...every 10.68 minutes...

After getting my new camera a little over three months ago, I was in China for seven weeks. Upon coming home, I had three weddings to photograph, along with a host of other things. My camera's records showed some amazing facts:

In 92 days, I took 12,408 pictures.

Which is one picture every 10.68 minutes.

24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

From June 20 - September 20.

If a picture is worth a thousand words,
how many books do you think I've written by now?!?

Charissa

Our little girl turns two today!!

"Peek-a-boo!"

Faith

...reposes on the character of God.

And if we believe that God is perfect,
we must conclude that His ways are perfect also.

A. W. Tozer

Josiah & Abi

What a beautiful day it was!! Thank you all so much for your prayers on Saturday. And I don't have a lot of time to share details or memories since we are busy packing to move tomorrow, but I had to share at least a few pictures, (and Rachel did, too!!)
...so stay tuned for more later!

...14 siblings now...

Tomorrow...

is their big day! I'm so excited!!

I'd really appreciate your prayers as I try to capture their special day...
-wisdom with posing, lighting, and technical aspects
-catching the moment, the emotions, the details
-Josiah and Abi blessed
-and above all, that God is glorified!

Looking forward to sharing pictures with you soon...
[grin]

Justin & Alicia

August 23, 2008

May my life be a testimony
To who I am in You, to who You are in me.

Lord Jesus, may the ones I touch be touched by You,
Oh, may my life be a testimony.

May my life be a tribute to Your name,
May I seek first Your smile, not men's applause and fame,

Lord Jesus, if it means for You I suffer pain,
May I not fail to be a tribute to Your name.

May Our lives be a symphony of praise,
A song of hope and joy that fills our nights and days.

Oh, grant that we may never cease to always raise,
Oh, Lord to You a joyful symphony of praise.

May our lives be a mirror of Your grace,
Reflecting love that goes beyond all time and space,

Lord Jesus, may men see not us, but Your dear face,
Oh, may our lives be a mirror of Your grace.

May our lives be a testimony
To who we are in You, to who You are in us.

Lord Jesus, may the ones we touch be touched by You,
Oh, may our lives be a mirror, Lord, of You.

Elise

Another precious, sweet, adorable baby...

Congratulations Caleb and Abby!

Psalms 143:10

"Teach me to do YOUR will,

for YOU are my GOD."

The best preperation for the future is always the conscienctious carrying out of what is given us today.

Caption Contest

I was browsing through my China pictures today, and came across this one...a picture of the first McDonalds we saw in Taiyuan. I just had to laugh when I saw the scene on the bench, something I hadn't noticed when I first took the picture...

Captions, anyone?

Psalms 1

Blessed is the man...whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

and on that law he meditates, day and night...
Whatever he does shall prosper.

True ministry is simply an overflow of my relationship with Jesus Christ,

all else it is just religious activity.

-LW

I'm rejoicing!

I've added to my photography gear again...this time the long dreamed for f/2.8 zoom lens! And it is really a testimony to my mother's prayers and perseverance when I'd given up.

Knowing that I had three weddings this fall, earlier this year I really, really began praying that it would work for me to get a Nikon VR f/2.8 70-200 zoom lens. And began shopping...and praying...and looking. Then with the China trip, it really looked doubtful that it would work financially. But God provided where I least suspected it, and in June things came together that I could place the order...only to call and find out that they were out of stock!

Two weeks...three weeks went by, and they finally came in stock -- but it was such a popular lens that it was back out of stock within hours! I had to leave for China then, but I asked my family to keep watching for it. The first week of July, B&H had another shipment come in. But again -- they were gone within hours. At this point I pretty much gave up on having the lens in time for the weddings.

But Mom kept praying...and calling...and was finally able to put in a back order. But it still looked like it would be a 5-8 weeks before the order could be filled. We all kept praying, and wonder of wonders: they came in stock, the lens was shipped -- and the huge package beat me home!! I know some of you were joining me in prayer this summer as well: THANK YOU!

Not only is the lens incredible and fun to use (I used it for a wedding I did last weekend, as well as most of the pictures posted here), but it is another reminder of how big my God is -- and how much He delights in working in our lives! Not only do I love to use the lens, but every time I go to put it on my camera, (which is pretty often!) it is a beautiful reminder of what my God did.

"O give thanks to the Lord!
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name."
Psalms 105:1-3

Abby

I love babies!! Such precious bundles! This little sweetheart was born while I was in China, but I was home in time for her one month pictures...

Congratulations Ragnar and Angela!