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http://www.capturesquephotography.com/ Join The Gym Miss Fits & Mayhem for their First Annual Bikini & Boardshort Car Wash.  Come August 13th at noon to the Dairy Queen just north of The Gym to get that dirty car sparkling clean.  No vehicle is too dirty for this group!  Stay cool with a DQ delight, enjoy hot bodies, and watch the suds fly. Donations accepted and very much appreciated.

Embrace the Feelings Breaking up with someone can feel like a major loss. It’s crucial to give yourself time to mourn the end of the relationship; however, it’s important to remember that everyone mourns differently. Some people cry, get angry, lash out, become sad, or deny that the relationship is really over. If you’re anything like me, you’re likely to feel all of these emotions at once. Don’t beat yourself up for feeling a certain way. This tendency is a “double bad.” You experience a negative emotions (sadness) and then make yourself feel even worse for experiencing it (guilt). We often think that we should be handling a break up better than we are.  We tell ourselves things like “I should be over him by now,” or “I should be handling this better,” or “I shouldn’t let this get to me.” But, in actuality there is no “right” way to get over somebody. Despite the numerous manuals and self-help books that have been written on this topic, the only real way to deal with a breakup is…t

We are the sons and daughters of God, even more, the Beloved, pursued by God himself. We might think that, having our heart and mind bolstered by these images of beauty and truth, we would live our lives with courage and energy that arise out of the exuberant hope we have in the future. But there is another voice that whispers in our ear a very different message: a message in a minor and condemning key; a key that dilutes or even erases the truths John has portrayed so well. Some of this music in minor key we can ascribe to the pathos of living on this side of the Fall. Along with the creation itself, we will experience an inner groaning until Christ returns to wipe away every tear and establish his kingdom with us in joy and laughter. But what is the source of the persistent accusations in our head and heart? It is a voice that speaks to us in tones and words vaguely familiar. The words and accusations that slide almost unnoticed into our consciousness are words we have heard before

Check out Erica Cobb's cover story at HerLife Magazine . 

It is no surprise to me that this witty, personable, kind, and fun-loving woman is excelling as a television host.   If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting her, you would also see why she has won her first emmy for "Metromix RiNo Arts District Segment" with John Kuhrt, Editor/Photographer.   Congratualtions Metromix Host/Producer/Photographer/Editor, Heidi McGuire.

2900 West 86th Avenue Westminster, CO 80031 This Saturday July 30, 2011 from 8am to 3pm, the Crowne Point Academy is seeking volunteers to help put their new playground together.  Show up ready to work and they will provide food and drinks for the entire day. 

The Scriptures employ a wide scale of metaphors to capture the many facets of our relationship with God. If you consider them in a sort of ascending order, there is a noticeable and breathtaking progression. Down near the bottom of the totem pole we are the clay and he is the Potter. Moving up a notch, we are the sheep and he is the Shepherd, which is a little better position on the food chain but hardly flattering; sheep don't have a reputation as the most graceful and intelligent creatures in the world. Moving upward, we are the servants of the Master, which at least lets us into the house, even if we have to wipe our feet, watch our manners, and not talk too much. Most Christians never get past this point, but the ladder of metaphors is about to make a swift ascent. God also calls us his children and himself our heavenly Father, which brings us into the possibility of real intimacy- love is not one of the things a vase and its craftsman share together, nor does a sheep truly kno

The story of Eve holds such rich treasures for us to discover. The essence and purpose of a woman are unveiled here in the story of her creation. These profound, eternal, mythic themes are written not just here in the coming of Eve, but in the soul of every woman after. Woman is the crown of creation-the most intricate, dazzling creature on earth. She has a crucial role to play, a destiny of her own. And she, too, bears the image of God. But in a way that only the feminine can speak. What can we learn from her? God wanted to reveal something about himself, so he gave us Eve. When you are with a woman, ask yourself, What is she telling me about God? It will open up wonders for you. First, you'll discover that God is relational to his core, that he has a heart for romance. Second, that he longs to share adventures with us-adventures we cannot accomplish without him. And finally, that God has a beauty to unveil. A beauty that is captivating and powerfully redemptive. ( Captivat

1. Tell them about their brilliance. They likely can’t see it and they don’t know its immensity, but you can see it, and you can illuminate it for them. 2. Be authentic and give others the gift of the real you and a real relationship. Ask your real questions. Share your real beliefs. Go for your real dreams. Tell your truth. 3. Don’t confuse “authenticity” with sharing every complaint, resentment, or petty reaction in the name of “being yourself.”  Meditate, write, or do yoga to work through anxiety , resentment, and stress on your own so you don’t hand off those negative mooods to everyone around you. Sure, share sadness, honest dilemmas, and fears, but be mindful: don’t pollute . 4. Listen, listen, listen. Don’t listen to determine if you agree or disagree. Listen to get to know what is true for the person in front of you. Get to know an inner landscape that is different from your own, and enjoy the journey. Remember that if, in any conversation, nothing piqued your curiosity

What you will need: Lime Sparkling water [I prefer Perrier but Wholefoods has a great one as well] 1 Lime Mio Water Additive: Strrawberry Watermelon Flavor [Usually found with powdered Crystal Light at any grocery store] In 16 oz. glass, place a few ice cubes, fill with sparkling water leaving about 1/2 in on top.  Cut lime in half and then quarters.  Squeeze one quarter into glass and drop in the rind.  Squirt Mio 2 times into glass.  Lightly stir.  Enjoy!

"Believe in something greater than yourself" My "in the beginning" began before I could conceive a start.  The "once upon a time" qualities not as distinguishing as the fairy tales we have grown up with.  The "happily ever after" not fortold yet.  It is a story of a deeply imagined love, courage, and vulnerability of faith & hope. It was a hot summer day in August where I locked eyes with him.  His crystal blue eyes opened into a kind, gentle, and hopeful soul.  His smile brightened the whole room with one smirk.  His hands rough to the touch but gentle in action.  It was an instant and undeniable thought of "someday, I'm going to marry this man."  This began a 3 year roller coaster which I would happily ride again. I found a man who had not been loved by a woman like myself.  He continually stepped [more so ran] from it with every breath I had- placing many obstacles in between us.  He took these arrows and pierc

And so Screwtape reveals the Enemy's ploy-first make humans flabby, with small passions and desires, then offer a sop to those diminished passions so that their experience is one of contentment. They know nothing of great joy or great sorrow. They are merely nice . Christianity has come to the point where we believe that there is no higher aspiration for the human soul than to be nice. We are producing a generation of men and women whose greatest virtue is that they don't offend anyone. Then we wonder why there is not more passion for Christ. How can we hunger and thirst after righteousness if we have ceased hungering and thirsting altogether? As C. S. Lewis said, "We castrate the gelding and bid him be fruitful." The greatest enemy of holiness is not passion; it is apathy. Look at Jesus. He was no milksop. His life was charged with passion. After he drove the crooks from the temple, "his disciples remembered that it is written: 'Zeal for your house wil

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:  Chris Williamson                                                                 Phone:  303.756.7300 Cell:  720.936.2436 Email:  Chris@gym303.com Miss Fits & Mayhem gave the 2011 NPC Colorado State Competition a run for their money. July 16 th , 2011 at the Exdo Center in Denver , Colorado , The Gym’s Bikini & Physique Team entered yet again into competition mode.   Four of the seven team members entered the doors for the first time-all with excitement and pre-contest jitters.  Every team member placed 3rd or better qualifying the entire team for nationals. 3 rd Place Bikini Novice Class A & 1st Place Bikini Open Class C 2nd Place Bikini Novice Class C & 3rd Place Open Class E 3rd Place Bikini Open Class F 1 st Place Bikini Novice Class B &1 st Place Bikini Open Class D 1st & Overall Physique Age 35-42 & 2nd Open Physique Class C 2nd Place Physique Masters 2nd Pl

The Bible uses a number of metaphors to describe our relationship to God at various stages. If you'll notice, they ascend in a stunning way: Potter and clay . At this level we are merely aware that our lives are shaped-even broken-by a powerful hand. There isn't much communication, just the sovereignty of God at work. Shepherd and sheep . At this stage we feel provided for, watched over, cared about. But beyond that, a sheep has little by way of true intimacy with the Shepherd. They are altogether different creatures. Master and servant . Many, many believers are stuck in this stage, where they are committed to obey, but the relationship is mostly about receiving orders and instructions and carrying them out. Father and child . This is certainly more intimate than being a servant; children get the run of the house, they get to climb on Daddy's lap. These fortunate souls understand God's fatherly love and care for them. They feel "at home" with God. F

Enter a world of pre-historic and modern clay findings from around the world.  If you have not had a chance to visit the Denver Art Museum, now is the time to do it.  They have an amazing ceramics exhibit [8 separate themes] which I had the pleasure of visiting this weekend.  The museum offers a lot of interactive activites and historical facts. If you have a love of pottery and culture, this is a great exhibit to visit.  I was able to read a lot about a primitive yet creatively advanced Amazon tribe.  Be hypnotized by the modern art clay room filled with abstracts as well as a wet clay exhibit.  Of course it looked more like a quarantine unit, but interesting!  You will be able to play with clay, use a potter's wheel, help build an adobe playground, as well as paint tiles.  There is fun for all ages. We also browsed some of the permanent exhibits which we missed last time.  City of Splendor is still live until the end of July which offers a lot of religious icons and history f

Choosing love will open spaces of immense beauty and joy for you, but you will be hurt. You already know this. You have retreated from love countless times in your life because of it. We all have. We have been and will be hurt by the loss of loved ones, by what they have done to us and we to them. Even in the bliss of love there is a certain exquisite pain: the pain of too much beauty, of overwhelming magnificence. Further, no matter how perfect a love may be, it is never really satisfied . . . In both joy and pain, love is boundless. (Gerald May, The Awakened Heart ) Desire is the source of our most noble aspirations and our deepest sorrows. The pleasure and the pain go together; indeed, they emanate from the same region in our hearts. We cannot live without the yearning, and yet the yearning sets us up for disappointment-sometimes deep and devastating disappointment. One storm claimed the lives of eight of Krakauer's companions in the Everest disaster of 1996. Should they not h

Recently, a group of us went jeeping about 45 minutes outside of Nederland , Colorado .   We woke early to find a beautiful day.   We all gathered in a parking lot with smiles on our faces awaiting the new adventure ahead.   We got a little late start from Denver and headed to Boulder where we met some of our crew.   This is when a series of unfortunate events begins and I believe it was in these events, God was testing us. After filling up with the team, we thought one of the jeeps needed a new alternator [which in CJ-5 terms; would be 3 bolts –in and out].   A cop stopped to look at the jeeps and we asked of an auto store close by.   He pointed to the left and we headed out.   Of course, being in jeeps we missed the median in the middle of the road and were promptly pulled over for illegal turn and hopping the median.   This less than adequate median was barely visible and once on top of it realized but was already in the middle of traffic.   What other choice was there but to con

The Miss Fits and Mayhem head to the stage once again to compete in bikini and physique classes.  Ashley Dennis, Dawn Weigum, Adrianne Martinez, and Jackie Morris will be representing The Gym Miss Fits in Bikini Division and Frank Duru and Victor Campo will be representing The Gym Mayhem in Physique Division.  Each one of these athletes is looking to qualify for Nationals in November as well as take it all.  Who will wear the Colorado State 14K Ring?  Stay tuned . . . ** Recently, the team gained 5 new members: Adrianne Martinez, Natalie Little, Cat Zingano, Michelle Locs, and Krystal Bragazzi.   Look for them in the Colorado NPC fall shows.

The battles God calls us to, the woundings and cripplings of soul and body we all receive, cannot simply be ascribed to our sin and foolishness, or even to the sin and foolishness of others. When Jesus and the disciples were on the road one day, they came upon a man who had been blind since birth. "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents?" they asked him. "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." And with that, Jesus spat on the ground, made some mud to place on the man's eyes, and healed him (John 9:1-7). Many of us who are reading these words have not yet received God's healing. The display of God's works through our wounds, losses, and sufferings is yet to be revealed. And so, we groan and we wonder. ( The Sacred Romance , 61) [Taken from Ransomed Heart Ministries] “As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who

Take the worry away as Denver Film Society whisks you away with V.I.P. service to Film on the Rocks.   The website goes over the basics with you when you purchase this VIP package, but no one said how much fun it would be to watch a whole bunch of ages let loose. We were informed via email to arrive at the Rackhouse Pub no later than 6:30pm.   Of course if you want to snack and booze up a little before you get on the party bus, I suggest arriving around 5:00pm.   The complimentary food is definitely more al la carte type eating with thin style pizza, street tacos, and a steam veggie mix.   I was a little surprised they didn’t have at least queso and chips and/or salad. You are also given the option of taking the Stranahan’s Whiskey tour upon your arrival to Rackhouse.   We opted in and joined the group in a conference room before hitting the distillery floor.   The tour is filled with a lot of history and would suggest it.   It is short and sweet giving you time to digest before gett