Happy Mothers Day...late

Cindy and I got to go hang out with mom for mothers day weekend!
SHE IS THE ULTIMATE MOM IN ALL THE WORLD!!!
She'll tell me when something's in my teath...but she DOESN'T clean my face with her spit....THANK YOU MOM!!

She's FUN!!!!
Mom is one of my closest friends...i am Increadibly thankful for her...she's one of my favorite people to talk to!
I LOVE YOU MOM!!!

Bonus "Biker Mom" picture....and no, i don't think that's beer...she doesn't like it either!

I don't live by bread alone......And you?

I've found myself both excited and sad about the Bible lately.

EXCITED because the more I am reading it, listening to it on CD, studying it, meditating on it, and doing all of these things while asking God's Spirit to teach me and make it alive to me, the more encouraged I am. I get to know God through it, which I enjoy the most! It helps me live life...it fills my mind with truth and helps me to recognize the many lies that satan constantly tells me and us through the "world". It gives me hope when I've felt down lately. It's just SO GOOD...truly food. It gives me weapons to fight against the enemy, who lately I've just felt attacked by....

I'm just SO THANKFUL that God chose to give us a book directly from HIM...full of TRUTH! I can't imagine how life would be without it. When I get bored with it or don't feel like reading it, I find that God often asks me, "do you REALLY believe that these are MY VERY WORDS?"...i think about it and then have to answer "YES"...and then how can i NOT read it! I'm holding the VERY WORDS OF GOD...FROM HIM...ABOUT HIM!! I'm finding myself craving them more than music, and for me that is strange.

The sad thing to me about the Bible is that so many people don't value it anymore. I am consistently shocked at how many people I talk to who don't read it-speaking of believers...and many really don't seem to CARE that they don't read it. And then I see the percentage of how much of "the world" they are listening to...though music, movies, billboards, people,etc. No wonder it's SO HARD these days for people to walk in the Abundant LIFE that Jesus Promised. No wonder so many of us find ourselves defeated, stressed, frustrated, angry, selfish, rude, prideful...(kind of sounds like a verse in the Bible...pretty sad that that verse reflects us much of the time). No wonder so many don't even realize that they are missing so much that God has for them...how could they know they are missing it if they don't even know what God promised for those who walk with Him? that's extremely sad to me.

I wonder if people don't read it because they really don't think it's from God Himself? Not that they would actually consciously THINK or say that but I really believe that our ACTIONS, or lack of actions, reflect more what we believe than what we say. When I PERSONALLY stop and ask myself what I TRULY believe, and remember that I DO believe it's God's actual Word for men, then I've GOT to pick it up and spend time in it. It doesn't make sense not to...and being busy just doesn't seem to matter when I face this reality...it's GOD'S WORD for heaven's sake!!!:) WHAT?!?! That's crazy!! I think we're just so used to having a thousand Bibles around the house that we've forgotten what it really is!

I quit reading it for quite some time because I felt it had become a legalistic ritual to check off my Christian "to do" list. Now I don't just see it as the RIGHT thing to do but the SMART and wise thing to do.

I know several people who just don't know what to read, or don't like to read it cuz they don't understand it. THIS is what's making me excited about just talking more about the Bible with people, and hopefully starting a group soon to just let people ask questions that I might be able to help answer...or if I don't know, then what a great way to teach people how to study it and where to go for answers! Or maybe we'll just do a read-thru together and spur each other on as we read! ANYTHING to get people in the LIVING and ACTIVE WORDS of GOD!! THAT is exciting to me!!

I'll stop there.This just keeps coming up with people so it was on my mind.I just want to do anything to help people gain the love for God's Word that He's been putting in my heart. He's such a GREAT GOD!! I just think that lives will change as we know TRUTH as much as we know what the world says about life....as we know truth to make satan leave when he lies to us or twists the truth- like Jesus knew it!

I hope that YOU will find HIM in His Words this week...and alive in your life as He IS!!!

Psalm 119
..."Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Thy law"....

a good memory from LT

i LOVE this! Dave, Trina and I are just sitting around tonight and Dave pulled up this great memory from Lithuania. While we lived there pretty much the only TV in english that we had was the Cartoon Network. This was one of the "commercials" that they constantly played!

It was during that year that I also fell in love with a great man...oh, how could i have forgotten to tell you about him....Samurai Jack!! If you've never seen his stealthy ninja moves and stunning physique....well, you just haven't fully lived yet! You need to look online for him, and if you can't find anything I MIGHT let you borrow the first season of his show. :)



Waaaahhh-CHAaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

some thougths from my head lately...

I've been wondering lately if I'll ever feel like an adult...a "grown up"....not a kid anymore. I don't know if it's because I'll be leaving my 20s forever this year or just because everyone else around me seems more confident in their adult skin...even people ten years younger than me...maybe it's because I don't really have a profession and don't even really know what direction I'm going in life other than following God. I've struggled with having acne for years, which i think is the reason many people who meet me think I'm still 19 or 20...maybe I've started to believe them. Whatever the reason, i just don't feel like I'm a REAL LIVE ADULT YET...and I think I'd like to!

Maybe I have to get married and have kids. Most people seem to act more adultish once they are married.

Is there such a thing as "adult clothes?" I work with kids so I dress casually, which is what I like anyway, but maybe that keeps me feeling like a kid...or maybe the fact that half of my week is spent in the company of children keeps me feeling, and perhaps acting, quite young.

Adults can go to bars, smoke, drink....buy nice clothes and cars....but those things just aren't ME. I don't even LIKE Beer....(picture is of me pretending to enjoy a nice big drink in Lithuania)

On one of the many rainy nights during my freshman year in college, Rachel and I went "puddle jumping" til we were soaked. I remember saying that I never wanted to get too adultish or mature to be able to do something like that. But now...i kind of want to feel like my age...but I'm starting to wonder if doing those kinds of things is what keeps me from feeling grown up...and I still like the idea of jumping in huge rain puddles...kind of like the "riding the shopping cart" thing i mentioned in a previous post.

...hmm....well, i guess that's all for now. Just some ponderings from my pensive mind. Anyone have any thoughts on the subject?

"Dude, I finished it!"

I proclaimed this outloud in utter shock today when i pulled out the last of the floss! have you EVER finished a spool of floss? I don't think i ever have! I either don't floss enough, or i use parts of the many spools that the dentist has given me over the years, or i loose the spools and buy new ones. So I had to share this moment! It's something I never realized I hadn't done until it happened...and I just got a kick out of it!:)

I enjoy moments like that...things that seem common but that I've never done or have never happened to me...like when i drove over a bridge the other day that I didn't realize I'd never been on before until I was on it...and it's one i drive under or near all the time.

am i the only one who has these moments? does anyone else have anything like this???
Here's a random picture from 3 years ago of me and tiana...cuz i miss her..she's in Lithuania along with several other great friends who i'll put pics up of soon.

i've seen several of these lately

Foloof and Strawberry Shortcake!!

My kids at work are always doing and saying things that make me laugh!!! I finally remembered to write a couple things down that were said this morning. Sorry if they end up being the "you had to be there" kind of thing. Maybe I'm just easily amused!

As I helped a boy study for his spelling test and he wrote words like "foloof" instead of "flour", i looked over and asked a couple girls playing with the dolls:

"Why is that girl hanging upside down off the roof?"

She quickly answered with great joy and confidence, assuming her answer was quite logical: "That's because the dad is CRAZY about strawberry shortcake!"

A little later I overheard the dad doll, played by another girl, saying to the daughter, "I'll GIVE you some strawberry shortcake if YOU: stop throwing mom off the roof...DEAL?!" (again, said as if it was quite the ordinary, logical happening)

This was all taking place as one of my 4th grade boys walked around the room with a box on his head bumping into stairs and carts!

After inventing several new words instead of spelling the test words correctly, the boy I was helping exclaimed: "HALF MY BRAIN GOT ATEN BY DOGS!"

Yes, it was quite the entertaining morning!


Since i can't post pictures of the kids, here's one of PART of a boy helping to do an experiment. This is what happens when you put a few Mentos into a bottle of Coke!

Psalm 103...like the eagles

I'm DONE!! i think! :) i'm such a perfectionist that it makes it hard for me to finally just put the paint brushes down and let the painting be as it is...and as always, after staring at it for hours, i've found it hard to know if what i've done looks good/realistic or not. i had moments with this painting of freaking out and thinking that for sure these eagles looked more like Big Bird or Red Robin than the real eagles i was trying to paint. but thanks to dave, trina and kendra, who are either really good liars or who actually think what i do is good, i didn't end up throwing this out and now i'm glad i didn't!



















I painted this from a photograph that one of kendra's friend's husband took up in Alaska. It's his favorite picture out of several that he's taken, so his wife wanted to get it painted for a surprise one year anniversary gift. i hope he likes it.

Of course the way it shows up on the computer is a bit different than real life. The colors show up a bit different but at least there's the general idea.

I want to keep painting. Not every day or every week but more than once every 7 years. It was a huge blessing to get paid this time since it made it possible for me to buy some supplies that will last for future paintings!

Since i think i'll keep painting i decided that i should choose a signature to stick with. I'm using just "CR" for "Cheryl Renea"...cuz you just never know if i'll get married someday :)...this way i can just keep my signature the same. I also like the looks of an "R" instead of a "B" anyway! So now you know that I'm not claiming someone else's painting if you see "CR" instead of "CB"..and hey, it just makes me feel more artsy anyway...you gotta have SOMETHING unique, right!

I'll also be putting a verse with every painting. Psalm 103 is the chapter that i put onto this one. It's a great pslam full of truth...including an eagle analogy.



Psalm 103:1-5
Of David

"Praise the LORD, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-

who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."

seeking sleep wisdom...

Does anyone know which is better....to get more sleep or to wake up at the best time in the sleep cycle? i always try to get at least 7 hours of sleep but it seems like whenever i wake up at 6 or 6.5 hours i'm in a better mood...but i'm SO set on getting enough sleep that i can't convince myself that less might be better. any scientific wisdom out there???

A Great Time with Mom & Dad in Bend

i didn't realize how much i just needed to rest....but God did and He blessed me more than i asked for during the four days at my parents' in Bend, Oregon!!! Just look!! and of course pictures can't fully capture everything...the sounds of birds, the warmth of the sun on your face, the intensity of color in a sunset....the vastness of the creativity of God is just far beyond replicating!! i'm truly rested and encouraged! Thank you Abba!

Chayla, waiting anxiously for a walk.
The sunset in the backyard
These are juniper berries, not to be confused with blue berries!

some pretty cool clouds

An attempt at a self portrait!



































taken in warm springs while driving home...pretty good picture for taking it while driving eh?!

Now I'm home and feeling pretty rested!!!

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20

(sorry if pictures or captions don't show up right...i can't figure out this picture layout)

I'm Going to PAINT!!!

i've never seen myself as a "real" painter. the only training i've ever had is art class in highschool....but i DO like to paint...i bet most people don't even know that since i hardly ever actually do it...and the paintings I've done are around the state (and one across the world), so no one has even seen them.

i really do love painting tho...and i've finally been inspired to take time to do it again...someone ASKED me to do a painting for them, they gave me a picture to paint, they are paying me to do it(does THAT qualify meas a "real" artist?), and it's for a surprise anniversary gift! Sounds fun to me...now i just hope it actually turns out. i'll be sure to post a picture IF it does.

So if you haven't seen anything I've painted, here's a picture of a copy of my favorite painting. I did it for a Creative Classroom Communication class durig college. I have it up in my room as a reminder of what God has for those who walk with and entrust things to Him- even through the storms He promises PEACE that surpasses understanding! I often find myself stessed or worrying about things...when i see this picture it reminds me to fix my eyes back on Jesus...and when i do, He turns my anxiety to joy and peace! it doesn't mean all is then easy, but the deep-soul peace is very real and changes how i walk through life.

"Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again, rejoice. Let your gentle spirit be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

My 40 Kids

i'm still bummed that i can't post pictures of at least a FEW of the fabulous kids that i spend time with every morning and afternoon! so once again, a picture (with fun photo effects added) of the RESULTS of their creative minds at work will have to do...this time on my own face and hands("no, you may NOT paint a huge Cat in the Hat hat all over my face, even if it IS Dr. Suess' birthday...maybe sometime when i'm NOT going somewhere after work).

for those wondering what i do...i direct a before-and-after school child care program with kids in kindergarten thru fifth grade. it really is a great job...i get to play outside, teach art, sports, do messy science experiments...but the best thing about it is getting to encourage and love the kids...who in turn, encourage and bless me just by being the kids that they are. it's a challenging job, mainly facing the various results of broken and hurting families...but the hard parts of the kids' lives are why i stay. what an amazing thing to think that God might choose to reveal His love to them through my life. that's my hope and prayer. so BRING ON THE FACE PAINT!!!:)

thanks for praying

sorry for the slow update...the cat where i live broke the space bar on my computer (if anyone knows how to fix it, PLEASE tell me. i'd rather not have to buy a new computer because of a space bar that won't work. it takes about 30 minutes to write one sentence).

thank you for those who took time to pray about the talk i gave on saturday. i always forget how much i enjoy speaking about the ways God has worked in my life! So how did it go?....it's hard to judge since i really don't know the ultimate impact of what i said in the lives of people there. Since I trust that God was in it, though, i'd conclude that it went well. from what i COULD see, people seemed to listen and interact with it, others have given positive feedback, and it's already opened up conversations with people about deeper things of life. God is working....and I'm thankful for how He chooses to work through me, even in my weak skills in speaking!

"I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." ~Paul