Photographs, Adventures and the Goodness of God
I find it so interesting how I absolutely miss my blog. The weeks go by and I think I need to get on and blog, but the business of life comes and I think, well, next Saturday I will post. That is how it becomes over 2 months since I've blogged. Thank goodness, however, for photography. Though I haven't blogged, I'm not far from my camera and as you'll see in this blog I've been letting that be my creative outlet.
We had a wonderful Christmas. We had a new tradition in our Christmas in that we turned the studio into a winter room. Blue lights and a blue, purple and silver theme, which are some of my favorites, it just made me smile every time I stepped into the room. We still had our regular tree, that was in the warm room (the living room!). Through all the season though, we do know that the number one reason, for us, to celebrate Christmas is the birth of Christ.
So the house that my Dad hand built, well, I was able to rig some Christmas lights to put on it. I also bought a star filter for my camera which makes the lights prism to eight points. Just more creativeness!
So anyone who knows me by now, knows I love to take creative shots of the moon. I love the glow on branches and it is one of the effects I strive for when I am out at night taking the photos.
Of course, I don't only go for glowing branches. This shot, one of my favorites, is an effort to bring the branches closest to me in sharp focus. The limb hanging down, almost like a hand was a in the right place in the right time moment!
Of course, I have to include a picture of my favorite model! We were playing around with different poses and this was a favorite of mine!
Yep, I've taken a few selfie's. I would title this, "I wonder what Santa got me!"
Taken Christmas morning, with the star filter and Ginger's absolute FAVORITE candle for Christmas, the Santa candle!
Yep, 10 days ago we had a full moon and we went to Ginger's parents house to watch the American Idol premiere. Well, they did, I ate then I was out with my equipment taking pictures of the moon! This is one of my favorites. I was also trying out my new Hahnael Giga Pro II Remote Release. Absolutely awesome remote!
Another taken that night, I spent about an hour braving the cold to take the shots. Truly I forget about the cold when I'm shooting, I could have spent another hour out there trying to take shots. I had to stand in the middle of the road, so I had to watch for traffic. The things we do for the shot!
This was taken in the morning as I walked to my car to go to work. Saw the full moon still and I couldn't resist, as if the moon calls me to take a shot!
I could probably post about 50 more pictures, but I wanted to narrow it down to a select few that were my favorite!
So I thought I'd share some of the adventures we've had in the past couple of months. In December I got a call from Ginger that our heater wasn't working. We'd had problems with our thermostat so I walked her through how to get it to go. When I got home, still wasn't working, so called our wonderful landlords who, within the hour, had someone come out and check it out. Changed the thermostat and checked it out and was working then but our water heater pilot light kept going out. The next morning Ginger tells me the water isn't hot so once again our wonderful landlords have a plumber come out and check the water heater. Well it was fine as well, but then the plumber tells my landlord what the real problem is, the gas meter is going out. Well, call the gas company to set up a time for them to come out, they consider it an emergency and within an hour they are out and in about 15 minutes we have a new meter and the gas is working perfectly. I can't thank my landlords enough for how they helped us! Of course that same day, the day before we went to Jefferson for a mini vacation, I slipped on some steps, did a face plant on said steps, and got myself a nice little bump and black eye! Nothing broken, just a funny story to tell and everyone kept asking Ginger why she hit me!
Another little adventure we had was with my car. I noticed that it was hard to start in the morning and sometimes through the day. My battery was about 4 years old and the last time I'd had it checked I was told I'd need to change it soon. Well, went and got a new battery and still was having problems. But I'd move the wires around and it'd start right up. In fact Brandon, a friend of mine, was out with me on a Monday night and we worked on the wires to get a good connection. Two days later I got home, tried to start the car, nothing. So in 26 degree weather, tried to take the starter off. Wasn't budging. Figured I could keep at it with the possiblity of snapping the bolts or take it to Firestone and let them do it. Chose the later. God guided me all through the ordeal, and I am amazed at how smoothly it went, including my boss letting me take the day off to get it all taken care of. Now it starts like a dream.
We finally got our first flat screen TV! A perfect 32" Smart TV, we've been enjoying some Netflix. Our old 32", a gift from some good friends of ours, was a very heavy monster to get out of the apartment! Ginger is very, very happy with our new TV and I'm pretty stoked too!
An on going adventure right now, is of course, work. Rumors have been going around that the apartment complex is up for sale or at the very least, a money backer is being brought into the portfolio. Lots of possibilities with that, the old company keeps you, the new company keeps you, or neither. But God is in control. After all God got me this job and knows what the future holds with this one. But I've got alot of prayer being prayed for me and this situation and I feel a peace that God has it. After all, the job before this one God carried Ginger and I through! So keep us in your prayers. Ginger is so sweet and so amazingly a support. She tells me God has it, it's done, there is nothing to worry about! I can't tell you how much peace that gives me that I can come home to peace and comfort! After all, when you serve God who knows the future, what better comfort can you have!
And I've been doing a devotion each day, reading Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for the Highest". I've been growing, been challenged, sometimes convicted, sometimes encouraged, but I realize that this life is so short and that serving and worshiping God should permeate in every area of your life. I'm by no means perfect but I realize that as I decrease, He increases. Even in photography I realize it is a gift from God, after all, He give me the sight to see, the wisdom in how to take the shot, and I'm awed to see the creations in nature that God has created!
So there is but a snapshot of how our life has been the past couple of months. Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement, and support. We are so blessed with those that are in our lives!
Baa
I could probably post about 50 more pictures, but I wanted to narrow it down to a select few that were my favorite!
So I thought I'd share some of the adventures we've had in the past couple of months. In December I got a call from Ginger that our heater wasn't working. We'd had problems with our thermostat so I walked her through how to get it to go. When I got home, still wasn't working, so called our wonderful landlords who, within the hour, had someone come out and check it out. Changed the thermostat and checked it out and was working then but our water heater pilot light kept going out. The next morning Ginger tells me the water isn't hot so once again our wonderful landlords have a plumber come out and check the water heater. Well it was fine as well, but then the plumber tells my landlord what the real problem is, the gas meter is going out. Well, call the gas company to set up a time for them to come out, they consider it an emergency and within an hour they are out and in about 15 minutes we have a new meter and the gas is working perfectly. I can't thank my landlords enough for how they helped us! Of course that same day, the day before we went to Jefferson for a mini vacation, I slipped on some steps, did a face plant on said steps, and got myself a nice little bump and black eye! Nothing broken, just a funny story to tell and everyone kept asking Ginger why she hit me!
Another little adventure we had was with my car. I noticed that it was hard to start in the morning and sometimes through the day. My battery was about 4 years old and the last time I'd had it checked I was told I'd need to change it soon. Well, went and got a new battery and still was having problems. But I'd move the wires around and it'd start right up. In fact Brandon, a friend of mine, was out with me on a Monday night and we worked on the wires to get a good connection. Two days later I got home, tried to start the car, nothing. So in 26 degree weather, tried to take the starter off. Wasn't budging. Figured I could keep at it with the possiblity of snapping the bolts or take it to Firestone and let them do it. Chose the later. God guided me all through the ordeal, and I am amazed at how smoothly it went, including my boss letting me take the day off to get it all taken care of. Now it starts like a dream.
We finally got our first flat screen TV! A perfect 32" Smart TV, we've been enjoying some Netflix. Our old 32", a gift from some good friends of ours, was a very heavy monster to get out of the apartment! Ginger is very, very happy with our new TV and I'm pretty stoked too!
An on going adventure right now, is of course, work. Rumors have been going around that the apartment complex is up for sale or at the very least, a money backer is being brought into the portfolio. Lots of possibilities with that, the old company keeps you, the new company keeps you, or neither. But God is in control. After all God got me this job and knows what the future holds with this one. But I've got alot of prayer being prayed for me and this situation and I feel a peace that God has it. After all, the job before this one God carried Ginger and I through! So keep us in your prayers. Ginger is so sweet and so amazingly a support. She tells me God has it, it's done, there is nothing to worry about! I can't tell you how much peace that gives me that I can come home to peace and comfort! After all, when you serve God who knows the future, what better comfort can you have!
And I've been doing a devotion each day, reading Oswald Chambers "My Utmost for the Highest". I've been growing, been challenged, sometimes convicted, sometimes encouraged, but I realize that this life is so short and that serving and worshiping God should permeate in every area of your life. I'm by no means perfect but I realize that as I decrease, He increases. Even in photography I realize it is a gift from God, after all, He give me the sight to see, the wisdom in how to take the shot, and I'm awed to see the creations in nature that God has created!
So there is but a snapshot of how our life has been the past couple of months. Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement, and support. We are so blessed with those that are in our lives!
Baa
Baa,
ReplyDeleteDad
Keeping you two in my prayers...
ReplyDelete