Time...and a few laughs

Time. An amazing thing that we can't stop nor push, yet it is what life is made of.

I came across a few sayings that I found thought provoking, as well as a few funny ones, too -- that I would NOT recommend you live by! [grin]

Just remember -- a cheerful heart does good like a medicine! Have you had your dose today?!

:: Always take time to stop and smell the roses...and sooner or later, you'll inhale a bee.

:: Never put off until tomorrow what you can put off indefinitely.

:: The bad news is; time flies. The good news is; you're the pilot.

:: Live now...procrastinate tomorrow!

:: Don't be fooled by the calendar. There are only as many days in the year as you make use of. (Charles Richards)

:: The sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.

:: If you are to do what you want with your time, you must learn not to do what you don't want.

:: Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician.

:: I always wanted to be a procrastinator, but never got around to it.

:: If it weren't for the last minute, nothing would ever get done!

Psalms 29:1-2

"Give unto the Lord...
Give unto the Lord glory and strength.
Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name.
Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness."

- - - - - -

God is glorified not only by His glory's being seen, but by its being rejoiced in. When those that see it delight in it, God is more glorified than if they only see it.... He that testifies his idea of God's glory [does not] glorify God so much as he testifies also his approbation of it and his delight in it.

-Jonathan Edwards

No doubts

I know what I want --

"That I may KNOW Him... "

Philippians 3:10

Motive makes the difference

Duty

is doing;


love

is heart.

Thinking out loud

I've long been an avid journal-er.

It began when I could barely write, and my spelling was atrocious. I was trying everything I could to be "just like my big sisters." One thing they did was write in a little book they called their journal. So I did, too!

Terrible spelling, awful handwriting, and incomplete sentences can sum up those first entries, though I look back and treasure it all now, for it gives a small glimpse into my childhood.

As the years have passed, I've loved recording insights the Lord has given me, as well as special moments, quotes, family funnies, and anything else my mind feels inspired to write.

For fun tonight, I was skimming entries from 2003; four years ago. It is amazing how little has changed, and yet how much has, too. To be honest, I was struggling a little bit, my spirit discouraged.

As I continued flipping through pages, my eye fell on the entry from March 22, 2003.

"Hm-m-mm...exactly four years ago today. I wonder what I wrote."

And I don't think it was a coincidence that what I read tonight was exactly what I needed to hear! Isn't it funny -- words I recorded four years ago in my journal come back now and encourage my heart. And I quote an excerpt --

:: :: :: :: ::

"It is God who...makes my way perfect." Psalm 18:32

The Hebrew word 'perfect' means:
without blemish, complete, full, sincerely sound, without spot, whole, perfect

Wow! What a new meaning that opens up! No matter what I'm going through or facing, God's plan for me is without blemish, complete, full, perfect. With this thought in mind, it is easy to pray: "Here Lord, my life is completely in Your hands. Mold me, shape me, to be what You have for me. I put my complete trust in you."

:: :: :: :: ::

His plan for my life is complete.

His design for my life is to be full of Himself.

His purpose is sincerely sound...a perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.

Too sweet

Is it too soon to post another picture of Charissa?! If you can't tell, I'm lovin' having a baby around! Most of all to cuddle and love on, but also because all the baby photography ideas I've ever had or wanted to try I'm now able to do!

Beauty in simplicity

"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

Matthew 6:28-29

The people who influence us the most are not those who detain us with their continual talk, but those who live their lives like stars in the sky, and the lilies of the field -- simply and unaffectedly. Those are the lives that mold and shape us.
-Oswald Chambers

Just a picture

A Longing

May God humble and stir in us an unquenchable longing, that God may be all in all.

That is my first lesson. Give God His place, but take time and trouble to do it. Take heed and be quiet... wait and give God time to reveal Himself.


Secondly, where do I find God's will?
I find God's will in His Word.

I have sometimes heard it said, "I want to believe every promise between these two covers," but I have not often heard it said, "I accept every commandment within these two covers." ...Write in the front page of your Bible, "Every promise of God in this book I desire to believe; every command in this book I desire to accept." That is one way to let God be all in all.

-Andrew Murray

Zachariah's song of praise

"He hath raised up an horn of salvation for us... that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life

...to give knowledge of salvation unto his people."

Luke 1:69, 74-75, 77, 79

When was the last time you laughed for the sheer joy of your salvation?

Today, think deeply on what you have been saved from... and let your gratitude to God motivate you to bring the lost to Him.

-Anonymous

Photo tip

Did you know that over 50% of a good photo is due to the person behind the camera? It is the eye looking through the veiw finder that has to do the thinking. A camera just does what it is told.

To throw out a few more tips to other photographer-lovin' souls...

The first thing is knowing what your subject is. How can you take a picture, not knowing what you a trying to capture? Is it people? emotion? showing a relationship? Are you trying to capture a house? or a home? Even in senic pictures you have to know your subject. Look at the top photo --this is my subject, and yes, the trees reflect nicely. But if you notice, the picture lacks much depth. To me, it is a boring picture.

Secondly, watch for ways to emphasize your subject. After taking the above photo, I tried re-framing the picture, to see how I could capture the feel of the place much better. I posted the results below. Keep in mind that it is the exact same location, just different framing techniques. Personally, I much prefer the bottom photo.

What do you think?

The inevitable

If... you

truly love

Jesus,

shining

for Him

will be

inevitable.

Song of Solomon 2:4

"...His banner over me is love."

Love is swift, sincere, pious, pleasant, gentle, strong, patient, faithful, prudent, long suffering, and never seeking her own, for wheresoever a man seeketh his own, there he falleth from love.

- Thomas 'a Kempis

A little heart stealer

A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on.

- Carl Sandburg

Waiting

...is not resignation;
waiting is an active trust in God to provide fulfillment in His perfect timing according to His ultimate purpose of glorifying His Son.

-CJ Mahaney

I'm published!

Well, at least a few of my pictures are.

A good friend of mine, Avery Hitch, has authored several fictional books, and for her most recent one she asked me to do the photography for the cover! What fun it was to come home from our trip and find that Avery had mailed me the completed, published book.

I know as the author she spent countless hours writing the story, so the excitement for her is even greater -- but what a joy it is to see my work published! Such a delightful feeling!

Now I just need a few hours to read the book... [grin]

In season

The branch of the vine does not worry, and toil, and rush here to seek for sunshine, and there to find rain. No; it rests in union and communion with the vine; and at the right time, and in the right way, the right fruit is found on it. Let us so abide in the Lord Jesus.

-Hudson Taylor

"...render to Him the fruits in their seasons."
-Matthew 21:41

Apple trees don't bear fruit in April, nor do spring peas produce fruit in September. There are different seasons, bearing different fruits. During seasons of growing and stretching, not much fruit is in sight, yet personal growth is so vital to bearing the fruit in season that God has prepared beforehand for us. And it begins with union and communion in the Vine. Only as we draw from Him can we bring Him fruits in their season.

Going Home

Has it really been almost a week since I've blogged?

At least I have a good excuse this time, as our only computer with internet was in constant demand, and the only hours I could have used it were between 1am and 6am! Due to our schedule, those hours just weren't very appealing to me.


This morning as I had my quiet time, Mark 5:19 was the verse that caught my attention:

"Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you..."

God has truly done so much for me, and as I actually have time to blog tonight, I find myself a little overwhelmed with what I should actually share! I've taken enough pictures to last months I think, and the testimonies of the Lord are innumerable! My sister Rachel posted the past week in pictures, which should catch you up a little bit with what all has been going on.

But most exciting -- we did our last service tonight, and as I type the bus is headed homeward! We're heading home!

Hidden treasure

I was walking in knee deep water, my eyes glued to the bottom of the ocean. Was that a shell? Or could that little piece showing be part of a whole sand dollar?

As I enjoyed the beach the other day, what a delight it was to search for the ocean's treasures. Eagerly looking for those special gems, what a delight it was to see something sparkling in the water.

I reached down to pick it up -- two thirds of it was buried deep in the sand. As my hand grasped the shell (a little warily, I'll confess! It isn't surprising to find a crab in a conch shell!) I carefully dug and pulled it out of the water. Oh what a joy to realize it was a complete conch shell, measuring nine inches in length! I had never found a complete shell that big. I'd seen them in the pictures and on displays, but what fun to actually find one myself!

Like a little kid, I put the shell up to my ear to hear the ocean. What fun to enjoy the simple pleasures in life!

As I continued keeping my eyes open for treasures, sometimes coming up with broken pieces, sometimes a whole sand dollar, I couldn't help but recall a few scriptures:

"...those who seek me diligently will find me..."

Proverbs 8:17

"If you seek...and search...as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the Lord,
and find the knowledge of God."
Proverbs 2:4-5

Seeking...searching. Yes -- I was amply rewarded as I hunted for the oceans treasures. Yet how much more should I be seeking for eternal treasures?

Do I rejoice in digging for golden nuggets from God's Word? Or do I read a chapter just because I know I should, and it becomes a duty rather than a delight? Do I approach the Bible with the attitude of complacency? Or am I actively seeking and searching for the truths that God wants to me apply to my life today?

God's Word is so rich, and the promises are sure.

Those who seek will find.

Virtue --

it cannot be great if it is not constant.

-AM