So I joined the bandwagon and decided to choose a word for 2011. I pondered and prayed about what one thing would be my theme for the year. What exactly is the message I want to convey to others about me? What do want to convey to myself? I thought about all the things I struggle with, all the things I need to let go of, remove, or set aside. I remembered the pain of a few hours earlier and the battle of finding worth amid the rubble. What is the word that sums it all up in a nutshell? The word is Freedom.
This morning I was reading about Hagar and Sarah. These two women produced two nations that would battle to the death for rights to a blessed promise. One child was born to a free woman, the other to a slave. Both nations believe they are the rightful heir to the riches of a royal inheritance. Only one will benefit. Which nation am I? I choose to be free.
I choose to be free from worry, anxiety, depression, pain, addiction, wastefullness, slothfulness, guilt, regret, fear, and bad choices. I choose to live in the fullness of life. I am not chained to my past and it cannot hold me captive. I am not bound by the future because only God can see tomorrow. Whatever I have done has been forgiven. The choices I make today are only as effective as I allow them to be. I am free. I am royalty, an heir of Christ, precious, loved, and wholly saved from bondage. I am free.
Read More......
So I've been doing this writing thing for a while now and I've been told that I'm not half bad. Every now and again I get commissioned by someone to add a little bit of me to their plethora of talent. Honestly, it's daunting and... what's that "i" word again? Intimidating. It is intimidating to put my hand to something that may or may not produce pleasing results. This then, is my own curse. Hi, my name is Sherry and I am afraid of freelancing.
I freely admit that I am afraid of taking the plunge and jumping into the icy waters of freelancing- writing for publication. I have a few friends who have some real talent. On any given day I can drop by their websites and stock up on tricks of the trade and opportunities to go further with my writing. For whatever reason, I seem to be stuck here in the land of "What am I, nuts?" What could I possibly have to offer the outside world? I'm one, tiny insigificant creature and the writer's market is highly competitive. Besides all this, the wealth of jobs available is simply overwhelming. I get all brain-foggy just thinking about it.
As the month of January steadily creeps on by, I am reminded that I made a vow. I promised myself that I would inch my way out of my comfort zone and do something I've never done before. I also promised myself that I would make money doing it. As I stand here atop my diving board and peer into the olympic sized pool of writer's jobs, would you say a prayer for me? I'm afraid to jump but I don't want to just stand here either. I'm freezing and that water looks so inviting...if only it weren't so far away...
Read More......
January 17, 2011 was a big day. The world had much to celebrate. Yesterday we honored a great man who did great things. Dr. Martin Luther King was a hero in every sense of the word. His love, grace, and humility forged a path of forgiveness that would change the world forever. He ran his race and finished strong, never wavering in the task set before him. On the last day he was carried home to freedom, wearing the same badge of love and peace that was birthed in him. Because he refused to give up or back down, the world slowly became colorblind. Because he did it in love, his legacy remains and people are still colorblind today.
In a small, insignificant corner of the world, a few hockey fans also celebrated a milestone. Our hometown hero, Patrick Marleau played his 1,000th game. This is significant because he has only worn one NHL uniform during his entire career. Marleau has been a San Jose Shark since the day he was drafted in the NHL. Over the course of his career he has remained a force to be reckoned with, garnering respect from teammates, opponents, and fans everywhere. His integrity and commitment to the game make him an easy favorite. Today he is still running his race, still wearing teal, and still succeeding where others have failed.
I look at these two men and all that they have accomplished. Though vastly different, they are much the same. Both of them had their eyes on a prize and stayed the course. Adversity, opposition, and physical pain did not stop them from reaching for their dreams. They ran their race and they finished strong, wearing the same colors they started in. Everything in me wants to be just like them.
When I leave this world I want to be remembered not for what I’ve done, but for what I have not done. I want the world to remember that I did not give up, quit, or change my uniform. I want to be known as someone who ran her race, finished strong, and never once thought of retreating, selling out, or moving in the interest of comfort or riches. Every day that I am alive is a new opportunity to change my world, and take another step closer to my prize. Today I am reminded of how far I still have to go. There is much in my life that needs improvement. Today is a great day to put on my jersey, step onto the ice, and go after my dreams. How do you want the world to remember you?
Read More......
Dear 2011,
First off, I want to say thank you so much for your arrival. Your predecessor was beginning to wear out his welcome. It is truly wonderful to see you. As you may have guessed, 2010 was a bit challenging for me. Because I have trouble multi-tasking, things don't come as easy for me as I wish they would. While I welcomed the opportunity to write for Everyday Christian, I abandoned my other writing jobs because frankly, I'm not good at juggling. As it turns out, all I really need is the gentle nudging from a few encouaging, uplifting friends to remind me why I'm really here. I'm supposed to keep writing.
I am looking forward to all that you have to bring in the coming months-another birthday, more opportunities for spiritual growth, a strengthened prayer life, and hopefully, new friends and new adventures in parenting. This year I hope to grow as a writer, a wife and mother, and most especially as a Christian. I hope to read through my entire Bible, write more articles and maybe even get paid for one or two. Ihope I learn how to get my child to eat an entire meal in under 60 minutes. I suppose that's reaching high but one can never underestimate the power of chocolate now, can one? Oh, and I can't forget--I hope I raise a ton of money at my Relay For Life marathon in April. I can't wait!
To all my friends who have supported me and watched me grow--thank you! I'm looking forward to sharing my journey with you!
I love you a big much!
Read More......
Posts
