on time?!

Because The Journey isn’t about finding the answers, it’s about making them part of who you are and how you instinctively react to life’s circumstances. Until then, even if you know the answers, like me, you will agonize, flail around, and forget.

How is my prideful word-smithing the perfect way to begin The Journey?  I believe it is God’s way of reminding us that the answers are (relatively) easy to find, write about and understand. Holding onto Him in the midst of life? Well, that’s a different story! It’s everything BUT easy. Yet if we are willing to be changed, to be humbled by the dumb mistakes we make time and time again, we can have more of Him right here, right now.

My fellow travelers, my brothers and sisters, I hope you will join me on The Journey.  The truth is, while I am willing to share what I know, what I have experienced and what I have learned, it’s just a glimmer of the Truth. Your insights and experiences will add to that light and lead the way forward for all of us.

In my next post I will share tips on “how to ask” and what to expect when you do.  Until then, blessings and peace in the confidence of our shared salvation!  As branches of one vine, we can do this.  Together!  (John 15:1-17).

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Why do I have trouble finishing things?

That was the Google search I ran at 3:30 this morning.

Squirrel moment for a second… it will make sense at the end of this article, I promise. Why did I use my real name on this blog? And why did I let my friends and family know what I was doing?! They are reading this right now, nodding their heads, “Yep! That’s Cherie. She’s always running late too!”

For future reference, if you decide to start a blog, keep it anonymous. That way, you can say what you really want to say and not worry about what “they” will think or say to each other behind your back. Also, it won’t hurt your feelings that they’re NOT reading your posts. Nope. Next time, I’m going incognito. And I’ll cuss if I want to!

OK, so back to the “I have trouble finishing things.” Some of you have this same issue. You are the reason I’m writing this article and “outting” myself (as if everyone in my world didn’t already know this about me).

Last night, I finally came to grips with the fact that procrastination isn’t my problem. It’s actually worse than that. When I get to the deadline and know it’s time to give a …., I just don’t have anymore ….s to give. There is NOTHING that can help me or make me finish.

What the heck?! Procrastination is a problem, granted. But it’s one I create and one I have the ability to change. Having no ….s, I can’t change that. And apparently, I can’t fake it either. Uh, oh!

Back to that Google search… Its clear that my Google thinks I’m serious/boring/not funny/insane. She didn’t point me to all of those fun Pinterest boards that joke about how having no ….s is liberating. Noooo my Google sent me links to Psychology Today. It should worry me that she knows me better than my husband, but hey… he’s a dude. Clearly, Google is not.

So, anyway, it turns out that this Psychology Today article helped me not only figure out why I have trouble finishing things, it pretty much summed up why I struggle in other areas of my life. (This is the part where squirrel moment will begin to make sense). What I learned is that I am afraid to fail. (See! Who would want their closest friends and family reading this? Anonymity, baby. It’s the only way to blog).

Finding out that I am afraid to fail might not sound like the most earth shattering thing, but when you start to find out the lengths I will go to to avoid finding out just how (insert negative self-talk) I am, you start to see that the fear of failure can be a cover for much deeper fear.

Back to you… If you struggle with finishing things like I do, after reading that Psychology Today article, I can confidently say, “You are NOT lazy, disorganized, irresponsible or rude.” There is a valid reason you can’t get the job done. Take some time to read this article, find out what’s reallly going on, and then you will have the power to do something about it. That’s the first step to getting some of your ….s back. 😉

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/creating-in-flow/201402/5-ways-finish-what-you-start-and-why-you-often-dont%3famp