Glenwood Springs, CO

Hi there child of the King!

Well, it's only a few days away from Christmas. And I hope that in the midst of all of the Christmas-ing you've really had an opportunity to sit and ponder the incredible event of love that we're celebrating. God loves you with a love that would knock you to your knees if you could experience it fully, friend. That's why He came to earth.

I share this YouTube video every year, but it both makes my heart sing and reminds me of what's true. It's Linus telling us about the true meaning of Christmas from The Charlie Brown Christmas, and I hope it speaks to you like it does to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKk9rv2hUfA

May your soul feel its worth this week, and this Christmas season, much-loved one.

Have a merry, merry Christmas!

Christopher

Here's this week's devo (well, column):

Heartfelt Christmas

Recently I've been walking one of my closest friends through a massive "I-feel-like-I've-been-kicked-in-the-gut" heartbreak. She's one of the most wonderful, captivating people I know-she's winsome, she's witty, she's kind. She sees life in this amazingly beautiful way, and my life is so much richer by her view of things. She absolutely adored this boy, but yet, to the shock of us all, after a few months shy of a year, he chose to walk away. My theory is that he missed really, truly seeing her heart. Sure, they talked and spent time together, but he didn't have the ability to see the depth of her, the beauty, the richness. He just missed her.

And it has shaken her to her core. We've spent hours and hours grieving. She says that the ache feels like a black hole that threatens to swallow her up, and that it is, at times, almost unbearable. It has been tough for her to get out of bed and face each day. While walking her through this I've become convinced that putting your heart out there for someone that you love and having that person reject you is the worst ache ever.

But keeping in step with her sweet personality, while my friend's grief is dark and sad and mournful, it has cast a beautiful light on Christmas. It has helped me see Christmas in an entirely new way.

When Jesus came to earth, the God of the universe put Himself out there. He made Himself vulnerable to our rejection. His arrival and His life on earth announced to the world: "Here I am. This is Me. This is My heart. This is what moves Me to tears, what lights Me up with passion, what motivates Me to My core. I am here because I love you. Deeply. Will you love Me?"

It's true that God's arrival on earth was a much-needed rescue. His death and resurrection was our only hope against the curse of death that our sin had placed us under. It's true that Jesus came to show us who God is and what He's like. And it's true that Jesus' arrival on earth was an invasion of the rightful King against the un-kingdom. It was all of those things. But it was also a gesture of complete vulnerability motivated by a deep, deep love. In a way, Jesus coming to earth was God making this statement: "I am God. Here's My heart. And I'm hoping that you will love Me."

What a great risk! God the all-powerful, God the invincible, made Himself vulnerable. His great love for us couldn't keep Him away. The more deeply He loves us, the more He opens Himself up for rejection. And people do reject Him-He feels all that my friend has been feeling, and far more because His love is so infinite. Yet He pressed on and came anyway-for those of us that would turn toward Him, those of us who would say yes. What a fearless, relentless pursuit.

My prayer is that this Christmas, you'll get a clearer glimpse of the deep, deep love that God has for you. My prayer is that His love for you will sink down into your heart-into those empty places where no other love can reach. Because God's love for you is an I'm-coming-after-you love. It's a nothing-will-keep-me-from-you love. It's never-ending, soul-transforming, wound-healing, insecurity-melting love. The God of the universe who is completely whole in and of Himself and who has no need for anything, put His heart on the line for you. He came after you. He pressed through all obstacles. Because you are that worth it to Him.

Late September I scheduled 4 library workshops on Home Staging and the results were SUPER!!!! In fact so SUPER that I have been so busy still in October I am now just getting to blog about it. One lady traveled 80 miles one way to hear about it and made an appointment. Another has me redesigning and making window treatments for her home. The librarians told me it was the most people they have ever had for workshops.

I used a power point presentation and showed them what not to do and what I could do for them. I also explained the average costs of home staging based on a home I had just staged which was priced at $415,000.00. They thought my costs were reasonable for our area. I explained to them that I work with the real estate industry to help market their property with the most profitable results.

What I learned from the homeowners was very important to my business and the real estate industry. They have lots of questions and want to know how to market their home using the internet and new marketing tools.market and economy. They want to know how to best use their money and get noticed. They are interested in home staging and understand the benefits and want to include their realtor in the process but didn't know how to ask the realtor about home staging. I was so excited that they were asking questions, they stayed late to talk to me. I had a realtor drop off her clients for this. They do get that they are dealing with hundreds of other homes as competition in this market and economy.

So what I think is we need to find a way to get the Homeowner, Realtor and Home Stager together and help the Sellers show the potential Buyers what great property they are selling . That is what they want!

So Realtors what can we as Home Stagers do to team up with you and help the Sellers and Buyers see the best of what the real estate industry has to offer? I would like help finding ways to work with you and assist the homeowners. Please give me suggestions on this because I know after listening to the homeowner that they want and need this also.

I also met a Realtor named Brad Plantz with Sopris Realty who interacted with me and the homeowners about home staging. It was great! I recommended AR and he joined so please WELCOME Brad Plantz!

Garfield County Libraries will bepresenting 4 Home Staging Workshops for Homeowners & Realtors by Debby Puckett with Altitude Designs. New Castle, Glenwood Springs, Silt & Rifle Colorado are setting up workshops to teach homeowners and realtors about Home Staging and its benefits. Or if you wnat a new look with your excisting furniture and accessorieslearn about ReDesign. Please see each branch's schedule below for dates and times. Please mark your calendars for these workshops to learn how to market your home even in this market. Call Debby @ 970.230.0479 for more information e Designs

I like the idea of WORKING out this economy situation for us little people so I am announcing today a strategy that will put money into our economy and keep everyone WORKING (and paying taxes). For you Americans who are ready to sell your home or you bigger people who are willing to sell one of your homes this is how it will play out.

1. Call a Professional Home Stager and she will do an evaluation on your property and will provide a WORKING plan that will direct you on how to proceed.

2. On that list you will find out that you may need some painting, electrical , intense house cleaning, or landscaping done to complete the package for resell. This is where we help the little people who keep this country moving and functional. We then hire these professional little people to complete the needed tasks and keep them WORKING. Then the Professional Home Stager will set up your property so that the first impression says WOW-That Home Stager is GREAT!

3. We then call the Realtor of the homeowners preference and get that agent's group WORKING.

4. The Realtor will call photographer, printer, an appraiser,and any other professionals they work with and keep that group WORKING.

5. We will then get an offer on the fabulous staged home and put a mortgage lender, an inspector and all their office help WORKING and anyone else that completes the task.

6. We will close on this property and get a Happy Client Referral and keep on WORKING with our Network of Professionals

Did you notice the key word here WORKING

W-wonderful

O-orchestrated

R-real estate professionals

K-keeping

I- individuals

N-networking

G-geographically

I didn't intend to leave any professionals we may work with out. Just wanted to explain what makes the ECONOMY go around. We all help each other provide for our families, neighbors and communities so let's not get caught up in the negative circus and keep going forward in the industry we all love to be connected to... The REAL ESTATE Industry.

From My World Headquarters in New Castle, COLORADO

Debby Langford-Puckett HSE, CEO, CSO,CMO (the more titles I have the more the buyout bonus pays off-Right?)

ALTITUDE DESIGNS

Christopher Shearer

Need help buying a home? You may qualify for one of these programs.

County Programs

	Adams County Housing Authority - Homeownership or Program HOTLINE (303) 227-2089
	Arapahoe County - HomeBuyer Program or (303) 738-8060
	Boulder County - Outside city limits of Boulder - Down Payment Assistance Program or (303) 651-8530
	Eagle County - Colorado Housing Assistance Corp or (303) 572-9445
	El Paso County - Single Family Mortgage Bond Program or (719) 520-6481
	Fremont, Chaffee, Custer and Lake counties - Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments - Mutual Self-Help Housing or call (719) 269-7687 ext. 107
	Huerfano and Las Animas Counties - Down Payment Assistance Loan Program and Homebuyer Education, or call (719) 846-7882
	Jefferson County - Colorado Housing Assistance Corp or (303) 572-9445
	Larimer County - Larimer Home Ownership Program - Outside city limits of Ft. Collins - (970) 667-3232, ext. 39
	Weld County - High Plains Housing Development Corp. (970) 346-7660, ext. 6540
	Bent, Crowley and Otero counties - Tri-County Housing - Downpayment and closing cost assistance, 2nd mortgages for repairs to a home being purchased, and Home Ownership Counseling (719) 263-5168
	Cheyenne, Elbert, Kit Carson and Lincoln counties - Prairie Development Corp. Down payment assistance program or (719) 348-5562 or (800) 825-0208
	Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgewick, Yuma and Washington counties - Northeast Colorado Housing, Inc. in Fort Morgan - Down payment assistance program call (970) 542-0955
	All counties - Colorado Housing Assistance Corp or (303) 572-9445

City Programs

	Arvada - House to Home Ownership Down Payment Assistance Loan Program (970)-494-2021
	Aurora - Homeownership Assistance Program or (303) 739-7900
	Boulder - Homeownership Programs (303) 441-3157
	Colorado Springs - Homeownership Programs - Affordable homeownership opportunities (719) 385-5985
	Commerce City - Commerce City Housing Authority or call (303) 289-3698
	Delta - West Central Housing Development - Down payment assistance (970) 874-8204, ext. 24
	Denver - Del Norte's Homeownership Program or (303) 477-4774, ext. 18
	Denver - Colorado Housing Assistance Corp at (303) 572-9445
	Denver - New West Side Economic Development (NEWSED) or (303) 534-8342 ext. 124
	Denver - Southwest Improvement Council (SWIC) (303) 934-0923
	Carbondale - Mountain Regional Housing Corporation - Down payment assistance program (970) 384-6447
	Fort Collins - Home Buyer Assistance Program or (970) 221-6758
	Glenwood Springs - Valley Housing Partners or (970) 384-6447
	Greeley - High Plains Housing Development Corp. (970) 346-7660, ext. 6540
	Longmont - Down Payment Assistance Program or (303) 651-8530
	Loveland - Larimer Home Ownership Program or (970) 667-3232, ext. 39
	Pueblo - Housing Department (719) 553-2850
	Pueblo - Colorado Bluesky Enterprises - Down payment assistance for individuals with developmental disabilities (719) 546-0572
	Pueblo - Neighbor Works of Pueblo - Affordable Housing Program (719) 544-8078
	Westminster - Home ownership Assistance (303) 227-2075
	Wheat Ridge - WRHA Home Ownership Program (303) 235-2846

Statewide

	Colorado Housing Enterprise (303) 428-1448
	Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA) - or (303) 297-7376 or (800) 877-2432, ext. 376
	Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation (303) 572-9445
	Home Buyer Workshop Class Schedule
	Colorado Division of Supportive Housing and Homeless Programs - Section 8 Homeownership Program or (303) 866-7350

More info: http://www.hud.gov

Christopher Shearer Cares about you.

My goal is to assit you with selecting a mortgage loan that will assist you in accomplishing your short and long term financial and investment goals while accomplishing your purchase or refinance. Once we close your loan, I feel we have a responsibility to help you manage that debt. I endevour to make have a life long relationship with you. Call me today so we can discuss your short and long-term finanical and investment goals.

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As well as the Colorado communities of Aspen * Vail * Glenwood Springs * Boulder * Grand Junction * Steamboat Springs

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