Week 46 Attacking Speaker

 So funny story.  I was pulling something off a top shelf and someone had put a small speaker on top of it, unseen by all.  So as I pulled it off, and we can all see where this is going, I got whacked in the head with the speaker which left an interesting mark:

So you can call it an 11 or you can say the Roman Numeral 2 (which brings to mind the I am Second slogan).  That said it made a nice closeup portrait to show off my battle wound and blue gray eyes!  As you can see my hair is long and wild.  And the more people that tell me to cut it (or make fun of it for being long) makes me just want to grow it out more. Worry about your own hair.   There is a reason Ginger calls me her Lil Rebel.  I will say, as I look at this, it is one of the more favorite self portraits I have taken.  And my hair, well, pretty happy with it.

I did decide this afternoon to pull out some candles, faerie lights, a pumpkin and Ginger's bowl with candles and Indian corn.  So this is how my process goes.  I am laying on the couch.  I see the pumpkin.  I remember a funny picture I did for my nieces and nephew involving said pumpkin and remembered that I wanted to take a picture of the pumpkin with the faerie lights.  So I got those out first.  Put them in front of the bowl and thought hey, candles would look good.  Now where am I going to get pumpkin candles, hmmmmm (this is a joke, for those that don't know Ginger loooooves candles and I have built shelves especially for her collection.  And the one that dominates them all is pumpkin spice.  So now you know!).  So with several shots from different angles, including a flashlight with an orange light cover, I got them on the computer, pulled my editor over (I have the cutest editor!) and we agreed almost immediately on the best one.  Just a little afternoon fun!

So church was awesome this morning.  From the worship I got this:

"I am who You say I am"

And from the sermon I got this:  Live your life in such a way that only a gospel explanation can explain it.   It reminded me of something that our very good friend Michael McDonald wrote in response to a comment I wrote him:

And I'm as baffled today by your story, as I was then!! You're living proof that a person can do a complete 360° and move forward as if it never happened!! I still can't believe it, because you've not let it define your life in the slightest. God had his hand on you undoubtedly. I didn't know you then, but I can say the caliber of man you are today is an inspiration to us all. Thriving recovery at it's finest!! I hold Ginger and you in such high regard. You're both such fine people. I'm so grateful to have had our journeys intertwine. I'm so glad you're both here. The world needs more of you!!

Michael, by the way, is one of my biggest encouragers.  In fact, in league with my Mom and Ginger.  He has always believed in my artistic ability.  Let me say from the outset, I am not perfect.  I make plenty of mistakes.  But God works through me and He gives me so much mercy and grace.  Indeed my life has changed so much.  A walking miracle.  And those who knew me then know the change.  Those that didn't are amazed with the change.  And I can say with complete, 100% conviction, that God did it all.  

I remember those early recovery days.  I remember not knowing who I was.  I remember having to redefine who I was.  I had to go back to that little small left handed boy and remember sitting at the dinner table and my Dad reading Bible stories.  I had to remember my love for art and math.  I had to remember the teachings I was taught about God and ask myself, what do I believe.  It was a time of self discovery.  At times I had to remember painful times.  Other times I had to remember joyous times.  

I am still on that journey.  But I have a very firm belief in God.  I am a child of God and I am so very much loved by Him.  I am an artist and photographer.  I am a husband who loves his wife with such love and conviction.  She is my better half, my other half.  We are soul mates and, I said it the other day, I am living the best days of my life with her.  

Work is work, but God is guiding me in that arena.  He has always guided me at work and I walk in the way He wants me to go in that.  Nothing surprises Him. 

And God has given me some visions, dreams and ideas.  I have no idea how it will all play out but I have to believe that God has put a spark in me with them.  I would love to have a place where artists can gather together.  A collective if you will where we can work independently and together.  And when I say artists, photographers, artists, graphic designers, wood workers, doesn't matter.  It is a huge idea and it gives me something to day dream about as I work.  I do know this, if God wants it to happen, it will.  Right now I have just been given the idea and desire.  Actually I have had this idea for a looong time.  I have been helping artists I know for a while, my phone is always open and I have even helped a few with items to help their journey.  We will see.  

But for now, my mind is already in Iowa.  I cannot WAIT to see my parents and a certain couple of cousins.....  It is a little less than a month away but I will be driving up in the blink of an eye.  Trying something different.  We are gonna take a couple of days up and back.  Instead of trying to get there at break neck speed gonna try to enjoy the process.  

So I leave you with a cute picture.  Won't win awards, but wins my heart.  Sophie has to get on my chest when I get back from being gone for a while.  

As we speak she is on the desk sleeping, snoring in fact, as I write this and Ginger is watching Hallmark.

 Life is good for us.  Even though there are storms, God is in the midst of it all and we are in a circle of calm.  Thank you for your love and support!

Baa