I'm not sure I've got the hang of this photography thing yet!

a beautiful picture of my bis sis & her fiancé...

SoFoBoMo...fin

Wow-only one week after beginning this project, and I am finished!!! Of course, it would have never happened had I not been able to take ALL the pictures in a short, 2 hour time period. It feels good to actually start and finish a project (I'm very good at beginning, but very bad at completing). I owe a lot to my big sis. You have to understand that she HATES being photographed. She also HATES pink. So for her to be photographed, wearing pink, for a book that (I hope) lots of people are going to look at--that's just plain amazing. Anyway, without further delay, here it is...

Princess Sarcasma goes to Nashville

SoFoBoMo

Finally, I have begun my SoFoBoMo project. I managed to talk my big sis into doing something completely off the wall. I stuck her in a horrible prom dress and paraded her around downtown Nashville. She had boots, hat, and a guitar, too. It was a wonderful experience. There were many exclamations of 'Oh My', lots of staring and open mouths. There were even a few people who took pictures of her. I ended up shooting 415 images total (thank goodness for digital). I sure hope I have enough for the 35 image requirement! Well, I have editing to do & I must figure out how to assemble these pics into a book!



SMC

Rambo

My husband and I went to see Rambo the other night. We don't usually go for 'rated R' movies, but I knew my husband would love this one. Since he is usually very willing to go to movies that I want to see, I figured it was only fair for me to return the favor. I thought I would be able to handle it. As we are sitting in the theater, waiting for the movie to begin, I realize that I probably shouldn't have suggested this movie. My husband tells me that we can leave. Even though I felt that I shouldn't have come, I didn't feel like I should leave (which is a very weird feeling). I told my husband that I would be fine & wanted to stay.

I thought "How bad can it be? It's about missionaries." Wow-I must have completely forgotten all that I have read, seen, and heard about missions! About 10 minutes into the movie, I realized that I was not going to be able to watch this move. But, I still didn't want to leave! Then it hit me; "I'll just close my eyes-there's not really any dialog, so I won't know what's going on."

As I sat there with my eyes closed, I started thinking about the missions field. Since I met Jesus, I have felt as though I should go into the missions field. A couple of years ago, Joe Rystrom came to our church & spoke about YWAM. He has devoted his entire life to bringing the Gospel to China. At the end of the service Joe asked us to listen for God to tell us what He wanted us to do concerning missions. He told us that we could give money, pray, or be a missionary. He gave us all a few minutes of silence, and then asked people to raise their hands for the thing God had told them to do. My mind was a complete mess at the time, so hearing from God was not something I could do. I didn't raise my hand for anything. Then, Joe said something about some of us needing to get some things straight!! I knew the was talking to me.
I have been bothered by that day ever since. I've also kept thinking that I was spoiled & lazy for not joining the missions field.

OK-back to Rambo. I'm thinking about how I should be a missionary, when God speaks: "This is not for you. You cannot handle this." Oh, my! That's one of the things I worry about when thinking of going to a foreign land; seeing things that are far worse than anything we have here in the good ol' USA. Deep down I knew I couldn't handle it. I knew that if I did missions, it would not be me at all. God would have to do ALL the work! God told me that He had made other people for missions, not me. Then He reminded me of what I was made for. "You take care of what I have already given you to do. You PRAY for these missionaries." WOW!! I don't think I've ever known peace like I felt at that moment. So, I did as I was instructed & prayed (under my breath-in the language of prayer).

I no longer worried about being a missionary. I no longer worried about Rambo. In fact, I was able to watch the last 20-30 minutes of it without closing my eyes!

I thank God for people who are willing to leave their homes & families to advance the Kingdom.
I thank God for finally knowing the answer to a two to three year old question.
I thank God for meeting me in the most unusual places!!

SMC

The Art of Destruction

I was reminded the other day of how much I love to tear stuff up! We were cleaning out our now former church building, and we came across a very old computer. What to do with this outdated equipment that sits in a closet? We called up our resident computer guy whose only concern was some church records on the hard drive. Other than that, do with it what you will.

So, we did.











We were even able to remove the hard drive without using any tools!!

If ever you have the opportunity to destroy something like this, I would highly recommend it.

SMC

The Joy of the Working

When Earth's Last Picture is Painted
by Rudyard Kipling

When Earth's last picture is painted and the tubes are twisted and dried,
When the oldest colours have faded, and the youngest critic has died,
We shall rest, and, faith, we shall need it -- lie down for an aeon or two,
Till the Master of all good workmen shall set us to work anew.
And those who were good shall be happy; they shall sit in a golden chair;
They shall splash at a ten-league canvas with brushes of comets' hair.
They shall find real saints to draw from -- Magdalene, Peter, and Paul;
They shall work for an age at a sitting and never be tired at all!

And only The Master shall praise us, and only The Master shall blame;
And no one shall work for money, and no one shall work for fame,
But each for the joy of the working, and each, in his separate star,
Shall draw the thing as he sees It for the God of things as they are!

This is my favorite poem.

There's something in it that I want to experience--the joy of the working!

I have worked for the same company, in the same department, doing basically the same job for going on NINE years now. It has been a wonderful place for learning and experience. I've traveled. I've met some very interesting people along the way. The coolest thing is-I've been PAID to learn how to do some really cool things in the world of digital photography & graphic design. I can honestly say that at one point, I would have done this job even if I wasn't getting paid. True, there were many times I wanted to quit. In the beginning, there was a lot of fighting. We wanted to revolutionize the company & many people thought that meant we wanted to get rid of them (in some cases we did!). Sometimes the fight was what got me out of bed in the morning. The thought of them 'winning' made me go at it even harder.

It seems, though, that these last couple of years I haven't been learning as much. There's no longer anything to fight for. We won!! Several of the people who were afraid of losing their jobs have retired! I've reached a point where the only reason I get up & go is for a paycheck. I love my co-workers. I am bored outta my mind with the job. I'm slipping back into some old (bad) habits.

I want out!

But where does one go from here? It is not economical to work for free. Can I ask my family to adjust to a much smaller income? Is it fair to them? On the other hand-is it fair that they get the worst of me? I've spent so much time in a place I don't want to be. I come home & am tired, hungry, & usually in a bad mood (for no apparent reason). Is it fair to my son that he only gets to see me when I put him to bed? Is it fair to my husband that he doesn't get to see me at all? I feel like I'm losing my grip on life.

I want more.
More than what I'm getting from this rat race.

I don't mind working. I enjoy it. I can't really imaging my life without it.

But...

Does work have to be everything?

What do I want for Christmas this year?

To work, for the joy of the working

To be able to say, "I would do this even if I wasn't getting paid"



SMC

Love Thy Neighbor

I consider my neighbor to be a very good friend of mine. I can honestly say that without her, I would not be where I am today.

But to be perfectly honest-I am not a very good friend to her. I always have some kind of excuse. You know, there’s just so much going on. There’s just no time. Well, I have finally realized that, as long as I’m breathing, there’s going to be a lot going on! I have to get my priorities straight. Right now-they’re all jacked up!

My neighbor is going through something right now. I don’t know exactly what. It may not be as bad as I have imagined, it may be worse. The point is, something is wrong and I have no idea what it is or how to help. You would think that this being one of my closest friends, I would have put forth some effort to help. But no. I have kept my distance. I (vainly) thought for a while that I was what was wrong. Maybe I had offended without realizing. So, I stayed away. I convinced myself that I could only make matters worse.

I’ve gotten over myself. I have realized that I may be making matters worse by not following one of the most important commands- Love Thy Neighbor.


The fact of the matter is-this IS the person that followed God’s command. She reached out to her neighbor who was in desperate need of help, but would not admit it. She was diligent in doing God’s work. The phrase 'Hound of Heaven' comes to my mind. She did not give up or give in. Even when all attempts to reach out were rejected. She pressed on. Always doing what she knew was the right thing. It took two years. I would have given up on me long before then. But, finally, a breakthrough. We agreed to go to a hayride with her and her husband (who had been chasing after my husband). Our lives would never be the same.

It is because of her diligence, perseverance, and LOVE that I met Jesus.

I shudder to think what might have happened if she had given up on me.

I can't let her down.

I owe her my life.

Now, I will be like the Hound of Heaven.

I will not give up either.

SMC