The Lord Turn His Face Toward You

Day 21. A picture of something you wish you could forget. This picture is from Thanksgiving 2007, just months before my dad was severely impaired due to medical issues and problems caused by a myriad of medicines blithely prescribed by doctors. In the 19-20 months that followed the initial, severe episode at the beginning of 2008 our family underwent many difficult days and tests of our faith, patience and love for one another. Thanks be to God for His faithfulness and provision for each of us through His people all over the world, but especially those in our church, and in the many miracles that He allowed us to witness, whether they were in the way He provided for our needs or in working medical miracles that none of us thought were possible in the timespan in which He answered our prayers. So happy that my dad is even better than 100% now! I love you, Daddy <3

"The Lord bless you and keep you

The Lord make His face shine upon you

And give you peace, and give you peace

And give you peace forever"

("Barocha", Michael Card)

Frightened of This Thing That I've Become

Day 20. A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel. This may sound silly but right before I traveled to Italy with my brothers and grandparents, I watched a Disney film called "A Far Off Place" about a girl who lives in Africa, a snobby city-boy visitor and a native African friend who are abandoned when their families are killed by poachers. I was completely taken in by the scenery and the idea of traveling in Africa to feel that sense of freedom and life that is so evident in the rhythm of their music and nature. Combine that experience with the fact that I love Toto's "Africa", which served as my personal theme song during the Italy trip, and I devised this plan in which it became one of my goals and hopes in life to go to South Africa and climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Only time and God's will can tell if I shall ever recognize this dream, but it's a pretty cool idea if you ask me. I'm still looking for the person who is willing to embark on such adventure with me.

"I hear the drums echoing tonight

But he hears only whispers of some quiet conversation

He's coming in 12:30 flight

The moonlight wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation

I stopped an old man along the way

Hoping to find some old, forgotten words or ancient melodies

He turned to me as if to say, 'Hurry girl, it's waiting there for you'

It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

I bless the rains down in Africa

Gonna take some time to do the things we never have"

("Africa", Toto)

Winter Winds

Day 19. A picture and a letter.

I knew that I would use this picture for today as soon as I saw the description. This is probably one of my favorite pictures ever and I took it with a crummy little digital camera!

Story: I was taking pictures of things that looked like letters so I could spell out the names of my family members and frame the pictures to give as Christmas presents this past year. (I had no clue that apparently this was a seasonal hot item as Oprah had featured a similar idea on her show.) I got the idea from the Alphabet Photography website but it was far too expensive to order the professional photos and frames so I opted to take my own pictures and scour department stores for frames with enough space to hold between 5 and 9 5x6 photos!

I was walking along on my lunch hour and taking pictures of just about everything. I stood up from where I was squatting on the ground to get a great picture of the letter 'H' in a garbage can (hehe) and BAM! I saw the most brilliant letter 'B' formed by these tree branches when I stood in just the right angle to get this clear perspective. I edited it only a little with Picasa to make the picture B&W and put the center in focus and blur the edges (there's a tennis court and fences in the background anyhow and I wanted the tree and 'B' to stand out as much as possible). So pleased with this and I'm pretty sure my sister (who has a 'B' in her name and therefore received this picture in her frame) loved it, too. <3 One of my best and most fun present ideas ever! Now I have to top it for this coming Christmas....

"And if your strife strikes at your sleep

Remember spring swaps snow for leaves

You'll be happy and wholesome again

When the city clears and sun ascends"

("Winter Winds", Mumford & Sons)

Bridal March

Day 18. A picture of something you want to do before you die.

I really want to marry my special guy, wherever/whoever it is and have a beautiful, Christ-centered family together where we can minister for the Lord together and be head-over-heels in love with one another.

That's not too much to ask, right?

Ever, Ever After

Day 17. A picture of something that has made a huge impact in your life recently.

My brother and sister-in-law. Their relationship over the last few years has been a true example of a couple waiting on God's timing, loving one another whole-heartedly and keeping God the center of their relationship and decisions. Their marriage is such as beautiful picture of how a husband should love, adore, protect and provide for his wife and how a wife should love, adore, take care of and show respect in every way for her husband. They are too cute together and God has really used them to bless the family and friends around them. I miss them tons but am so proud of them both and thankful for the love God has given them!

Storybook endings, fairy tales coming true

Deep down inside we want to believe they still do

And a secret is taught, it's our favorite part of the story

Let's just admit we all want to make it, too

Ever ever after

If we just don't get it our own way

Ever ever after

It may only be a wish away"

("Ever Ever After", Carrie Underwood)

Running in Circles, Chasing Our Tails

Day 16. A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

This question made me kind of sad. People come and go. I've lost a lot of 'friends' that I was once very close to and for a variety of reasons, God didn't allow those friendships to continue. It sounds cliche to say "Friends may come and go but Jesus is always there" because most of the time, the person telling you that is a little too bubbly and perky and ignoring the fact that even though this is true, it is still pretty painful when we lose people close to us.

Take it from someone who feels very keenly the loss of people and relationships that were important to me and played a big role in how God developed me into who I am today - it hurts but God does have a plan for those relationships. He may have placed someone in your path and meant for your souls to be touched by one another at just the right time and only for that short period of time. You don't know the impact He has allowed you to have on the people who pass in and out of your life. Don't take for granted the people you can laugh with and cry to today because maybe they won't be there in the morning. Enjoy the time you have now, thank God for them constantly, and show them how much they mean to you.

"Nobody said it was easy

It's such a shame for us to part

Nobody said it was easy

No one ever said it would be this hard

Oh, take me back to the start"

("The Scientist", Coldplay)

Could You Fall for Me?

Day 15. A picture of your biggest insecurity.

My stomach. Ha, that wasn't hard! I gain weight easily in my middle - I've never had a good stomach in terms of being toned and hourglass shaped in my middle. I don't walk around in baggy clothes or holding strategically-placed objects over my torso, but I do feel a little annoyed sometimes when I'm around other girls who enjoy flaunting their tiny waists and tight tummies. I confess, that at times it makes me hope God gives them tripulets to mess with that great physique.

"She looks in the mirror But the makeup it don't hide the pain Yeah, she swore that the last time Was the last time she'd fall again, fall again" ("Nothing to Lose", Bret Michaels)