Yesterday, Today & Forever

forever

Yesterday, today and forever is a long long time.  Have you ever thought about it?  That the days

since time began are like the stars in the sky themselves.  More than we can fathom.  And yet God's 

forgiveness spans them all.  When we surrender to Christ, when we repent, forgiveness is extended to 

us, not just for yesterday, and not only for today but forever because God knows the beginning from 

the end.  He sees our future failures and forgives them for all time.  Yes we may still need to come to 

Him and repent, we may still need to make amends, we may even still be subjected to the earthly 

consequences of our sin but the gift of forgiveness is unending.  

In Matthew, Jesus shares a story about how we are to handle forgiveness of those who sin against us: 

21Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" 22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Now the notes that I have read and the sermons I have heard, suggest that this meant 490 times PER DAY and PER OFFENSE . So if someone hurts your feelings 490 times today, God calls you to forgive them 490 times and if they steal from you 490 times in the same day, God wants you to forgive all those offenses as well.  I know this seems a bit irrational in the natural and I believe that God wants us to use wisdom, just because we forgive someone doesn't mean that we are giving them permission to continue in their bad behavior.  God will show us appropriate boundaries we can exercise when we seek him.  But I wanted to share this with you today because sometimes God places people in our life that seem to abuse our grace and mercy and we find it difficult to forgive them over and over again.  

I encourage you to ask God for two things if you are dealing with someone like this in your own life.  The first is to ask God to allow you to see them as He sees them: what wound, what addiction, what temptation enables them to offend you again and again?  Then genuinely pray for their healing and victory over those things.  The second thing to request from God is the ability to settle it in your heart that you forgive them yesterday, today & tomorrow just as He has.  It is a choice to forgive, a choice based on the infinite forgiveness God extends to each one of us.  If you do this, I am pretty sure that the next time that person offends you, you will find a peace in knowing that you've already rejected hanging on to bitterness and wounding by having decided that yesterday, today and forever, you have forgiven like God has forgiven you. 

Is there a difficult person in your life that you can apply this to today?

Many Blessings,

Cherry Fargo

Being ReMade (formerly Cherry's Creations)

Life Is Not A Cake Walk?

A lot of people who come to Christ think that their new life with Jesus is going to be a cake walk: you might not always win the prize but at least it’s always fun and easy right? NOT right at all.  God doesn’t promise us a happy go lucky life just because we choose to follow Him.  He does offer us peace for the storms, hope for the trials, grace for the mistakes, and strength for the battles. And there WILL be storms, trials, mistakes and battles a plenty because the enemy wants to steal from you and try to destroy your life. He can NOT steal your salvation, so he will do everything he can to try to steal your hope, your peace and your strength in order to distract you and keep you from the overcoming, powerful, victorious life God intends you to walk in.  Be prepared so that when the enemy attacks and life gets hard, you don’t throw in the towel, don’t quit, don’t get distracted, don’t surrender!  These are the only way the enemy can win, but no matter how difficult the battle, fighting for all that God has for you – IT IS WORTH IT!

Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive a crown of life  which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. – James 1:12

Lightening Dancers Craft Show Review

 Howdy!  I just thought I would do a quick review of the craft show I  attended as a vendor over the weekend.  Can I just start by saying that this is one well put together shindig for shoppers and vendors alike!!!  I had the fortunate privilege of being positioned right by the front door and information booth so I had a bird's eye view of some of the inner workings of the event.

Nothing can make or break a craft show more than organization and the Lightening Dancers of Central High School in Keller have it going on!  Vendors were greeted by a slough of helpers upon arrival, I think the only things I actually carried in were my cashbox and handbag. So a big thank you to all those volunteers for a job well done!!  But shoppers were also treated fabulously when they arrived. Everyone had the opportunity to sign up for a free door prize, all donated by vendors, and with well over 200 vendors, that's a lot of goodies that were given away.  

From a shoppers viewpoint, this was a great show, there was so much variety, vendors in two gyms, the cafeteria, down the hallways. Lots of beautiful items and fabulous services abounded.  The concessions were yummy and most were reasonably priced too.  I was a little frustrated for some of the shoppers because they ended up winning prizes from vendors who packed up early and left.  I am not sure why those sellers did that but generally speaking, that is not fair to the shoppers or promoters of the show and is usually frowned upon.  The show leaders were however very accommodating at making sure those customers received door prizes from an alternate booth.   And if you missed out this time around, their fall show will be November 8th & 9th.  I am sure it will be a great time to shop then as well.

From a vendor standpoint I also think this was a great show, however, it was a spring show so foot traffic was slower, most seasoned vendors understand that spring shows are more about making contacts and promoting your brand than making huge profits, that's what fall shows are for.  I was very pleased early in the day with the volunteers who were there to "babysit" my booth so I could make a trip to the restroom and then later the fetched some lunch for me.  Late in the day, the help seemed to be a little scarcer which was a bit disappointing but helpers were quick to respond to vendors' needs when asked.  For a one day spring show it was a really long day starting at 9:00 am and running until 5:00 pm. Personally I would love be a vendor at this show again but would hope that they would consider adjusting their spring hours to 10:00 am to 4:00pm.  Many booths started packing up to leave 60 to 90 minutes early which sends a signal to many potential clients that vendors are done for the day, so they often stop shopping when they see that going on.  Again, this is not a best practice for vendors, it hurts the credibility of the event,  the hard work of all the volunteers and your fellow vendors.  I understand sometimes life happens and it is unavoidable, but otherwise, I would really like to see sellers honoring their agreements to participate in a show for the ENTIRETY of the show.

All in all, I would give this show a thumbs up, 4 out of 5 stars!!  I had a great time, got to visit with some fabulous people and will be drawing a name today for the winner of my giveaway.  What's the prize???  Check back later in the week to find out what I am giving away to one lucky shopper from the show and where you can sign up for the next giveaway.

Thank you Lightening Dancers!

The Savvy Craft Show Shopper: 5 Tips For A Great Experience.

You may be an absolute shopping diva but if you are new to the adventures of craft show shopping, have I got some tips for you!!!

#1 - Wear comfortable shoes.  You may be use to doing all day shopping marathons in the mall but unlike many traditional retail stores, craft show venues may not have a place for you to sit down and rest.  Also, one of those lightweight but strong reusable grocery tote bags would be great to have on hand for all of the fun purchases you'll be making.

#2 - Consider shopping early.  If you are a fan of handmade you might miss some fabulous one of a kind items by waiting until later in the day.  If you see something you love AND it's in your budget, grab it while you can.  I hate to see the disappointment on customers faces when they come back for that piece that they decided they had to have, only to find it's already been sold.  Yes, sometimes an artist can make you another one, typically it's not going to be an exact duplicate though so keep that in mind.

#3 - Ask the artist and crafters you meet about the stories and inspiration behind their craft.  Knowing how something came to be is often very interesting and makes the piece that much more desirable to give as a gift, even if it's a gift for yourself.

#4 - Grab business cards.  Many vendors have online shops and would love to connect with you on social media.  They often offer special coupons and discounts that can only be found on the internet. Many of them often have great blogs too.

#5. Even if you can't afford to purchase something you genuinely like, let the artist know you appreciate their work.  Vendors often spend countless hours preparing for a show and long days (10 - 12 hours) at the event itself.  They will be glad to hear that you see value in what they do.

So grab a friend and enjoy your craft show shopping adventure.

Speaking of craft shows, you can find me at this one Saturday May 17, 2014 in booth H327.

Mention this blog and get a FREE gift with purchase!

Happy Shopping!

5 Things Mom Really Wants For Mother's Day

Here it is, down to the wire and you may or may not have gotten mom a gift.  If you haven't, may I make some suggestions?  They may be better than any store bought ones you could come up with.

#1 -  A little free time.  What can you help with to make that happen?  Wash some dishes, take out some trash, do some laundry, sweep and mop, all done with out being asked! Not only does it free up a little time for her but it helps her to know that she is raising (or has raised) great kids. And if you're grown and can afford, hire a housekeeper to help her out once in awhile.

#2 - A coupon book for doing various chores or nice things for her. This is actually one of my favorites.  I love it when my kiddos take the time and make the effort to do something special for me. I may never use all those coupons but for me it is definitely the thought that counts and I bet it is for a lot of other moms too.

#3 - A play date with you.  Yes, I did say that.  Set aside some time to do something with your mom that she really loves.  It may not be up your alley but she will be thrilled that you are willing to do something with her that she enjoys. Moms love sharing who they are and what they are interested in with you.

#4 - To know that she is appreciated.  Lots of moms make lots of sacrifices and do lots of things that they are really not fond of doing just for their kiddos. They do it out of a genuine love for their child.  Let her know you recognize that, say it aloud or write it in a card, write a poem or a song, whatever you do best. Just make sure she knows you appreciate her hard work and sacrifice.

#5 - Your prayers.  Being a mom is a fabulous thing.  It also one of the most challenging things women do.  We need our children's prayers for wisdom, strength, mercy & grace.  Not every mom had the best example growing up but I think most moms are doing the very best they know how to do. Your prayers will encourage her and inspire her.  Write a special prayer out and give it to her for Mother's Day, I bet you bring tears to her eyes.  Not many other gifts are going to do that.

If you are a mom, please share in the comments below, the best Mother's day gift you have ever received.

Happy Mother's Day to all of the fabulous mom's out there.  May it be full of blessings!

The Middle of Nowhere?

I recently had the privilege of visiting with a dear friend who lives in a Chicago suburb.  Like most large metropolitan areas, all the cities run right into each other.  While driving to the art store, we were having the discussion about how convenient it can be to live in an area where there is a well known coffee shop on every corner and anything you might truly have a need for is within 10 minutes. 

Having become accustomed to small town living, which is only 20 to 30 minutes from all of the amenities I usually have need of, I commented that I didn’t really mind living away from the hustle and bustle of city life.  She surprised me when she said “Oh, I would live in the middle of nowhere if it were closer to somewhere.”  I had a nice little chuckle over that as she tried to explain her seemingly contradictory statement.  I understood what she meant though, sometimes we long for solitude but we want to have the ability to just jump right back into the middle of the action whenever our hearts desire, whenever we get bored or lonely, whenever we feel we have to have something right now.

That conversation has really been stuck in my thoughts though, and it keeps jumping out at me.  We had been discussing geographical locals but I wonder how many of us find ourselves wishing the same thing about where we are in our spiritual lives. 

I have found myself “in the middle of nowhere” for a while now in where I am operating in my walk with God.  It’s not that I am not walking with Him, it’s that my walk with Him is a bit removed from all those around me during this season of my life.  And I must admit that there are days when I find my self thinking, I wouldn’t mind being out here if only it were closer to where I want to be, where I think I should be, where I think this path God has me on is leading.  I want to be in the center of the action, to be doing something I think is more productive and meaningful that sitting out in the wilderness, just God and me.  I want to be a light and an encouragement to others, I want to shine shine shine so others can see the hope and joy there is in living for God.  And truthfully, sometimes I want to whine whine whine to my friends so they can remind me of the hope and joy found in God.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar place? The temptation is to pack up camp and go be in that place we think we ought to be.  I think it’s because when we are in the middle of the hustle and bustle we can distract ourselves from the difficult things we need to deal with in our own lives.  We can postpone the hard work we should be doing by allowing our friends to be our sole comfort and guidance.  We think that if we are surrounded by other people and other things it would be so much easier.  And while there is benefit in being able to share our burdens with others, I am learning that if God has us out in the middle of nowhere, He has a plan and a purpose for it.  He wants to be our “go to guy” and if He has to take us out far away from everyone and everything else so we can learn that, He will.

It would behoove us all to embrace the place God has us in, to learn in it, to trust and rely on God fully.  I think that the more we wish & strive to be closer to somewhere instead of being fully present where we are, the longer God will keep us in the middle of nowhere.