Captured

2011-10-21T16:13:00.000-04:00

Encompassed with this picture, I think there should be a shout out to all "Mommys" for all that they do everyday. Just saying.

2011-10-20T22:04:00.002-04:00

Just a favorite from today...and a reminder to me of God's faithfulness.

Happy Fall!

2011-10-20T14:43:00.002-04:00

Gotta love beautiful fall days:) Perfect for portraits, perfect for leaf raking, and perfect for playing with all my favorite kids! :)

Some of "my" lovely kids...

2011-08-08T22:31:00.000-04:00

So, just in case anyone was wondering...I really miss these kids. Wish that I had been able to spend more time with them before leaving!

Fun at Camp...

2011-08-07T23:21:00.002-04:00

2011-08-04T20:47:00.000-04:00

This was one of the girl's at the Camp outside of Esmeraldas that we are teaching. Her sadness especially gripped my heart.

My "Final Project"

2011-08-04T20:23:00.000-04:00

The result of my "final project". Each photography intern was given different criteria and required elements, and two themes/topics to choose between. It is sad that it has ended, but kind of nice that the last project is completed, turned in, and presented. It was really fun watching everyone's multimedia pieces this morning. We all have been stretched; and in the result, come so far since the beginning. It's been challenging; but we made it! :) Go "Dream Team"!

2011-07-31T09:43:00.000-04:00

It is hard to say goodbye to the people of Esmeraldas, but we are ready to be on to our next adventure. After church today we head to our final destination of the trip; a children's camp. It is supposedly more rural, so this may be my last update until I return to the states. Keep praying for us, God is working!

The Great Exchange.

2011-07-28T23:03:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought about the concept of exchange? Exchange is trading one thing in for something of equal or lesser value. However, the "Great Exchange" is that Someone would give away their very l.i.f.e = for something (someone) of no value. When Jesus came to earth , He suffered and died so that sinful, dirty human beings could be justified and have right standing before God. He exchanged something of the highest value; life, a perfect life, for something of no value.

When I see these children, with their eyes hungry for love and acceptance, or their blatant disobedience and utter defiance in efforts to gain attention; I wish that they could grasp the concept of a love so great. A Perfect life, for a sinful life. Disobedience, for love; brokenness for redemption. Exchange.

As adorable as these children are, they are needy. They so desperately need to know love; to experience the Love that transcends all of creation. Pray that their hearts would be quickened to understand this love; a love that will never leave them or forsake them. And, that the Lord would strengthen us to be a picture of this Love; lived out. That in replication of what He did for us, we would also learn the exchange system; to "give our lives away" by genuinely loving them no matter the cost. Our sacrifice is small compared to His transcendent love; "The Great Exchange".

A Heartfelt "Hola"

2011-07-27T12:57:00.000-04:00

After repairing the tire, we continued on our journey through Ecuadorian rainforest and authentic villages. Before long, Mr Forman (who joined us this week to teach a conference to the parents) took out his guitar and began to play. Rapidly the bus filled with the joyful sounds of voices lifted up to the Lord in songs of praise; made complete by a variety of harmony. As I looked around the bus and listened to the beautiful sound that comes from voices in harmony; I was reminded of the beauty of lives in harmony in Jesus Christ. My heart was filled with a peace as I saw these young people around me; my team, uniting together to worship the Lord. It was yet another moment that you want to hang onto, to be able to pull out and re-experience often. I love expressing my heart to the Lord through singing, love hearing the inspiration of the music, and love worshipping the Lord together with other believers. It was a special moment of bonding in worship before beginning the week of ministering together. Though it did make me really miss Atsen and Dr Jones. I wish that one of them had been there...to aid in this experience and help lead us in worship and singing.:)

After arriving in Esmeraldas, we went to a special welcoming dinner put on for us by the church here. As we walked into the courtyard, we were greeted by affectionate versions of "hola" and "Buenas Noches", rowsing music, and pouring rain. It was as if we were heroed celebrity's as they each had to greet us individually and guide our "herd" to the head table.

The church had prepared a special program for us including songs (latino style!), Scripture reading (in both Spanish and English), a cultural dance, a song sung by the whole church, and a big banner saying "welcome to our city." Also Pastor Sanchez got up and used a translator to welcome us to his church; to his family. He told us that he compares us to what Paul said in the New Testament about earnestly desiring to be with them. He has desired to be with us, and is so grateful that we have come back to his city, as members of the same family, and he is so excited about the "beautiful things we will teach the children about Jesus."

After the church all came to the front and sang their song together, they walked down to the long table where we were sitting and all began to greet us individually one by one; many saying over and over again "welcome my brothers and sisters in Christ, welcome my family, welcome"! For a people that speak almost no English, it was very touching to hear their broken attempts at communicating this expression of their care for us.

The Church family in Esmeraldas enjoying food and fellowship.

Sitting there in the pouring rain, clapping and swaying together with them to the lively and expressive music they had prepared, I listened to them enthusiastically sing out their hearts to the Lord in their language. Responding to their excited Spanish greetings, receiving their affectionate offerings of welcome, and joining together in prayer to the same God (even though none of this part was translated); brought tears to my eyes as I saw a genuineness of love in these coastal people. My heart was overwhelmed as I realized with a new awareness that I am part of something so much greater than myself. I belong to the biggest family ever; the family of God.

What they lovingly prepared and so graciously served to us.

The team and translators at the "head table" being warmly welcomed to the Esmeraldas "family"; through dinner, singing, and conversation.

Culture, language, lifestyle; these things can be extremely diverse, however, in Christ we are one. One family worshipping Him together. Regardless of background; it is all about Him, all for Him, and all held together in Him. It is hard to adequately help you visualize our team singing and clapping right along with their church, dancing in the rain with little kids you cant even carry on a conversation with, or warmly returning their welcoming hugs; but it was one of those very sweet moments in life that give you a glimpse of how wonderful Heaven will be. Praise God for His plan for all people, all tribes, all languages; to "One Day" be united in worship of Him.

Amanda Forman (team member) with three of our fabulous translators who traveled with us from Quito to be apart of the Esmeraldas ministry for this week.

"God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshipers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose." — John Piper

Smiles, Oranges, and Kindness

2011-07-26T13:44:00.001-04:00

Have you ever experienced one of those moments that you wish you could hold onto for just a little bit longer, a moment that you are pretty sure you will never forget? I experienced a lot of those on Sunday.

When we stopped in a little village so that the bus's tire could be changed, Christina and I excitedly jumped on the opportunity and scurried out of the bus. What a perfect opportunity to take pictures in this little town. Walking around the little town, gave us eyes into a glimpse of their Sunday afternoons. There were children out playing on the street corners; spinning tops and rolling yo-yo's, men and women sitting on benches engaging in conversation, and trucks driving around door-to-door selling their wares.

"Una foto, una foto?" Is the phrase we kept repeating over and over, asking these kids if we could take a picture of them. Of course they were delighted, and would eagerly ask to see the picture. "Moy bien" was also a phrase we used frequently as we assured everyone how great their "foto" was.

On one street we met a group of three little boys who were happily playing together. After taking their pictures we tried to engage them in conversation. Christina knows a lot more Spanish than I do, so she was much more successful at this than I was. However, I was able to ask them their names, and tell them mine; so at least that is a starting point.

Daniel (the team leader) came along from the bus to join us which helped a lot; his knowledge of Spanish far exceeds both of us. The three of us continued walking, stopping to "una foto?" when we saw something particularly adorable, or chatting with the people.

Approaching this house, we saw some of the cutest kids ever! There were two boys and their sister, standing with their little dog. Seeing a priceless moment needing to be captured, of course we stopped to ask "una foto." While taking pictures, we learned the names of them and their dog. These sweet children were so friendly and very excited to show off their dog, as well as to take pictures with us.

Without us even being there for more than a few minutes, their parents were already offering us their fresh-picked fruit (I think it was oranges?); which is sacrifical for them as it is most likely their livelihood. We gratefully accepted the offering; "muchas gracias" and held it in our hands as we continued to interact with them. Pretty soon the Mom came scurrying back down from the house with a large knife and peeled each orange for us and cut off the top so that we could eat them. As we were standing in the warm sunshine eating fruit with this family, petting the dog, and talking with the kids; Daniel explained to the parents that we were on our way from Quito to Esmeraldas as "missionaries."

As we walked away from this house, these people, down the street and back to the waiting bus; I turned around for one last glimpse of this sweet and hospitable family. Standing there, watching, was this little guy. As I snapped a final picture and hurried to catch up with Christina and Daniel; there was a joy in my heart and a spring in my step as I realized that I had just been a part of this unforgettable moment, this authenticity of friendship. My heart was touched by the abundant generosity and genuine hospitality from people whom we could hardly even communicate with. Yet still, they welcomed us with open arms and gave what they had to give; smiles, oranges, and kindness.

Captured by Ecuador...

2011-07-25T01:34:00.000-04:00

Seriously, I am pretty sure that today was the best day of my life. I am just not sure it gets any better than this. I will tell you all the story soon, but in the meantime just know that my heart has been captured by Ecuadorian people, villages, culture, muddy roads, and the generosity of the impoverished. Visiting with these two little boys and their family was one of the most wonderful experiences, despite the language barrier.

Mass Exodus...! From the Mtns to the Coast.

2011-07-25T01:07:00.000-04:00

A couple shots from our eventful day! We started off from the Casa in Quito on our long journey to Esmeraldas. A drop from an altitude of 9200ft, to sea level. As you can imagine, it was quite cozy as we had 32 people (the team, plus translators, plus the Forman family who will be leading a seminar for the parents this week) and luggage packed into our bus. Before even leaving Quito we were already stopping. But, this was a fun surprise - we were stopping at the "Equator", or what is a monument to the Equator .. a couple miles from the actual line. Arriving at 8:45 am, we were probably there for a little over an hour; but most of the team was instantly noticeably sunburned. Even that early in the morning you can feel the sun beating down on you so strong!

This is the monument where the Equator was originally thought to be.

Standing in the center of the earth...well, almost! This is where the Equator was originally thought to be, but then they discovered that they had the "GPS" slightly off...whoops!

The actual Equator line is a couple miles away ... but since they already had everything built here ... this is what is known as the "fake equator." :)

This is the super sketch roadside place where we stopped for lunch. I really think that I should have taken a picture of some of the food....quite memorable:)

I sat with this fun group of people ...and it was quite comical hearing their comments on the fried plantains, interesting chicken, rice (of course), taboo lettuce and tomato, and some type of intriguing potato substance. Lol. It was an experience!

I wish there was some way to truly capture this little roadside um...what to even call it? Convenience store? Restuarant on one side with plated meals, and then little convenience store type set up on the inside (complete with whole blocks of cheese-just cut off how much you want), with very "South American music" playing, and all on the side of a mountain in the rainforest area of Ecuador. Classy.

It was really fun to look through our windows at the passing countryside and see all the little villages. I love the simplicity of life here. After lunch, we all settled back in to the "holes" we had dug out for ourselves in the bus... but soon stopped again for an unexpected "blessing in disguise"....

Epic Ecuador Zipline Adventures...!

2011-07-24T08:51:00.001-04:00

We are leaving for the coast ... will have to finish the story of our adventures at the next internet opportunity... :)

Exploring Ecuador!

2011-07-24T08:11:00.000-04:00

After finishing up the final sessions of the Children's program on Friday, Saturday was our day for exploring! We headed out to a "waterfall" that was supposed to be 30 min away. Well, true to reputation, South American time-frames can be a little different ... and it was well over 1.5 hrs later..that we arrived to the ENTRY to the road leading up to the trailhead for the waterfalls.

It was kinda nice to go far enough outside of the busy town of Quito to see a little more of the Ecuadorian culture. These are some of the sights on the road up to the trailhead.

This image puts a whole new perspective on all the laundry that my Mom has to do. Between handwashing at the stone basin, to rinsing in the big bucket, to hanging to dry on the line; it is a long and ardious process.

Yes, Bethany. They do indeed have John Deere tractors in Ecuador.

Classic Ecuadorian people sitting and talking in the midst of their little village.

These buildings were comparable to a "visitors center" idea on the hike up to where the waterfalls were supposed to be. It had bathrooms and a playground, and thankfully - bus parking!

The skies in Ecuador redefine the color "blue sky." The blue is so deep and vibrant.

This reminded me of Amy:)

When we reached the end of the trail, we were given directions as to how to reach the waterfalls through a 1hr and 45 min hike in, and equal distance back. However, we had gotten tickets to do the zip line across the valley ... so we just decided to stay and do that instead.

I thought Kelli would appreciate this picture of recycling ...even in the more rural areas of Ecuador:)

Even though everything took several hours longer than expected; our day of exploring was pretty epic, made complete by riding a zip line over the ravine. Pictures to follow....:)

Wordless Book Craft

2011-07-22T23:34:00.002-04:00

2011-07-20T22:53:00.000-04:00

This little kid was sitting by the wall by himself for a long time working on tying his shoes. It was quite adorable :)

Day 2, Assignment 1

2011-07-20T00:07:00.000-04:00

The first assignment of our morning was to create a photo essay. In order to create this you must choose a thesis, plan an outline, and draw a conclusion. Who knew how involved "writing with pictures" could be? The four interns were divided into two teams and sent out to plan and acheive our mission. My teammate and I decided to base our story on children being taught the character of God.

Creating a craft on forgiveness.

Listening to a object lesson on remembering "wrongs."

Interaction between leader and child during craft time.

Their are multiple ways to teach God's character. Crafts, songs, skits, games, and object lessons are all meaningful tools; however, the most effective way is by just showing them His love.

A Rooftop Perspective..

2011-07-19T07:54:00.001-04:00

**EDIT**

Journal Entry from Yesterday:

Sitting on the rooftop of a little Ecuadorian church, the evening sun is shining down, and I can hear the noises of a busy city down below. All around me the Children's ministry team is hurriedly setting up for tonight's program. Tonight they are teaching on God the Creator. As I look around at the towering mountains, quaint little city, and the beautiful Ecuadorian people; I too am caused to reflect on this aspect of God's character.

Today has flown by and been filled with instruction on missions PhotoJ. One of the most wonderful, yet intricately complicated aspects of this role is street portraits. These incredibly powerful images grip your hearts with the stories of broken people. It may sound simple, but it is a little overwhelming. The reality of portraying another's story, depicting their pain, and showing the emotional tenor of their lives, all in a single shot; is a daunting, yet worthwhile mission.

Class has started up again and the sun is starting to set behind the mountains. Viewing the grandeur of the colors once again guides my heart to think of my Creator. In these reflections there is a peace. I know that my God who designed me has created me with the vision and excitement for this mission, He is equipping me for this calling. When I feel overwhelmed by concepts I dont seem to understand, or feeling discouraged be the creative energy I lack; who better to turn to and rely upon than the Master of all creativity. Artist of all creation, Inspirer of all creative insight; I know I can trust HIM to fill me with what I need for the moments ahead...

These pictures were taken last night as the sun was setting over the city. Taken from the church's rooftop, these give some perspective of the city beneath.

On the "Mountain Top"

2011-07-18T21:43:00.003-04:00

Mission trips are often described as "mountain top" experiences; however I think that they all just got trumped.

Resting at just over 9200 ft, is Quito, the bustling capital of Ecuador. Based on the huffing and panting of the unaccustomed lungs of our team, I think you can safely say we are all feeling the "mountain top"-ness of our experience.

Due to the extremity of the altitude, it is quite chilly here. For the photography team, our day was spent in classes and training sessions. Despite the shivering, we had class on top of the church's roof this evening; lending us a noteworthy view of the sun setting behind the mountains.

Something Lovely... :)

2011-06-22T08:43:00.003-04:00

First, may I say "well done" to Mr Sterr for keeping campus full of these (and many other) lovely flowers. Second, these always make me think of one of my friends and last week I felt inspired to create an image w/ them for her. Now I decided to share them on my blog as well. So, enjoy, and happy summer!

Where is your Home?

2011-06-17T23:08:00.001-04:00

I dont think that I will ever forget the wedding that I just shot ... and the way that the bride was literally **jumping** up and down in anticipation. If I had any pictures that well depicted this paradox; I would certainly post them. Most brides are a tightly wound boomerang of nerves and stress; not filled with a child-like excitement and joy. This bride couldnt contain her excitement that she was getting married to her Love. In fact, even right before she walked down the aisle she did another little hop/skip routine; because she couldnt contain her happiness in finally marrying her best friend.

This morning, I was contemplating how eager I am for my "engagement" to be over and to experience the unparalleled joy of "marriage" as the "Bride of Christ." What a blessing to be reminded that this world is not what we are living for; we can place our hope in the fact that we are pressing on towards eternity ~spent with our Redeemer. Trials, battles, Spiritual warfare, heartache, death, sadness; all of these things serve as reminders that this world is not our home - and how much more wonderful eternity will be. Do we as believers really get excited with anticipation for the return of our Lord? This morning I was so longing for the day when He will return, when the sanctification process will be completed, and our days will be spent in His presence. I was reminded of this bride and how she could not contain her excitement for her marriage and beginning a life together; and wondered if Christians portray this same message.

However, after dwelling on this most of the morning ... I was SO CONVICTED by the Lord. Almost all of my motives were so selfish, and my excitement rooted in self-love. I didnt feel like standing strong in the face of opposition, or going through anymore "growing pains." My own sin was exposed and I was reminded of how little I really know the Lord. If I knew Him for more of who He truly is, then my excitement at finally seeing Him face-to-face would be uncontainable. "Come quickly Lord Jesus," would be my cry ... not because of a selfish weariness in standing strong = but because of a longing to fully know Him.

My prayer~ is that I would have a longing for His return to 1) fully know Him, and 2) finally be able to worship and thank Him for His most wonderful Gift. My challenge ~is that I would daily walk in the reality of His return.

Just for Fun...

2011-06-09T11:13:00.001-04:00

Engagement Shoot

2011-05-30T09:15:00.000-04:00

Fun afternoon with this sweet couple yesterday. We got so many awesome shots of them interacting together, just being themselves. I LOVE it! Thought I would share these two though as kind of a sneak preview; as they are fun expressions of personality and love.

Random Thought for the Morning:

2011-05-29T10:22:00.000-04:00

Have you ever thought about the concept of an American money "check"?
A certain amount is written, and then it is the receiver's option of whether or not to cash it. I have in times past chosen not to cash checks written to me, and was sitting here contemplating that option again this morning. As I thought about it, the Lord brought to mind how much that is like His grace. He has given us access to grace (and an unlimited amount at that!), but we have to choose to appropriate it. Someone can write me a check for $10,000 - but if I just hold it in my hand looking at it and never choose to actually "cash" it, I will never receive the blessing. Its there, waiting for me, but I have to choose to receive it. I was convicted of how many times I am in a frustrating situation and God's grace is there - sufficient for my inadequacy, perfect in my weakness, but I choose not to receive it. Do we make a conscious effort to rely on the available Grace? Do we choose to appropriate His grace in the daily moments of life? Why are we intentionally ignoring the greatest blessing?

As we walk with Christ today, let's choose to "cash in" on all of that grace waiting to meet our every weakness.

2011-05-27T18:20:00.000-04:00

Thought you might enjoy seeing what I spent my night working on last night... :)

Captured. Captivated. Compelled.

2011-05-24T16:11:00.001-04:00

Captivated (and/or Captivate).

Filled with wonder or delight. To influence or dominate with irresistable appeal. To seize or capture the attention of.

Have you been captivated by love? This couple is a beautiful picture of what it is to be captured by both human love and God's love. It influences every part of who they are and the lives they lead. The love of the Lord should captivate each of us in a way that captures our attention, fills us with delight, influences/dominates our life, and compels us to action.

Recently I heard a very convicting question: "Have you been captivated by the love of the Lord? If so, it should compel you to share HIM."

If He has captivated your heart, you will be compelled.

"Gamy"!

2011-05-19T23:57:00.000-04:00

So excited for this lovely couple! Their wedding was such a celebration of God's love and faithfulness, and a joyful experience for all in attendance. What a honor to be the one to capture their special day!

Client Shoot in CO!

2011-05-06T00:45:00.000-04:00

So blessed by the Lord to get the opportunity to do a photo shoot for this fun and sweet photographer. She is currently serving the Lord in Colorado and was truly a fun person to "capture!"

The Power of Reflection

2011-05-03T01:07:00.019-04:00

Reflection.

The production of an image by or as if by a mirror. An image given back from a reflecting surface, a reflected counterpart. Expression without words, a manifestation or result, an effect produced by an influence.

As Christians we are called to be reflections of Christ. We are told to shine His light, to follow His example, and to walk before the Lord as He did. As we fellowship with the Lord and begin to know Him better; our desire should be to reflect His heart, His actions, live out His words. We are the picture to the world of Christ. Sounds lovely, but is pretty hardcore. However, as hard as it can be, when this is actually lived out; it is extremely powerful.

I am so blessed to know a Couple who exemplifies these truths practically, in daily life. Now, just to warn you ... don't get the wrong impression. This Couple is very down-to-earth, very "real life". They are just as broken, and just as dependent upon redemption as you and I. However, on the same note; I think that the type of love they display can only be born out of the lives of those who have experienced the work of Christ and His unconditional, redeeming love.

They have poured freely and lovingly into my life; investing time, support, resources, and words of wisdom. When I talk to them I hear the care, concern, & protectiveness for me in their voice. They spend time with me. They take an interest in my life.

Genuine. Thoughtful. Kind. Real. These are words that describe them. They are super awesome, easily loveable, fun people = and yet they accept and include me. I have done nothing to deserve this type of love; nothing to merit or earn it, have no way to repay it, do not understand it, and I am not worthy of it. How completely humbling. Yet, what a beautiful picture of Christ. What a clear reflection of the outpouring of HIS love upon me; a descriptive image of the way that He cares for me. I do not deserve His love, I cannot explain His love, and I do not begin to understand how HE could love me. But still, it is true. It is real. He pursues me, cares about me, longs to spend time with me, and His Kindness to me is unfathomable.

As I think of the lives of this couple, I think of Christ. I think of the depth of His love for me. And...I think of the power of reflection. A reflection draws the eyes of the viewer to what is being reflected. What a blessing to have my focus drawn to Christ, and my heart filled with an even greater love for Him; because of seeing His love lived out.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians, "imitate me as I imitate Christ." Are we imitators? Reflectors? "Reflectors" are a tool used in photography to increase the power and effectiveness of the image you are creating. Are we reflecting Christ into the lives of the people around us? Am I walking closely enough with Christ that someone could imitate me as I am imitating HIM? Are we drawing attention back to Him ... ?

What a blessing to not only be reminded of this picture of Christ, but also to be challenged by it. As I walk with Christ today, how can I too bless others by reflecting His love.

A deeper Love...

2011-04-26T01:46:00.000-04:00

Symbol: A visible representation of a thing which means something deeper. A sign which has deeper levels of meaning; a symbol means more than it actually says. Howbeit simple; the more complex the layers of meaning, the more profound the sign.

In our culture, there are many types of rings that symbolize trust and commitment. These rings are very special, beautiful reminders of the depth of that relationship and the love and loyalty expressed.

The particular ring portrayed above is invaluable to me; because it serves as a constant reminder of the Lord's deep unselfish love, and the depth of His sacrifice for me. It is a visible representation to me of a deeper work that He is doing in my heart as well as an ever present reminder of His kind and precious promises.

What "pillars of remembrance" have you established of how the Lord has met you? What special memories do you share with Him? Have we made conscious decisions to place things around us to cause us to remember His sacrifice? May we cultivate our relationship with Him in deep and thoughtful ways; ways that deepen our love for Him and establish new levels of intimacy. We as humans are sentimental. We celebrate momentous dates and memories with the people we love, keep tickets from special events, press flowers in books, take pictures and make scrapbooks, and whether in our memory or in tangible ways ~ capture moments to hang on to forever. Are we this intentional about falling in love with the Lord? Has our intention and focus been captivated by Him? My challenge is that we would be intentional about establishing daily reminders of the Lord's faithfulness, goodness, and His steadfast enduring love.

Every day as I look down at this ring and see the way that the hands encircle the heart; I am reminded that I never walk alone. This symbol leads me to the cross, to worship, thankfulness, and leads me to love Him more.

True Love...

2011-04-22T01:06:00.000-04:00

What a blessing to spend the evening "capturing" my friends, having a blast, laughing til hysterical, spending time together, praising God for His faithfulness, and telling the story of this beautiful couple. I love how these pictures capture who they are as people, their love for one another, and the shining radiance of a love built upon the outpouring of their love for Jesus Christ.

I love watching them interact together and seeing the joy that they have in one another...

...as well as the quiet rest and contentment. Which speaks of a calm and faithful trust; not just in each other - but in the character of One who is ultimately trustworthy.

Love the adventurous spirit...

and freedom to be who they are as God has created them.

Love the way that she adores him..

...and the way that she lights up his world...

So excited for this couple. For the potential that they have in serving the Lord together; and showing the world a light, a beauty, a love, that only Christ could give.

Thank you for letting me Capture what God has given you and tell your story as together you walk closer to Him.

Love you guys. So blessed to be apart of your lives.

His Steadfast Love...

2011-04-14T10:41:00.000-04:00

Psalm 33:4-5 "For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast of the love of the Lord."

"...Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm."

The earth is FULL of the Steadfast Love of the Lord. How many times do we look for the steadfast, never failing, faithful love of the Lord in the world around us? Have you trained your eyes to have a perspective of praise? A heart that looks for the beauty that the Lord has created...and allows that to lead you to worship Him? Every day we encounter a variety of situations, circumstances, scenarios, and people. In each of these, the Lord's love and the faithfulness of that love can be found. Especially this time of year it can be easy to see the Lord's beauty in His creation of flowers, gorgeous landscapes, the ocean, majestic mountains, etc. but do we also look for it in the more challenging situations we face or those people who are hard to love? Do we have "Kingdom vision"?

Let all of us fear the Lord, let us take time to stand in awe of Him. Let us challenge ourselves to look for His steadfast love in the world around us...

Spring!

2011-04-06T00:43:00.000-04:00

Building fun memories in this beautiful spring weather:)

Are YOU Toxic?

2011-03-06T20:32:00.000-05:00

http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/areyoutoxic.dhtml

Is your body toxic? Ever struggle with feeling sluggish, tired, or struggle with being overweight? Check out this amazing and informative video.

2011-02-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

Emotions can be illustrated well by this quote comparing them to the concept of a train:

"They make a horrible engine; but a wonderful caboose."

This is a something that I often have to remind myself daily as I choose to not allow myself to be led by my emotions; but to focus on Jesus Christ.

The "Beautiful" Day...

2011-01-20T23:20:00.001-05:00

It was a perfect Sunday afternoon. The air was crisp and cool and the sun was shining brightly. Peaceful. Refreshing. Beautiful.
As I sat in one of my favorite spots downtown, cup of coffee in hand, I looked out over the landscape before me; reflecting on the Lord. I was meeting some friends for a photo shoot and arranging the details had been a little mind boggling. Honestly, that might be a good word for the whole weekend. So, it seemed prudent to arrive early and collect my thoughts and regain my focus on the Lord before attempting to capture His Life/Light in people.
As I sat there praying and reflecting on the Lord, looking out over the snow covered park; I was struck by how beautiful it was. The Lord used that to really speak to my heart and show me more of Himself. When I sat there on that bench with my focus on HIM-here is what I "saw":

I thought "wow, this is so beautiful." I have sat that same place many times and looked at the same view from many different angles. But honestly, a lot of times it just looks like a busy, slightly dirty park full of lots of people walking around doing random things. Don't misunderstand: I love this place. But I am not sure that I ever would have called it "so beautiful." As I sat there kind of pondering the fact that I suddenly saw the area in a new light, it occurred to me that it was really the snow that made it strike me as "beautiful". The pureness and brightness of the white, the covering of the usual dirt and grime, and the stillness that came from inclement conditions; these were the transforming elements.
The Lord used this to remind me that He is what makes us beautiful too. Not the demands of our confused society; but the covering of His blood that washes us white as snow. As He purifies our hearts and washes away the dirty places, as He gives us a brightness that comes from Him dwelling within us, and He gives us a stillness and a rest that comes from Him flooding our hearts with His peace; we are beautiful. It is not up to us to "make" ourselves beautiful; it is part of the work that Christ did on the cross when He shed His cleansing blood for us, and part of the continued work that He is doing in our hearts as He grows us and purifies us (Isaiah 60:9 Because He has made you beautiful").

What a kind and gracious Father to illustrate this to me so perfectly. Not that it suddenly becomes "easy" in a culture where I will never "measure up", a society that is brutally hard on women, and a world with a narrow mold that I will never fit into for what is considered "beautiful." But, this lesson encouraged me and redirected my focus, once again, back to the "heart" of things. How much more beautiful (and lasting) it is to be filled with the Lord and purified by Him; than to be an empty shell that fits man's dictates (and that passes away). This verse is a sobering reminder to not let myself get sucked up into the world's philosphies of beauty: "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto white sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead {men's} bones, and of all uncleaness". Matthew 23:27

So, even though I may not feel like "rejoicing" when I look in the mirror or get discouraged because I don't look like "Kimberly Williams" ;) I have to choose to walk in the truth that it is the work of Christ, and me learning to reflect the beauty of who He is; that makes me beautiful. Like pretty much everything else in the Christian's life: it is nothing about what we do, and all about what Christ has done. Thank you Lord for the Cross...

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation; He has covered me with the robes of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with jewels" Isaiah 61:10

Engaged!!!

2011-01-16T22:06:00.000-05:00

Just a sneak peek on today's engagement shoot.

These two are so photogenic, and so full of love for the Lord and each other - it just makes you want to be able to let them tell their story through the images that are created:)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-26T16:56:00.000-05:00

My Blessings of LOVE from the Lord...

2010-11-28T21:58:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving celebrations this year were completely a gift from the Lord. I am so consistently busy that I rarely do anything "fun" or just spend time with the people I care about! Since my love language is quality time...this year the Lord gave me a special gift: getting to spend time with some of the groups of people that mean a lot to me.

Thanksgiving 2010:

Despite not being with my "real" family and Pastor Cook being in the hospital - it was a pretty wonderful thanksgiving and with much to be thankful for! The church provided LOTS of side dishes, the Madisons and Lauren made a couple things, Bethany and I made a few things, Nidia brought drinks, and Bethany oversaw the compilation and production of the entire event. Due to the team effort "Thanksgiving Dinner" ended up being a rather large spread with around 25 ppl in attendance and plates sent up to the hospital for the stragglers. To start off the day we had our "traditional" Dunkin Donuts and coffee and got ready for the "annual family hike." It was kinda sad without Aaron - the initiator of most "annual" family events .. but we still managed to bring the obnoxious cowbell in honor of him, and break out a couple ostentatious songs. Thank you Bekah for helping to keep these important traditions alive! Without Pastor Cook there video taping, Josh and Aaron there roughhousing and adding general confusion to the group, and without Kristi's leaf and perfume wars; it was definitely a different year. However, we enjoyed the addition of the Madison's (Lauren's family from PA) and we still managed to get a little bit of the "bonding moments" on video tape for Pastor Cook's entertainment.
And, of course a couple fun pictures in the process. :)

I am so blessed by the friendship of both of these girls and thoroughly enjoyed actually getting to spend quality time with them during our leisurely "hiking" on Paris Mtn. Very *quality* time. lol. After we got back from the hike, and thanks to Bethany's leadership, we had food production in full swing. The guys peeled most of a box of potatoes .... and I cut, boiled, and mashed them. I insisted Bekah take a picture of documentation since this is more potatoes than the average family can fathom.

The poor little hand mixer .... :) When I tried to go deep enough to get to the bottom it was practically buried in the depths!

After a successful dinner and clean up squadron, everyone chilled for a couple hours. Then, because we are crazy = Bekah, Bethany, Danie, Abby, and I went to the "Midnight Madness" at the outlet malls in Gaffney. Yes, it was insane.

Friday was one of the bestest days ever. :) After only having to work a half day, I went and hung out with some of my favorite people. Their family was so precious and just welcomed me into the throng (there seems to be a recurring theme here!). After family dinner, backyard soccer, many fun kid games, singing crazy made up songs, fun conversations, and all other types of random stuff ... we packed up and headed to Hollywild to see the Christmas lights.

It was SO super fun! I rode in the back of the pickup truck with the kids and some of the other relatives and we had a BLAST! First of all, riding in the back of a pick up truck is just fun. period. But then when you add in; cool christmas lights getting you in the christmas spirit, "spreading christmas cheer" by singing "LOUDLY for all to hear", hilarious moments of popcorn throwing and other randomness, screaming as LARGE animals come walking VERY NEAR to collect food, hearing the excitement of the kids in seeing the lights and the different animals, and being surrounded by two little girls snuggling close in the cold night air and wanting to experience every moment with you ... it takes a lot to beat it.

After the rows of light displays and the field of animals walking around, you get to a petting zoo. Here there are cages of cute little goats that you can bottle feed, huge cows and buffaloes and camels that you can feed/pet, big bonfires to warm up by, etc. We walked around for a while and had fun getting the "full experience."

All in all it was a most wonderful and relaxing day; full of fun times, making memories, and hanging out with super cool people. How gracious God is to give me such a wonderful gift; blessing me with a "perfect day", enjoyed with some of the people I love spending time with the most.

It was one of those days where at the end of it all; you look back and see the love of Christ displayed in the people you were with, you feel the warmth of His love through their welcoming arms of genuine acceptance, you hear His love by the words that they spoke, smell the wonderful fragrance of His love that permeates from the lives of those who love Him, and you have a taste of what Heaven will be like one day when we are all one family ~ together worshipping Him. I would definitely say that it was a day where I "sensed" the presence and love of Christ. What better way to start the Christmas season?

2010-11-24T06:19:00.000-05:00

...HIS Little Princess...

Put Simply: Adorable

2010-11-21T21:02:00.000-05:00

There is something absolutely endearing about this little boy. First of all: the way he raises his arms and calls my name. :) But also; how he loves to play "tackle", copies everything his sister does, puts up with all types of "princess games", goes running to his Daddy, or is just content to snuggle with his mom ... he is completely priceless. He has an adorable way of putting a smile on my face even during the dreariest of days-just by his sweet little personality.

Even when he is grumpy; he is so irresistibly cute that you can't help but love him. I know that he is a fun and sweet blessing from the Lord to his family; and I have been blessed, encouraged, and smile more, from getting to know him and spend time with him and his family. I pray that he will grow up to love the Lord with all of his heart and use his endearing personality to draw many people closer to Christ. I love you; my adorable little man.

Life through my lens...

2010-10-08T01:51:00.000-04:00

This is one of my nicest lenses. It is the 50mm f/1.8.

The unique thing about this lens vs. all my others is that this lens has a fixed focal length. In "simple terms", this means that it can't "zoom in" or "zoom out." As my friend Tim would say, "It is what it is." It is a great focal range for portraits as it doesn't distort the face as a wider angle lens would do, and isn't so long range that you miss the personal interaction with your client during a portrait shoot (due to the fact that you have to stand a mile away while you are taking the pictures!) :) And, the beautiful thing about this lens is that it has a 1.8 aperture opening; allowing the background to be blurred, and the subject brought to greater attention by being the only point of focus.

Yes, I am sure you are enjoying this discussion of Nikon lenses ... but you are probably wondering why in the world I am posting this. Let me share my reason... :)

Every year, I have set myself to pray for something specific that I want the Lord to grow in me. And, every year I have seen Him work and answer my prayers in very specific ways.

As I enter my 23rd year; my prayer is that my heart would be "fixed" on the Lord Jesus Christ, and the beauty of who He is. This lens is a reminder to me of what I want my life to be like, the deeper work that I need Him to do in me this year. My prayer is that my heart and my eyes would be fixed on the Lord. That I would not be able to "zoom out" to look around me to the distractions that the world offers, and that my view of the Lord would not be distorted by having too "wide" of a gaze as I see the temptations and stretching circumstances surrounding me. Also, that I would not lose that personal moment by moment walk with the Lord that is forfeited by standing too far away from Him; losing the depth brought from that personal interaction. And then, that everything around me would blur as I gaze at His face. That my personal "aperture" would be a very "shallow depth of field" so that I may focus on the Object of my affection; not those surrounding distractions competing for the "point of focus."

The well known hymn says it well: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face; and the things of earth will become strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." That is my prayer as I begin this new year. May Christ be my point of focus, may my heart be fixed on Him (unmoving), and may everything else fade away as I keep my eyes on Him as my Object; my exceeding Great Reward.

Psalm 57:7, "My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed (steadfast and confident). I will sing and give praise."

2010-10-03T22:17:00.000-04:00

Cling. To hold or hold onto tightly or tenaciously.

To have a strong emotional attachment or dependence.

The connotations of the word "cling" often imply weakness, lead you to think of "clingy" children, express vulnerability or inadequacy, or just seem inapplicable to the life of a mature adult. However, while it may seem unrelated, everyone clings to someone or something. There are many things in life that we hold on tightly to; refusing to let go. For some; it is work, others it is possessions, or relationships, comfort zones, skill levels, fears, the way things "always have been", their outward appearance, or their reputation. Any number of things can become items, circumstances, situations, or relationships that we "cling to;" that we have a strong emotional attachment or dependence on; things we refuse to let go of.

This morning in church, we sang the song ..."I cling to nothing but Your cross." I asked myself the question, "do I cling to nothing but the cross of Christ?" Immediately, the Lord convicted me of my tendency to cling....to a million things other than Him. To tightly hold onto or depend upon things that are temporal, that are vanity; that are passing away. The Lord reminded me of how quickly I depend upon my friends and relationships ... and when those change or are taken away ... how desperately I try to grip on ... hoping it will not slip from my grasp. He convicted me of the way that I hold onto my plans, or my desires and the way I wanted things to go. The comfort I draw from the familiar and known... once again causing me to grip it tightly.

"Holding on tightly" to something is the opposite of surrender. If I am going to walk a life of faith before the Lord, it will require me letting go of everything that could hold me back from having the freedom to boldly follow after Him. It will require me not depending upon my friendships, my job, my skill level, or the praise of other people.

There is one thing that I may cling to, there is one thing that I may depend upon; the Cross. This type of clinging is not a weakness. It is not a childish declaration of emotion or inadequacy. This type of clinging requires great strength. The type of strength that allows you to boulder; pulling yourself closer, tighter, higher.

Cling: to hold onto tightly or depend on. Do you have the strength to hold on tightly to the Cross? To lay aside distractions and desires and depend on Him alone; pulling yourself closer, tighter, higher?

What are you clinging to?

Is it His Cross?

Thoughts on Art ....

2010-10-02T03:01:00.000-04:00

Have you signed your own name to God's art?
How would you feel if someone else took your favorite picture and signed their name to it? This morning our devotional was on not "ignoring God." Ephesians 2 says that we are His workmanship; created in Christ Jesus for good works. We are His art. Do we ignore or refuse to acknowledge our Creator?

If we create a work of art, we want to establish the fact that we are the artist. We are proud of it. However, if someone else was to snatch that from us and scrawl their name across the image and use our work of art for their own purposes; that would really hurt. In the same way; it really hurts and grieves God when we "sign our own name" to our lives. Both choosing how we want to control them, and using them for our own purposes. We are His workmanship. We are His masterpiece. We have been created in Christ Jesus for a very specific purpose. Don't ignore God. Don't sign your own name to God's art. He is the artist. (Derived from Morning Devotions with Ben and his thoughts on art).

2010-10-01T21:01:00.000-04:00

Colorado!!!

2010-09-30T16:07:00.000-04:00

Psalm 29:3 "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters."

2010-09-29T22:08:00.000-04:00

2010-09-29T17:21:00.000-04:00

Isaiah 61:10 "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me in the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."

2010-09-29T00:05:00.000-04:00

"Teach me Thy way O Lord, and lead me in a plain path."

Psalm 27:11

2010-09-28T22:09:00.000-04:00

Just for you Bethany...:)

Day 1, Lesson 1

2010-09-28T14:22:00.000-04:00

What is a portrait?

This is the question that was asked us the first morning in class. A portrait does not have to be of a person; simply a reflection of that person. It is a reflection of who they really are. This is a beautiful analogy to our life as a Christian. A believer should be a portrait of Christ. A reflection of Him and who He is. To be a portrait artist is a two-fold challenge. First, am I a portrait of Christ? Does my life reflect who He really is to the world around me? And, second, when I take pictures of people am I giving an accurate representation to the world of who that person really is? When I view them through my lens do I see them as God sees them; and reflect His glory as their Creator through the image that I create?

We were given the assignment to create a portrait of ourselves using still life photography, using the things around us. I did my wordless book bracelet. :) It is a good reminder to me that I want my life to portray Christ in every aspect. That when people see me -- they would simply see Christ. That my attitudes, my actions, my desires, my thoughts, would all be representations of the life of Jesus. As the moon reflects the power of the sun; may I reflect the glory of God.

Lord, make me a portrait of You.

2010-09-27T22:56:00.000-04:00

"My heart and my soul, I give you control; consume me from the inside out Lord. Let justice and praise, become my embrace: To love You from the inside out."

My Little Man...

2010-09-20T21:38:00.000-04:00

A couple favorites...

Random Fun Shots :)

2010-09-20T21:19:00.000-04:00

Answered Prayer

2010-09-20T20:16:00.000-04:00

This past week was a time of answered prayer and seeing the glory of God. There were many prayers that the Lord answered on my behalf earlier in the week as I worked on my attitudes, desires, motives, and He strengthened me to follow Him. However, the latter part of the week the Lord completely showed His faithfulness to me as I shot the wedding of Lisa and Zach. There were many difficult situations to work around as far as lighting, timing, construction mud and orange tape everywhere, differing personalities, etc. But the Lord was so faithful and as I continually committed every aspect of the entire process to Him -- I saw Him work in me and on my behalf. Praise the Lord that He is always faithful to answer when we call unto Him!

His Beauty Displayed

2010-09-12T22:07:00.000-04:00

Today was so beautiful that I couldn't wait to get outside and just enjoy some time with the Lord. I had just packed up and headed downtown for a long adventure when I received a phone call that I was needed to help out with something back on campus. Determined to resurrect the little time I had before needing to be back, I continued downtown. I was able to spend a little while with the Lord then ... but not all that I was hoping. So, as soon as I had returned to campus and finished my tasks there I decided to head out again. I didnt want to go all the way back downtown -- but, it was almost time for the sunset so I headed over to Furman. It was a beautiful night and very peaceful to sit there and be able to just rest in the Lord and fellowship with Him. These are some pictures that I took while watching Him display His beauty as Creator.

Jeremiah 31:3 "Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you and continued my faithfulness to you. "

Favorite Shot of the Girls...

2009-12-16T17:12:00.000-05:00

Family Pictures!

2009-12-16T16:55:00.000-05:00

Making Images

2009-06-07T18:47:00.000-04:00

The Boardwalk to the Beach

Random and informative sign.

I was trying to get a couple creative images from what would normally just be a "snapshot" .... just thought that I would share!

Quiet Moments ...

2009-06-07T18:42:00.000-04:00

Tuesday morning at the beach I got up early ... gathered my camera bag, Bible, and some paper (I forgot to bring my journal to the beach) and slipped out. I walked down towards the beach and found the most perfect little spot for a quiet time.

I sat here with the morning sun beaming down on me and the fresh ocean breezes blowing my hair ... and just did the "ONE THING" most needful ... sat at Jesus' feet! My heart had been growing increasingly burdened over several different perplexing situations and I knew that I needed to be able to just get alone with the Lord. So, here at this restful place ... I was able to seek the Lord in His word, through prayer, through sitting quietly enjoying His creation, and by pouring out my burdens before Him. He is so faithful to meet me and I was there for nearly two hours enjoying the fellowship with the Lord.

Because somewhere deep within me I am a photojournalist ... whenever I really experience something special ... I feel the need to take pictures that tell the story of what I am feeling or what the Lord is doing in my heart. So, I went on a little photoshoot .... but I wasn't able to find exactly everything I needed to tell the story I wanted.

However, I did find this path. And this path reminded me of the path that the Lord was leading me down in life. There are places in the shadows, and in the light, but the Lord is there in every part for every step ... and it all is leading me to the goal ... the prize of Jesus Christ! Also, there is sometimes in life that feeling of not knowing whats around the next bend ... or how this is all going to turn out .... but I know that I can trust Him!!! The song that kept coming to my mind as I took these pictures and thought over how the Lord was speaking to me was:
Though I feel afraid of territories unknown I know that I can say that I do not walk alone.
For Jesus You have promised Your presence in my life
I cannot see the ending but its here that I must start
Chorus:
And all I know is You have called me and that I will follow is all I can say
I will go where You will send me as Your fire lights my way

What lies across the waves may cause my heart to fear
Will I survive the day? Must I leave what's known and dear?
A ship thats in the harbor is still and safe from harm
but it was not built to be there it was made for wind and storm.

I really wanted to go and get a picture from Harbor Town to further illustrate this .... but alas ... this was not possible! However, the Lord reminded me that even though there are a lot of uncertainities in my life .... I can trust Him. I know that He has called me and I can step forward in obedience with a confidence because He is with me and lights/guides my way!

Sunsets and Nikons!

2009-06-07T18:24:00.000-04:00

This is a picture from this past weekend at the beach. The first night that we got there we walked down to the beach and watched the sunset. It was so gorgeous!

This is me enjoying using the incredible camera that the Lord provided for me! I definitely learned a lot about faith and trusting the Lord through the wait .... but in HIS timing ... He provided!

Great is thy faithfulness O God my Father! There is no shadow of turning with thee! Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not, as Thou hast been ... Thou forever will be. Great is Thy faithfulness, Great is Thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercies I see!

My John Deere Girl!

2009-05-25T21:09:00.000-04:00

Sorry this took so many posts! I am using Picasa to upload ... and it is only allowing me to upload four pictures at a time...!!

Photo Shoot of Bethany...

2009-05-25T21:03:00.000-04:00

More!!!

2009-05-25T20:53:00.000-04:00

I love this picture of Beth!!

More Tractor Pictures!

2009-05-25T20:46:00.000-04:00

After we all got a turn to drive it .... or ride on the back while other people drove... we decided we better make use of the classic photo op! :)

More Pics of Atsen the Tractor Driver!

2009-05-25T20:27:00.000-04:00

2009-05-25T20:25:00.000-04:00

I managed quite well .... thanks to Joe and Sams constant help, support, and control!!! LOL!

And then, Atsen got his turn!! Quite the little naga driver! :)

John Deere!!!

2009-05-25T20:22:00.000-04:00

So, last week a most notable event happened .... one of the major items on Bethany's "bucket list" was accomplished! She drove a real John Deere tractor!!!!

And did a quite fabulous job I might add!

.... and then I drove ...

Hats off, tassels over

2009-05-16T10:35:00.000-04:00

I know that it has been forever since I have posted .... and so many noteworthy or "blog worthy" things have happened! It is beginning to feel like "where do I even begin!" However, something pretty incredible happened last night ... so awesome that I knew that I had to take a quick moment and post about it. My little brother graduated from High School!!!! He is the first one of us to graduate with a "real" school ... and he has worked hard and done well. I am so proud of him and just want everyone to know how amazing he is. He has really grown and matured in the last couple years and he is incredibly fun to be with, talk to, and I love hanging out with him. Don't go out to eat with him .... because he might eat all of your food for you .... but, other than that....

It is really neat to see his vision for influencing and challenging High school students and his desire to learn to walk with Christ. He is headed off to College next year to gain further training and skills to more effectively reach his audience.

As you can see from the above picture, which was taken two years ago .... he is definitely my *little* brother .... but even though he is "small in stature" Taylor has a huge heart. Yep, as you can tell .... he's pretty much amazing. (obviously he must be pretty special if I am FINALLY posting on my blog!) *grin*

I guess if I could say something to Taylor it would be to set himself to follow hard after the Lord in everything that he does, to be faithful to the Lord and finish strong ... no matter the cost. And, as he seeks to gain further training to reach his audience ... to remember to do everything for an ...

Audience of One!

I love ya kid. You are one of my best friends!
~ Your Sis

Spring Break!!!

2009-04-13T01:23:00.000-04:00

Here is Taylor and me outside the Braves game. Taylor and I always enjoy hanging out together, watching movies, going for rides in his truck, or whatever else strikes us (like eating!!!). I love my brother and I am so proud of him. I am sure that this is pretty obvious to all of my friends as i am always bragging on him about something!
Saturday night Daddy took Chris, Luke, me, Taylor, and Joe to the Braves game in atlanta. It was a fun game .... though a little bit squished of a car ride with too many big people in one car! :) We enjoyed our time at the game though ... even if we didnt get back home till 2:30 the next morning!

I had a perfect shot for the guys in the outfield ... I think that this was Francouer ... the "hometown sweetheart" who grew up in the atlanta area and is now returning to live his dream of playing for the Braves!

Dad sure "held his nose right" because after the game there was a "post-game" fireworks show of beautiful fireworks choreographed to classical music. Evidentally, Publix ice cream isn't the only thing that Publix does well... because they put on the firewords display!

This is Taylor and me listenin' to country music in his truck .... I mean um, WORKING to spread the mulch for Dad .... *wink*

It was a fun break ... and I praise God for it. Now, it is back to Greenville ... to learn what it means to finish well ... and to run "the homestretch" .... I'm on third base ..... can I make it home??? Only three weeks till graduation! The Lord has carried me by faith this far ... and by faith He will lead me home!! All the way to the finish line .... till I cross "home plate!" :)

Reedy River Race!

2009-03-08T14:35:00.000-04:00

Yesterday (Saturday, March 7th) was our big run! Ok, well actually it wasn't big ... it was small .... but, that is on the side. For Bethany and me it was our first official race.... even if it was only a 5k! It was the annual Reedy River Run downtown Greenville and it was an absolutely GORGEOUS day for it. God couldn't have blessed us with more beautiful weather!
There were SO many people downtown it was unbelievable! Supposedly, there were 5,000 people registered to run between the three different races.
Waiting for the race to start ....
... and jumping around after it was over ...

can you tell that we have fun together???

Oh, and notice all the fruit ..... they had TONS of food at the finish line. Subs from Mike and Jersey's and lots of fresh fruit, muffins, and bagels from Bilo. (yes, it was free...)

Here are a couple before/after shots:

"The EI family runners ..." (before)

... and after ...

Our little running club ... we've run together for almost the past year, mostly early in the morning, and help push each other to go faster and farther than we did before! I guess thats what good friends do for each other.... accountability! We often have to make each other go! Over the months different ones have joined our initial three .... and we gladly welcome the added company and inspiration. But, through it all .... as the others have come and gone ... we've been the "old faithfuls." And yes, we all have running names. I'm Pacer, Bethany is Weaver, and Sam is Spittey.

After the race ... We were all pretty stoked!

Downtown was SO beautiful! It was incredible ... After I ran across the finish line I just had this incredible feeling ... and my heart just wanted to start singing and shouting and praising God! I made it!!! Before coming to EI I wouldn't have lasted to run a 5 foot race, let along a 5k! Praise God for bodies that work and move, legs that can run, capacities to grow and expand and overcome, and the beautiful world that He has created!

Bethany and I were super excited about finally running in a real race. She is the main person that got me started running and has been my inspiration to keep going and not to settle with less, but to keep pushing!!! She was so sweet and ran the whole race with me ... even though she could have "busted it out" and been up there with the "good guys" ... she wasnt worried about making a name for herself or making her best time ... she wanted to "do this together." Bethany is such a wonderful example of love -- which is self-denial. While maybe we could have done better .... we both finished at the exact time ... sprinting across the finish line together ... and clocking in at 29:10.

News Flash: PJs at Brusters earn Sweet Rewards!

2009-03-08T14:23:00.000-04:00

Joel checking out the stats for the "big event"
"Double N" and me ....
Ashlynn is my neighbor and we both share a mutual love for ice cream! So, we thought we would hit up Brusters together .... the two Ashlyn's on their quest to satisfy their ice cream cravings! Since it is super confusing to hang out with someone with my own name after all these years of being the lone ranger .... we have dubbed her: "Double N"

Bekah was roasting in her fleece pjs ....! But, she did a great job capturing the event with all of her pics and self-portraits! A lot of these pictures were taken by her ....

Best Buds .... The two photographers of the group!

I love this shot of Abby and I together and I think it accurately depicts the hilariously fun times that Abbs and I have when we are together.

Our gang!

How Great is our God!

2009-03-02T13:37:00.000-05:00

Recently, my friend Christian got married. I was extremely blessed to be able to be a part of her wedding and help her get ready, and take some pictures for her. One thing that really touched me about her wedding was how the entire thing from getting ready beforehand, to the ceremony, and the reception, really was to the praise of the Lord.
It was so evident that they were so in love and happy together and that their love for each other led them to a deeper love and praise for the Lord. Their processional was "Be thou my vision" and their recessional was "Come sing with me ... how great is our God."
Seeing their unbridled joy, their devotion to each other, and their praise to the Lord, really inspired me. I realized that this is the purpose of marriage. Marriage is to lead you, your spouse, and the people who witness your relationship to a deeper love for the Lord and a heart that is bursting with praise to Him.
I know that when I find that "person" that God has prepared for me, the one that I am to spend the rest of my life loving and pouring my devotion into, that I will know. I will know, because our relationship with each other will fill my heart with a song of praise to the Lord that cannot be suppressed, that cannot be compared. My heart will sing "... great is our God" and will invite everyone I know to "come sing with me how great is my God." And, if the Lord wants me to be part of a relationship that would glorify His name in this way ... then I can trust Him to bring it ... because how great and wonderful is MY God!
This is the purpose of a relationship. So that we can be like Christian and Josh. So in love with each other, with the Lord, and have a heart that is bursting with praise to the Lord. A relationship that everyone around us wouldn't be able to keep from joining with them to unashamedly sing "how great is our God."

Asheville Adventures ....

2009-03-02T13:25:00.000-05:00

We went to Asheville together one Friday afternoon to pick up the backpack that Sam had ordered. We enjoyed getting to look around at all the things that we would love to own ... but could never afford. Seeing all that wilderness equipment inspired me to do some adventuring! Also, they had a book on outdoor photography that was really intriguing. It had some great points on how to capture the beauty of creation!

Since we were picking up his siblings in Asheville ... Bethany got to drive Kenny's awesome coolness of a car ... complete with sunroof!

... though the windows rolled down and the sunroof open made conversation a little bit harder ... and well ... lets just say sunflower seed spitting a little more interesting ... at least for those of us sitting in the back!

SNOW!

2009-03-02T13:03:00.000-05:00

Our winter snow!
EI in the snow ....

It is amazing how much of the character of God can be seen in His creation, specifically in the snow. Every snowflake is individual and unique ... yet works together/blends in harmony ... to paint a beautiful picture of the glory of God. To me, this is a classic illustration of God's design for the function of His church!

I guess this is what snow in March looks like ....!

Scrumptious Snacks!

2009-02-19T21:09:00.000-05:00

While we were at Verity, two of the girls made the most amazing german chocolate cake that I have ever had! I enjoyed it immensely! It definitely made for a very enjoyable settlers game as we passed the large plate around all rapidly consuming it's scrumptiousness!

Here is the recipe for it:

First you make the actual cake. They used a cake mix (I think that it was some type of Gold's something or other brand). I have always like Betty Crocker's Super Moist German Chocolate cake mix and have had great results with. However, be sure not to overcook it and that you fill the pan all the way full (even if you have to level off the top) as both of those things will make a huge difference. After you have made the cake and let it cool, ice it!

German Chocolate Cake Icing-for a 2 layer cake
1 cup evaporated milk

1 cup white sugar

3 egg yolk, beaten with

1 teaspoon water

1/2 cup margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup flaked coconut

In a large saucepan combine evaporated milk, sugar, egg yolks, margarine and vanilla. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick (usually takes at least 10 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in pecans and coconut. Spread on cake while still warm.

I don't think that they did this ... but I know when I worked at the bakery that we would put a rough layer of chocolate icing on the outside of the cake and then put the coconut pecan icing on top of that. This would help prevent the icing from sliding off the cake. However, their icing seemed to be a pretty good consistency and to stay on well ....

We enjoyed our cake with Josh's murky coffee and a good game of Settlers.
I think it made all of us smile ... I mean with a cake that good ... how can you not be happy?!

This is a super random picture ... and I think we all look a little like "deer in the headlights" .. but it shows our game, our coffee, and our plate of cake over there in the corner. Of course I couldnt get any better pics of us eating the cake ... because we were far too busy consuming it! I am looking forward to trying this recipe out myself. Hopefully, it won't be too hard to perfect and I can make it for my Dad when I am home for Spring break!

Apple Chip Cake

2009-01-31T10:58:00.000-05:00

This recipe is an old-time favorite that my Mom always asks for on her birthday. It is that perfect "fall" cake when the leaves start changing colors and everyone is picking apples. But, it can be yummy any other time of the year too!! While I was home on Christmas break I made this for my Dad. He always enjoys it because he can either eat a large chunk like it's a bar or put it in a bowl and smother it with his favorite publix vanilla ice cream. These are my pictures from making it. Unfortunately, I forgot to take any pictures of the finished product ... but that might have been because it didn't sit around for long after Daddy and the boys got home!

Apple Chip Cake

4 cups peeled and chopped apples

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup oil

2 eggs, beaten

2 tsp vanilla

3 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup coconut

pour sugar over chopped apples and stir. let stand for 1 hour!! Add oil, beaten eggs, and vanilla. Mix together flour, salt and baking soda and add to apple mixture. Add nuts, coconut and mix well. Pour into 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle on topping.

Topping:

2 TBSP butter

2 TBSP flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 TBSP cinnamon

Girl Party!!!

2009-01-25T10:05:00.000-05:00

Mrs. Nigh had all of us over to her house for our long awaited Sunday School class party.

... sometimes its amazing the simple things that entertain us!

We ate yummy pizza ....

and ice cream ....

and watched the "Inn of the Sixth Happiness"

As a class we had read the biography of Gladys Alward and agreed when we finished reading we would get together to watch the movie about her. Well, it took us forever to actually finish the book ... and even longer to actually have the party .... but it was worth the wait!

Mrs Nigh and Molly made our ice cream sundaes special with all those little finishing touches!

... And everyone enjoyed their efforts greatly!! Though they quickly devoured the beautiful piece of artwork!

2009-01-25T10:03:00.000-05:00

I miss my Babe!

The Winter Picnic ....

2009-01-23T19:25:00.000-05:00

The day before I left to come back to school after Christmas break was particularly warm and spring-like. After the "little ones" finished their school work they went out to play big adventures in the back yard. While they played, Mom went to the store to get the ingredients to make a special lunch for them: "Pigs in a blanket!"

After she got back from the store, I made the lunch (including the all important ketchup, lemonade, and pretzels). Then I called everyone to the back porch for the special surprise. They were all very excited about our winter picnic and couldn't wait to see what would be served.

I think it could be safely said that they were quite pleased with the results!

Bethany always makes the weirdest faces for the camera .... but at least she enjoyed her picnic!

After we finished the picnic, they continued playing outside and I went in to make Dad an apple cake. Later on, we made haystacks for dessert. Unfortunately, I failed to get any pictures of these chocolate-peanutbutter no bake cookies. But, I can assure you that they were enjoyed to the max!

It was fun to have one last special time together before I left the next day. We all really enjoyed the time that we got to hang out together and "do the bonding." And I definitely think that winter picnics are an idea that I want to try again soon!

Our big Adventure!

2009-01-16T17:16:00.000-05:00

These are pictures that I have been wanting to post for a quite a while of when the little ones and I went out for a "special time" but they've been stuck on my camera. Now that I am back to school and have my transfer cord again I am finally able to post them. After I left for thanksgiving I promised Bethany when I came home for christmas that I would take her out for a special time to pick out a present for the family member's name that she had drawn and to of course: spend time together! Well, the way it worked out I got home the Monday night two days before christmas. So, the next morning we planned to load up and head out. However, two things happened. First, Bethany was sick and so we had to schedule her a drs appt and second, Matt was begging to come along. So, Bethany agreed to allow Matt to join us (they're special buddies anyway) and we worked the 2:00 Drs appt as the first stop on our schedule.

This is Matthew and Bethany waiting sweetly at the Drs. office. I think having Matt along made it a lot more enjoyable for both of them!After we finally got done at the drs (it took a couple hours), we headed to the promised McDonalds trip. Bethany insisted that she wanted "oatmeal" to drink -- which turned out to be her name for chocolate milk.
After they finished eating, they enjoyed playing together for a long time on the playground.While they expelled their energy, I amused myself by one of my new favorite sugar free vanilla ice coffees and texting .... it was a real hardship to be sure! *grin* Finally, considering how late it already was, we had to go. We went to Toys'r'us and looked around for a while, but after I decided everything was out of our price range we headed to the dollar tree. There Bethany picked out some army men to buy for Luke and Matthew found a hanging door sign and some paints to make a present for Mummum. At my suggestion he made her an adorable sign that said yes on one side and no on the other. This way she can hang it on her door and he will know when he can come over. When your grandmother lives in the backyard and you like to pop in on her often at all times of the day, this makes for a very practical present!After dropping off Bethany's perscription at CVS we went to the gas station to get a cappucino for my grandmother who had just gotten into town and was staying at a motel nearby. While we were in there Bethany and Matt were asking about the slushies and of course -- wanting me to buy them one!

They were so cute picking out the color they wanted and then sharing it with their two straws!

After that we went to Publix to grab a couple things -- including some Werthers for my grandfather and some cookie samples for Matt and Bethany! While we were there we saw my Dad who offered to go pick up the medicine for Bethany if we wanted to go on home. So, we headed to our final surprise of the day ....
We took the Werthers and Cappucino to my grandparents hotel room and surprised them with both the gifts and our presence! The kids were so excited to get to see them and to bring them things. By this time though we were all really tired, especially Bethany who still wasn't feeling very well. So, we headed home!

However, on our way home we got waylaid by one final stop. We had to go watch our neighbors christmas lights who have lights that are synchronated with a local radio station's christmas music. In their driveway they have this salvation army bucket. So, after Matthew dropped his penny under the car and we crawled around in the grass in the dark under the car looking for it, and I found some different coins for Matt to put in, and he put them in and posed for his picture, we were really ready to go home!!! Especially Matthew who was very eager to start painting his sign for Mummum!! So, we went home; exhausted, broke, full of stories for Mom, pictures for my blog, and memories for life!! And that brings us to the end of the retelling of our big adventure!

Lessons from the Lanes ....

2009-01-08T06:36:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday my family had another "first." My Mom took us all bowling ... well all of us that is except for my Dad who stayed at home to best utilize the peace and quiet of the moment with the rarity of an undisturbed nap!

My Mom had gotten some free passes in the mail for one free game .... but when we got there paying for bowling shoes ended up being so much that we decided to "discuss it" first. We talked about it for a while and then decided it wasn't worth the money. We all got back in the car to leave .... but the little ones all burst out crying in disappointment. So, we got back out of the car and all trooped inside to go bowling.They had bowled on the Wii ... but never gone "real bowling" before and were eager to try their hand at it. My Mom had promised them that she would take them sometime. All of us older children had been before at different times either with friends or my grandfather ... but this was the first time for us all to go together and for the little ones to get to go. I think that they found it was quite different than the Wii!

They did do well though and I think really enjoyed themselves. Hannah had a couple good shots .... and some amazing range ... providing for some ROTFL experiences. Let's just say that its pretty incredible to see a bowling ball jump from one lane ... to another ....

Matt and Bethany were equally hilarious. Bethany was so determined that she could "do it herself" ... but when she would roll the ball down the lane it wasn't gathering enough speed or momentum. A couple times it either just stopped or would hit the pins and then start rolling back down the lane towards her. A couple times the employees had to come fetch the ball for her .... but one time she got lucky ... the ball rolled all the way back down the lane to her waiting arms and she was able to go again!

After a while my patience was beginning to wear a little thinner after all of her rather embaressing shannigans ... but who can resist her? She is just too precious!

Mom of course bowled well after her years of training by Papa .... but I think her biggest enjoyment was laughing at all of us! :) The innocent bystanders ....Joseph helped manage our scores ... which turned out to be a rather complicated task. Our lane was so messed up and almost always had to be manually reset. One time we bowled about 4-5 times still on the same frame because it never registered. I think in addition to the lane being messed up the little ones just weren't rolling the ball hard enough to make it automatically be reset.Of course, as with everything, the boys were old pros and finished way above us. Though, I must say, they didn't encounter the same challenges that we did and didn't have two very independent little children getting their balls stuck down the lane. In the end they scored higher than us ... but only because our time ran out before we could even finish -- because of all of our mishaps. Chris was one of the ones most excited about going and I think that he enjoyed himself thoroughly ... which is pretty rare for a homebody such as himself! Normally he just wants to stay at home and play things that don't require leaving his comfort zone. He enjoyed his bowling turns and then had fun entertaining himself taking crazy pictures of everyone.

The little ones, despite all their craziness, were no worse for the wear. They loved bowling and were a good reminder of celebrating little victories! We often only are happy about the big things ... or get sometimes I only find myself getting excited about praising God and thanking Him when He answers the big prayers .... not the ones that I view as little or insignificant. I am disappointed when I don't accomplish more .... or am discouraged if I'm not perfect .... and only knock down a couple bowling pins ..... but Bethany and Matt were a great example. Everytime they got the ball down the lane ... and knocked down even one pin ... they enthusiastically celebrated their success. They would jump up and down, give each other high 5's, and do little happy dances. Little children show us how to celebrate every moment in life ... not just the big ones.

Best of all, we got to spend time together as a family. No matter how crazy it was ... it built great memories together and was one more chance to be together .... I love you guys!

Home Alone ....

2009-01-07T14:32:00.001-05:00

Last Friday night Daddy and Mommy went to Columbus to run some errands and eat dinner together, we held down the fort. Since the older half had already gone out earlier that day to Pizza Hut for Joe's birthday we decided to do something a little different for dinner. This is one of those things that my family has enjoyed doing from time to time over the years -- but it is so much work that it doesnt happen very often. We made breakfast for supper.

Everyone pitched in and worked together to prepare the scrumptious feast. Josh fried the bacon, Taylor made pancakes, Tiffany made cheese grits, I made the scrambled eggs and cut the canteloupe, and Tiffany, Joe, and I worked together on the different components to the french toast. Then we all helped set the table, etc.

The younger children especially were quite excited with the fare placed before them and ate quite heartily (which I think is actually pretty normal ...).

Of course by the time that I finished frying the rest of the french toast everyone else was done eating and it was time to start cleanup. By the time we got everything made, eaten, and cleaned up, I was exhausted!
But, seeing everyone enjoy it made it well worth the effort! There is something so rewarding about seeing people enjoy the food you make. Plus, it was fun and we built memories. It's always fun when your parents skip town to do something exciting .... the hard part is just making sure that the house gets put back together before they return! :)

As always with everything in life there is a lesson that can be learned from the small things. There are two lessons that I think I was reminded of that night: 1) the finished product makes the hard times worth it (just think how God is molding and refining me -- it sure hurts now -- but in the end .... just like anything else the result will be worth it. 2) if you want any food in our house ... eat first.

Recipe for a Cozy Afternoon ...

2008-12-11T11:08:00.000-05:00

The last couple days have been cool and rainy. Not thunderstorms or occasional drizzles .... but a steady downpour. This kind of weather makes me think of curling up with a cup of coffee or tea under a cozy afghan and reading a good book ... not christmas shopping, going to work, and doing my homework! But, anyway, because it would also be a perfect day to go to a cozy little downtown coffee shop... it made me think of these pictures that I never posted of when us girls went out for coffee together over thanksgiving break. These are all taken at Elements a little coffee shop in Albany where Tiffany works prn.

Babe was so proud of herself for coming out with the big girls and getting a drink -- even though it was tea .... :)
Hannah enjoying her hot chocolate ....

Tiffany and Mom enjoying their txt messaging plan ....

Getting phone pictures together to send "Beffany Cook"

It was a fun time together ... even though they got my order wrong and the boys were constantly txting us to see when we were going to come home and make them dinner! :) Hopefully it will be an experience that we can repeat again soon!

Even though this picture is super washed out -- I still thought it was pretty cool. With some quality photo editing it could definitely be amazing!

2008-11-28T19:03:00.000-05:00

"In order to be Captivating, you must first be Captivated."

Better than Pumpkin Pie!

2008-11-23T16:30:00.000-05:00

Tis the Season for Cooking .....

This is a new seasonal twist on an award winning all time favorite! I found this on all-recipes.com last night while I was babysitting and decided to give it a try for a "pre-thanksgiving" the "season for pumpkin" Sunday dinner dessert! I ended up making a couple improvisations as I went along.

This tasted incredible, looked beautiful, and was very easy to make. Wow your guests this thanksgiving with a new twist on a traditional flavor -- but an eclectic presentation!

Here is the recipe:

Turtle Pumpkin Trifle

First make the cake layer.

Take Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix and mix together with
3 eggs

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. water

1 box instant vanilla pudding

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 can pumpkin puree

I didnt know for sure how they wanted me to get pumpkin puree -- so at the suggestion of my Mom I added applesauce. I put at least 1/2 a cup to 1 cup. This made it very moist. Bake this mixture in a 9x13 pan for 45 min at 350.

While this is baking mix up 2 boxes of instant cheesecake pudding with 2 c. milk and 1 8oz container of lite cool whip. After mixing in the milk, let the mixture set for 2 minutes before adding the cool whip. Set to the side.

Once the cake has cooled, divide into 3 sections. Cut each section into 1" cubes. Layer in a trifle dish. Make first layer of cake, then heavily drizzle caramel topping over top of cake. Then add a layer of pudding mixture, a layer of cool whip, and top with heath toffee bits, chopped pecans, and mini chocolate chips. Repeat layering. When you get to the top, garnish with extra caramel on very top layer. Woo-lah! You masterpiece is complete!

I must say, I found that you can get quite a lot of attention by presenting this at a gathering!

Enjoy!

2008-11-15T20:32:00.000-05:00

I got a blog! Actually, I am too busy right now to do much blogging ... but I want to be able to comment on my Mom's blog. Have you seen it? She does an amazing job with it! Check it out at yes-theyre-all-ours.blogspot.com.