10.31.2011

Thankful --> Kathryn Long

chicken, pumpkins, sugar, candy, ice cream, Mrs. Fields, pumpkin seeds,....
These are all the things Kathryn told me to be thankful for on this post right after she told me to be thankful for her.

Therefore, I am thankful for Kathryn Long. We're stuck at the hip and laugh our butts off constantly. :)

Thanks for such a good friend God!

-Cherish

10.30.2011

Thankful --> My Family.

I realize this is kind of a vague thing to be thankful for, but anyone who knows me well enough, knows that my family is something I treasure so very much. I am very much a family person and would put them before anything. Now, I'm not just talking about my immediate family, I'm talking grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.

I truly believe that this is the most wonderful time of the year. These next few months are going to be jam packed with family because of the holidays and I am so very thankful. While there are going to be some very important people missing from the equation this Christmas and Thanksgiving, they are still very much in my heart, so in a sense they are there. In a few months, I'm going to be sitting in the mountains with my family and some of my extended family soaking up the snow and living it up during Christmas. I am so very excited to spend quality time with these people and bond even more.

I seriously considered posting pictures of all my family members individually on this post because they are all so very very important to me, but I have to be realistic. I have too big of a family to do that.

God has blessed me in so many ways. One of them being, one amazing family that I know I can depend on for anything. Thank you God!

-Cherish

10.29.2011

Thankful --> My Camera.





 Why so thankful for this? I love photography. Now, I'm not excellent at it, but it doesn't matter because I do enjoy it and I enjoy editing pictures. I am also thankful I am able to catch the beauty in moments that you can relive by looking at the picture in years to come.







10.28.2011

Thankful --> The Truth.

Today, and everyday at that, I am thankful for the Truth. What kind of Truth you ask? The Word of God.

For those of you who believe, isn't so amazing how God didn't leave anything out in what we face everyday? There is a scripture in the Bible for everything we could ever imagine. God in His infinite wisdom created a book, no a life map, especially just for us.

I am so thankful for His word and that I get to serve a God like Him.

And for those of you who don't believe, you're missing out!

-Cherish

10.27.2011

Thankful --> This Sermon

Last night during the college class at church, they played this video instead of there being a lesson. This man, Louis Giglio, knows how to bring it. This sermon, "How Great is Our God", was truly touching and made me realize how big my God is and how little I am. Sin is something we all struggle with daily and sin seems to belittle God in a sense. I believe we sometimes forget how big God is and how powerful and wonderful He truly is. This sermon will definitely open your eyes, whether you're a Christian or not.

Let me know how you like it. Enjoy!

-Cherish

10.26.2011

Thankful --> My Job

Today, I am thankful for my job. For those of you who were keeping up with the times, I was working at Michaels due to leaving my old job at State Farm this summer. However, earlier this month because God answers prayers in His own time and does what He knows is best for us, my boss at State Farm asked me to come back. To the e-mail that he sent me, I quickly responded: YES, YES, YES! Okay, so maybe it was that drastic, but I was definitely up to taking my spot back at Dennis Chaumont - State Farm. This is my second week there and I am being quickly reminded how much I love the people, my boss, and my duties there. I'm starting to think my major should be business, but that's another blog for another time. What I'm wanting to say is, I am incredibly blessed to be back at State Farm. I'm the type of person who needs to have a schedule and being there, I know when I work all the time and I am able to take off as need be and I enjoy what I do. God truly takes care of His children and I'm so fortunate to serve a God that does! Can I get an amen?!

10.25.2011

Thankful --> The Poor Will Be Glad

Today, I am thankful for this book:

"The Poor Will Be Glad" by Peter Greer & Phil Smith. My roommate picked this book up this weekend at the I AM NOW conference and I'm only a part of the way into it. I've always been concerned with the poverty here in America, starting with the homeless people and my roommate knows this. Every time I see a homeless person, my heart breaks and I'm motivated to do something. Sadly, this motivation doesn't last. I began reading this book last night and I'm a little into chapter 2 and my eyes have been opened so wide. These people, these beautiful people, are living in the worst conditions imaginable and we have the nerve to complain about petty things like not having enough jeans or not having a Diet Dr. Pepper?! These people don't have enough food, water, clothing, and their living conditions suck to put it nicely.

This excerpt from this book hit me so hard last night:
                     "When a friend gave a T-shirt to a boy in Zambia, the boy's grateful response was, 'Now when I wash my shirt, I do not have to be naked when it dries'."
Are you kidding me? Why is this okay? Why aren't we doing everything we can to help. This is why I love organizations like TOMS, Wishing Well, HOPE International, etc. If you haven't heard of these organizations, look them up. It'll make you think twice and encourage you to help change the lives of these people.

Here's the opening Bible verse for this book:
"The poor will see and be glad --
   you who seek God, may your hearts live!
The Lord hears the needy
   and does not despise his captive people."
-Psalm 69:32-33


What have you done lately to help someone in need? Be thankful for what you have every moment of every day. There are those who have it way worse then you and I am positive they'd be willing to switch their problems for yours!

-Cherish

10.24.2011

Thankful --> Music

So, in case you were wondering I've decided to do away with the whole "Getting Friendly" series of my blog. I know I only did it once but I'm just not in the mood to do that series anymore. Instead, I've decided since we are exactly a month away from Thanksgiving today, I'm going to do a "Thankful" series until Thanksgiving. So here is my first "Thankful" blog:

I am thankful for:

MUSIC

Yes, music. Music of all kinds. I think it's interesting how lyrics can speak to the heart when they are combined with instruments when simple words sometimes cannot. Music is my "outlet". I go to it when I'm feeling sad or I'm needing motivation. Mainly, I've been listening to Taylor Swift a lot lately and boy can her lyrics speak to the heart.

What are you thankful for?

-Cherish

10.20.2011

Emotions

Emotion: any strong agitation of the feelings actuated by experiencing love, hate, fear, etc., and usually accompanied by certain physiological changes, as increased heartbeat or respiration, and often overt manifestation, as crying or shaking.
(according to dictionary.com)

Emotion: The part of the consciousness that involves feeling; sensibility.
(according to urbandictionary.com)

You may be wondering why I have two versions of the definition. Then again, you may not have even noticed. I find it interesting half the time to see what urban dictionary has to say about some words and even some names. Also, you could by wondering why I chose this topic. My emotions have been running very wild here lately and it's to the point where I just wish we as humans didn't have emotions or on a less drastic note, we as women didn't have emotions that are so absurd and we could just be more laid back like guys are with their emotions.


That's really all I have for this. It was just a thought I had running through my head and I thought - why not go with it?


How are your emotions lately?


-Cherish

10.10.2011

Amen! Amen! Amen!

I have so many thoughts running through my mind right now! No worries, they're all happy! This won't be a depressing, ranting, "Cherish, quit complaining" blog tonight!

Okay, so first thought:

I know I've mentioned in previous blogs how I love the way a child's mind works which could partially be the reason for my chosen major. In particular, I love the way a toddler's mind works. Sunday morning at church I was sitting by my mom and my 3 year old ridiculously adorable cousin Nataliee and paying attention to the sermon (of course). Nataliee's at this stage where she wants you draw for her, a lot. Usually the object she wants you to draw ranges from a princess to a spider or a turtle. This Sunday, Mom was doing that for her, but then Nataliee said, "draw God". I looked over at mom and she looked back at me with a look that basically said "How in the world do I do that?" I was anxious to see what Mom was going to think up. I turned my attention back to the sermon and about 10 seconds later looked over to see what Mom drew. This is what I saw:


*disclaimer: this is not Mom's actual drawing.

Mom couldn't have portrayed it better with one single picture. After drawing this, she explained to Nataliee: God is in our hearts. Then Nataliee relplied: "draw Jesus." Can you guess how Mom drew that one? The same way but with Jesus' name in the heart. I've said it 1,000 times before and I'll say it again: The way a child's mind works and wants a visual portrait of God is so adorable.


Second thought:

I have a family member who has been struggling for a while with several things life has thrown at them. Basically for almost 3 years. It's been a rough three years for this person and this person has now seen the mercy, love and power of God. Things are going so well for this person right now and they aren't crediting themselves - they're crediting God. After I spoke with this person tonight, my heart was leaping for joy to hear how God was working in their life and how awesome they are doing after they've prayed, I've prayed, and how basically the whole family has prayed for the last 3 years! So God, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ANSWERED PRAYERS! YOU ARE AWESOME AND SO GOOD TO US!

How's life treating you?

-Cherish

10.02.2011

"What If's"

So, you know that game called "what if?" Okay, so its not really not a legitimate game. It's more of a game we play with ourselves. It's a one person game, if you will.

Well, I was talking to my dear roommate, Amanda (check out her blog), tonight about something that has been on my heart for the last week or so. I have no idea why its been on my heart this week or why its been so heavy on my heart - it just has. Now, I don't necessarily dislike that it's on my heart. I am somewhat grateful. And I'm not going to tell you readers what it's about - because if I did it could be something that would come back and bite me in the butt later and I would hate if it did. As I was telling her about it, she mentioned the "what if" game and I'm not going to lie - I sort of got emotional. This "thing" that has been put on my heart is not something I want to look back on later in life and be like "Why didn't I pursue that?" or "What if I would have pursued that?", "How would my life be different?" I want to test it and I want to see how it turns out. I don't understand why I got so emotional. The thought of 'losing' this "object" scares the crap out of me and in a way - I have already somewhat lost it - but as we speak/read I am trying to gain it back.


I really just need to pray about it.

What do you play the "what-if" game with?

-Cherish