Amanda [Senior 2010]

My beautiful friend,Amanda,just graduated from high school this weekend.
I had the privilege of taking her senior pictures couple weeks ago. We had quite a time of it traipsing around: from Marble to Spokane,shooting from country to urban and back to country...and had a blast doing it all!
Amanda is an aspiring photographer as well and wants to specialize in photojournalism to open eyes and hearts...and making some money doing what she loves.
Congratulations once more on achieving this first milestone in your journey and I pray you succeed in whatever God directs you to put your mind to. Dream big and stay strong. You are my 80's rock hero! Love ya!

Here's a few favorites from the session:

"Live long and prosper."

Auntie Update: Ariel Rose (7 Months)

This little princess was born October 8th,2009 to my brother Sean and his wife Yvette. She is the most precious little thing (okay,so I'm a bit prejudiced) and I love her to death. Look at how big she has gotten in just 7 short months! Auntie loves you, Ariel!

Long Time,No Blog...

This sounds like a forlorn journal entry title. Oh well,it has been a long time.
You can't really blame me though,I've been busy.
Between July and August I was in prep mode to enter into a 4-month life training/biblical worldview school in my community,the School of Statesmanship. From August 10th until graduation on December 6th, that is where I've been.
I'll give you a very rough breakdown of the modules:

August: Moved In,Orientation Week(Destined for the Throne Module),Work Week,Stehekin Trip/Courtship module(7 days--amazing!), Beginning of Mr Johnson's Biblical Economics module.

September: End of Mr. Johnson's module,Uncle Steve's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People module,Beginning of Auntie Anne's Dedication and Leadership module

(Somewhere in here we had our first awesome YWAM team come through!)

October: End of Auntie Anne's Ded-Led module,Pastor Barry's Providential History/Paradise Restored module,Auntie Anne's Principle Approach module,
Evaluation Week,Our 2nd YWAM team came through,Start Packing(tearful moments already?!),Thanksgiving Break,Prep for Banquet and Ball

December: More Prep for Banquet and Ball, Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th: MCF Youth Banquet and Ball 2009,Sunday the 6th: SOS Graduation/Community Ball,Monday the 7th: Pajama/Movie Day(declared by Aunt Cheryl),Tuesday the 8th: Move out and continue the journey,changed individuals all.

This doesn't look like much when you're looking at it cut-and-dry like that but it was FULL!
Along the way...
We worked (put up siding,raked leaves,put up arena fencing,housesat, washed dogs,loaded grain bags,moved stuff,etc)
We prayed (individually,corporately at 6:30am Tuesdays and Thursdays,and many times during the week--we had some pretty powerful mealtime prayers!--No really,in all seriousness,
we had lots of sweet/intense times in prayer filled with healing and breakthrough and anointing)
We played--Yes,it's true! (danced,took walks/hikes/drives,barn/beach volleyball--thats what I'm talking about,basketball,regular and ultimate frisbee,took some lively photos,
watched movies a la Melzer Home Theater,played all sorts of games,etc.)
And....
Mrs. Johnson taught us cooking (which we joyfully consumed) and hospitality skills on Thursday afternoons/evenings...
And Uncle Steve lead us through the beginning stages of Parelli while each of us got the special privilege of training/being trained by one of the Melzer's horses! Horse rides were a definite highlight throughout our time! Eventually,we were all able to ride as a "family"--doesn't get much better than that : )

So now my classmates (Shane,Mandi,Bree,Josiah,and Kaleb) and I are transitioning back into our homes and out into our lives as young adults and growing citizens of the Kingdom...
More blogs coming! Promise.

Happy Birthday,Aine!

Unfortunately,I haven't had lots of time to spend with my lovely new camera. Yep,I got the one I talked about!! Its beautiful...and has lots
of new buttons/
settings to learn.
I wanted to try some
sunlight photos yesterday
so I grabbed my little
sister, Aine for about 15 or 20
minutes as the sun was setting.
Though the "session" was pretty fast I was satisfied with the shots I got. Hurray for spontaneity!
It's Aine's 12th birthday today! My little girl is growing up so fast!*tear/sigh*
I hope she knows how truly beautiful she is.

Put Thou My Tears Into Thy Bottle (Psalm 56:8)

I have cried, thus far, a thousand tears
In mere minutes, I have emptied every ocean upon my face
You once promised me well with kisses
You once held me and swayed away my fears
Where are you now? I cannot feel you.

I cannot go on without another glimpse
Your face has faded from my reddened eyes
I can only mumble,with quivering lips
Will my faint prayer reach your ears?
Will you hear me from such a distance?

I whimper and sigh in silent resolution
You must care for me no longer
You must think of me no more
You have forgotten!

I look down upon the floor into which I have wept
Where there should have been a puddle there was nothing left

Have my tears also left me?
Am I truly all alone?
Even pain will not keep me company
Or misery call me his own

In this quiet, lonely place I hear a whisper,
Coming in soft and sweet:
"I have not left you. I have not strayed.
How could I stay away from one I love so dearly?
Cry no more tears,for I am tired...
All along,I have secured them in a bottle, to be sent on angel's wings
And be poured into Heaven's river with other tears of saints."

My arms find new strength and I toss them around His neck
Even in my struggle, because of Him, I am blessed
Every moment He is with me, every broken prayer is heard
His loving gaze tells me of my worth
For to Him I am priceless and my tears are like diamonds

Oh Lord,Glory rises from ashes and I am forever yours.

New Camera

So...the plan is in the works: getting a spiffy DSLR (the nice ones with all the lenses). Very exciting! And then I'll post all sorts of fun pictures ALL THE TIME.
I know you are just so happy,right?
It's a Canon Rebel XSi.
Here's a view for you:

Ten Years To The Day...

On March 25,1999...I was run over by our old blue 4x4 suburban,across the stomach.
My 4-year-old brother Brian was playing with the gears and accidentally put the car in neutral on a hillside. We started to roll backwards. I tried the gears but to no avail...I didn't know how to stop it. The only thing I could think of was,'go get mom'.I opened the door and jumped but the car door caught me first, hitting the backside of my head and knocking me under the wheel. My mom and other brother, Sean were just in time to see it happen--in fact,Mom told me that she saw a bright white glow over me,like an angel. I should have died on impact. Instead, God miraculously saved my life...the doctor's didn't even believe the story! I was taken to the local hospital and then flown to a bigger one for more extensive scans and x-rays in Spokane. I walked (though ever so stiffly)out of that hospital three days later with nothing more than a broken collar bone and a minor concussion where the door hit my head,plus a whole lot of stuffed animals and the movie Hercules! It is often hard for me to understand why God saved me,especially on those days when I just feel so useless and pitiful,but I must trust Him that He has a plan and a purpose for it--if nothing more than sharing that testimony of His love and grace on me and my family. So today and forever I give Him praise for my life, every breath and every dream. Always endeavoring to give Him glory in everything I do.

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you,plans to give you hope and a future."--Jeremiah 29:11