Learning

At the beginning of this week, Rob and I decided to blog everyday. That definitely hasn't happened. I really don't feel like blogging today either, but Rob told me that if I don't, I'm fired. I don't quite know what I'll be fired from, but being fired is never fun so here I go.

I'm learning more and more about photography as I work for an amazing photographer. I'm keeping my ears open for people who want their pictures taken...weddings, families, babies, engagement, whatever. But, in order to gain people's confidence I'm also trying to build a portfolio to show people.

Tomorrow I'm in a friend's wedding, and I plan to take as many shots as I can before and after. It's such a great opportunity especially to build my wedding portfolio. I'm excited.

If you know anyone who needs pictures taken and they have little or no budget, send them my way. I need the experience!

Here are a couple of my pictures. I think it's obvious who my favorite subject is. I hope to put up some sort of album up soon.

Imagine

Today I was sitting outside enjoying the sunshine and noticed a pretty purple flower next to me. This may seem odd, but the flower reminded me of a class I took at APU. The class was called Christianity and the Creative Process. My professor challenged us to rediscover our imagination and begin to use art and creativity as a main vessel for communication, life, comprehension...not just for expression when you're feeling artsy.

She made us write mission statements for our lives for how we would use the arts to live life. I haven't been able to find mine in our too-full closets, but I remember what I decided. My mission was to bring life to people through art. So many people lack life. I can think of several right now who when I look into their eyes, I see no life. What I mean by life is life abundant--the only real life given by Christ. I don't even mean just salvation. I mean showing people what comes after salvation. Life.

I've always wanted to be overseas on the mission field. So, my idea was to be in other countries and capture the life that I saw there and bring it home to show the people here, to share their story. Also, when I'm overseas, to bring understanding of life by helping people make their own art, people who don't get to experience it much--orphans, the oppressed, etc.

Thinking about it again makes me very excited to actually fulfill what I decided my artistic mission should be. Rob and I will hopefully have that opportunity this summer. Our hope, dream, and "plan" is to visit some Sandals missionaries in Central Asia and Qatar. We want to love them, support them, bring love from Sandals, and take their story home by the art that we capture there.

I'm certain that God is going to bring us on this trip despite any obstacle that may come up. Pray that God would make a way.

Where's the hen?

I sometimes talk in my sleep. Rob never talks in his sleep. Weird, isn't it? Well, Rob and I have talked it over, and I think we have it figured out. It's been said that women say 10,000-12,000 words a day. I think it's that many. If I'm exaggerating, it's at least a lot of words that we say. Our theory is that I sleep talk when I don't get all my words in for the day. Rob doesn't ever sleep talk because 12 hours of daylight is more than enough time to get his words in. We women just have to be creative in how we communicate since we have such a bigger job to do--10,000 words!

A couple of months ago, while sleeping, I asked Rob, "Where's the hen?" I just think that's hilarious. Who ever says the word hen? Yeah, maybe someone who lives on a chicken farm might use the word regularly, but as for the rest of us it's probably the least said word ever. I don't think I've said the word hen for 18 years. Probably the last time I said it was when I was learning how to rhyme and had to give words that rhyme with pen.

Mr. and Mrs. hard-to-say-last-name

Last night Rob and I went to Jack and Kym's wedding. This one was extra special. I've heard it said that lust can't wait five minutes, but love can wait seven years. Jack and Kym didn't date for seven years, but they did have to do some extra waiting and extra growing that they hadn't planned for. Their love has been tried, tested, and reformed, and we got to celebrate with them as they made the ultimate commitment to each other and to God.

Jack awaiting his bride.


Kym, as beautiful as ever.


I love how couples glow on their way back up the aisle together.

Enough

I've never seen The Last Temptation of Christ or read the book. But, while at APU I sat in on a seminar where Matt Ringe, a professor, talked about it and other movies as tools for apologetics. Anyway, I don't remember any of what he said except for one thing about this book/movie.

The Bible says that Jesus underwent every kind of temptation. Anything that might tempt us is something that Jesus understands and conquered. According to this professor The Last Temptation of Christ portrays Jesus' biggest temptation as the desire for a normal life.

I found myself asking God for that very thing today. I want a normal life: a meaningful job, a great marriage, enough close friends, safety, security... I look at my life and realize that I'm very blessed. So blessed that I know I don't need or deserve most of what I have and experience. But, it's funny that there's always one more thing that would make it perfect. Lord, if you will just take care of this one thing, my normal life will be complete.

But, thinking about what that professor said about that movie makes me realize that the desire for a normal life is a temptation, not a holy desire. When Jesus asks us if we want to follow him, he doesn't lead us down the wide path of normality. He calls us to take the narrow path of discipleship that at times may only be wide enough for you...a lonely path.

The song that has been inspiring me away from envying that one last thing goes like this:

All of you
is more than enough for
all of me
for every thirst and
every need
You satisfy me
with your love
All I have in you
is more than enough

Another layer of grace

Pastor TJ wrote a blog about Pastor Matt and real relationships. When I read it, the thing that stood out to me were his comments about grace. I remember hearing Matt talk about grace a couple times throughout my office experience. I think his focus on grace and that being the key to real relationships is so true but very unrealized. I, for one, hadn't ever considered that concept before.

TJ wrote about Matt saying that everyone deserves the right to learn from their mistakes. To really live like that would be to set free the people I interact with day by day. People wouldn't have the pressure to be right the first time. They'd have the opportunity to grow in the real sense of the word. I'm inspired to set people free all around me by living with an attitude of grace.

I think I can apply that to myself as well and give myself the right and need to learn from mistakes. When I say the wrong thing or hurt someone, I will often obsess over it until I can convince myself it wasn't so bad. Sometimes I think that I convince myself that the more I mull it over in my mind increases the chance of it actually disappearing from history. But, maybe to grow means to be wrong at first and then get wiser through time and experiences. Interesting.