Nature Paint Brushes

Want a fun craft to do this summer?  This one is a winner.  You can even make it into a game.
I told the girls they had to make their own paint brush, but they could only use things that they found outside. It was so fun, and wasn't over in 30 seconds like most crafts I attempt.

Avery June

To Be Known

Recently I got the chance to go to Sweden.  I went as a photographer.  I was asked to go in order to document the musicians I went with, and to shoot a musical festival that was happening in Stockholm.
Since I got the opportunity to go on this trip I wanted to build my personal portfolio as well.  I wanted to really capture the people of Stockholm.  Where did they work? what did they do for fun? Did they like where they lived? Are they pursuing their dreams?
On our last day in Stockholm we went to an Italian restaurant called Vapianos.  It was some of the greatest food that I have ever had.  At this restaurant they had a coffee bar.  The man working there had just returned from Italy that morning.  He was studying espresso there (of course).  Ben (one of the musicians on the trip) and I were talking to the coffee bar tender and then I asked if I could photograph him.  He said of course and then struck a pose. I said "I am going to sell this fantastic photo of you and make lots of money."  He then replied "That is okay, I just want to be known."
Woah
Did you hear that?
I just want to be known.
Isn't that what we all want? Just to be known?
I realize that he had dreams of being famous and maybe that is what he was referring to, but I think it goes much deeper.  All of us want to be known. We all have that desire.  Some of us seek that from family, friends, lovers, or even from the media and the big stage.  We want to be known by someone... And we are. We are known. Not only are we known, but we are known by the creator of the universe. The God who spoke this world into creation knows us.
He knows me.
He created each one of us and formed us in the womb. He breathed life into us. And He deeply, deeply knows us.  He knows our fears, our pains, our desires, our loves, our grief, and our dreams. He knows our inmost being.
That is great news. We are known and we are loved.

Exploring the Waters

"May what I do flow from me like a river, no forcing, no holding back, the way it is with children." -Rainer Maria Rilke

James & Julianne | A Louisville Wedding |

How an Evil Bug Reminded Me of an Everlasting Promise.

This is the story of how something incredibly evil, brought great encouragement into my day.

This past tuesday I took the girls I nanny to the park to run off some energy. Besides us, the only others at the park were another girl, about the age of six, and her grandmother. We had exchanged glances throughout the time that we had been there, but had not spoken to each other.

I began to chase my girls around the playground threatening them with the wrath of the tickle monster. All of a sudden a bee began to swarm around me. Once I thought that I had walked away from it I rested my hand on my shoulder, only to realize that is where the bee also decided to rest. He injected me with his poison then left me there to suffer.

Now I do not know if you know this, but bee stings hurt... bad... REALLY BAD. I began to bite my tongue as I thought of several choice words that I wanted to say in that moment.

The sweet grandmother saw what my attacker had done to me and she ran up to help. She told me that she had some sweet tea in her car (“because good southerners always have sweet tea”) that had some ice cubes left in it. She ran to her car and then to my rescue.

As I sat on the bench beside her with the ice on my wound, she began to ask me questions. I told her about my church and why I had moved down to Nashville. Once she found out I was a believer she began to tell me about her faith as well. She told me that she grew up in the very southern part of florida and in her town there was only one church. She said that she loved going up to church but was taught a great deal of legalism there. It was characterized by rules and guilt. The sweet grandmother looked at me and said “I am a seventy year old woman and the Lord is just now removing those thoughts from my mind.”

To some people this may seem like a terrible thing... “Why did God let her go almost an entire lifetime living in bondage to man made rules?”

I think it is just the opposite. We should be rejoicing in her statement! This is such an encouragement to me as a believer that the Lord will continue to work on me until the day I leave this earth. No matter where I am at in my walk or just life in general, The Lord is not finished with me. He still has many things to teach me. He has many things to reveal to me. And I can almost guarantee that there is legalism in my life that he will have to remove. Throughout the entirety of our lives the Lord will be sanctifying us.

Application:

-Sometimes terrible things in our live are for our good. If that bee would have never stung me, I would have never gotten to have such a great conversation with such a great woman.

-Never think that the Lord is through sanctifying you and making you into the image of his Son. He will continue to change us until our death.

-On that same not, Never give up on another person. Just because they are in the last years of their life does not mean that the Lord cannot change them. There is not a soul that the Lord cannot save, no matter what their age is.

-Finally, as I was telling her about my fiance she asked me “When is your beau moving down here?”

WHAT? MY BEAU? Why do we not use that term anymore?!?!?! I put this in the application section because that word is now inserted into my vocabulary. You may also use it. You're welcome.  

Oh Sisters Let's Go Down To The River

Here is a little river music to get you in the zone for these pictures.

Now that you are mentally prepared we can continue on.

Im so glad I got to spend an hour with this little lady on Thursday.  We had a great time playing and splashing around in the water. Also, you cannot deny that she is completely adorable.