2 more from ottawa

More from Ottawa

A shot from Hawai'i, about a year ago.

When I took this, I was thinking about how the girls a few minutes prior had been running in and out of the water, screaming with delight.  They were so unaware of how powerful and dangerous the ocean can be.  I likened it to God.  This is what He means when He talks about coming to Him as little children, I think.  Sometimes, I'm thinking to hard about "what He could do to me," that I don't come to Him with trust.  I'm afraid of the hard, and the painful, so I avoid Him, even when it's killing me.  So, that's the significance of this photo, for me.  

I was tagged

A- Attached or Single? -Attached - Married
B- Best Friend(s): Andrew, my spouse.
C- Cake or Pie: cake, of the chocolate variety, with chocolate frosting...unless it's my mom's cheese pie.
D- Drink of Choice: Glass bottled Mexican cokes.
E- Essential Item: Burt's Bee's chapstick and Inhaler
F- Favorite Color: Right now, I'm so into teal. I've loved it for a long time, but it's back in clothes and such.
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: Gummi bears
H- Hometown: Duncanville, TX
I- Indulgence: yes, regularly.
J- January or February: February--dead of winter, sure to be cold for a change, and often, we get snow.
K- Kids: Would like some, but God's got His own schedule.
L- Life, for me, is incomplete without: Jesus.
M- Marriage Date: July 19, 1997
N- Number of Siblings: 1 and 1/2 brothers. (brother #2 is from Dad's marriage #2)
O- Oranges or Apples? These days, Oranges. I'm off apples having become tired of them.
P- Phobia/Fears: Snakes.
Q- Favorite Quote: "Am I bovvered?"
R- Reasons to smile: Crisp fall days, God's goodness, nieces and nephews, not in that order.
S- Season: Fall, always fall, but the kind of fall they have up north with air cold enough for jackets and sweaters, hats and scarves, and colorful leaves.
T- Tag Ten: umm, I don't think I have ten, and the few I have may have already done this, but here we go: Caroline, Leah, Josh McFall, Maggie, Emily, Ginger (who tagged me), John Piper (hahaha)....that's about all I've got.
U- Unknown fact about me: I broke into a house once.
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals: Oppress those animals, baby! Give me my steak!
W- Worst Habit: Swearing...I've been doing it since I was 2. Watch what you say around your kids, parents.
X- X-rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasound. Quite therapeutic for injuries, and not just for looking at small babies.
Y- Your Favorite Foods: My mother's cooking of just about anything.
Z- Zodiac: Taurus. But I don't need a zodiac symbol to tell me I'm stubborn. :D

Quick read on suffering

From John Piper's blog:  

Recently I wrote that we seldom know the micro reasons for our sufferings, but the Bible does give us faith-sustaining macro reasons. It is good to have a way to remember some of these so that when we are suddenly afflicted, or have a chance to help others in their affliction, we can recall some of the truths God has given us to help us not lose hope.

Here is one way to remember. Five R’s (or if it helps, just pick three and try to remember them). The macro purposes of God in our sufferings include:

Repentance

Suffering is a call for us and others to turn from treasuring anything on earth above God.

Luke 13:4-5 - Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

Reliance

Suffering is a call to trust God not the life-sustaining props of the world.

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 - For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

Righteousness

Suffering is the discipline of our loving heavenly Father so that we come to share his holiness.

Hebrews 12:6, 10-11 - The Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.... He disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Reward

Suffering is working for us a great reward in heaven that will make up for every loss here a thousand-fold.

2 Corinthians 4:17 - This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

Matthew 5:11-12 - Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.

Reminder

Suffering reminds us that God sent his Son into the world to suffer so that our suffering would not be God’s condemnation but his purification.

Philippians 3:10 - ...that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings.

Mark 10:45 - The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

okay, okay, more pics. francis fam, my faves.

Blagogagogagogagogag

*drools*  *covets*  Canon just announced this bad boy today.  21 MP, full frame DSLR, super high ISOs...*covets some more*  

need to post more pics.  i got to do some portraits for the Francis family yesterday.  we had a good time, until the ants started biting the little ones.  they weren't having so much fun then.   there was screaming and crying, and weeping and gnashing of teeth.  

school today, andrew's going out of town to see if the hurricane damaged his parent's cabin in the woods in the middle of nowhere, near Buffalo, TX.  it'll be great for him to go because he loves it down there, and he'll get some quality time with his dad; they both need time with each other.  i want to go because the weather is amazing, but it'll be easier on everyone if i sit this one out.  so, i'll be here, catching up on housework, et al.

this week

I've got class today, work on Tuesday and Wednesday, brother's wedding on Friday/Saturday.  It's gonna be a busy one.  

My first run a the basil-growing failed miserably...as in the plant wilted in 12 hours.  Have bought two new basil sproutlings and they're doing okay so far.  It's been about 4 days.  We'll see if the trend continues.  Gotta run to class now.  

Watson sisters (my faves, from a while ago)