Love Can be Tough

We went to church yesterday like we always do on Sunday.  Ron Schrock of the California Association of Regular Baptist Churches came and spoke to us about Love. He didn’t speak about Romantic Love. He spoke about Biblical love and how it can be a pain.  He explored 1 Corinthians 13. He broke it down verse by verse. I believe that all Christians at one point or another have read that chapter of the bible, and most of them have read it several times.  When you read it, did you realize how hard it is to accomplish biblical love?  A person who speaks without love is compared to a clanging symbol.  We are told that we can have All Faith, but if we have no love, we are nothing. Nothing. God considers us nothing if we have no love. Have you read what biblical love is supposed to look like?

Patient, kind, never jealous or boastful nor arrogant. Love does not act unbecomingly, it does not seek it’s own (or the person doing the loving does not burden others with their troubles), it is not provoked, it does not hold grudges, it bears all things, believes all things, and endures all things. Biblical love is forever. If we have Faith and Hope, but have not love, we are nothing to God.  1 Corinthians 13:4-7

I have lost track of how many times I have been provoked by someone or held a grudge. God expects us to love others as He has loved us.  I prayed to for patience a few times in the last few months.  I have learned that when we pray for something God is faithful to answer our prayers. Boy has He answered this one! My life is not perfect. My marriage isn’t always a fairytale, and this week it has been tough. It has been tough because I forgot what biblical love is supposed to look like. I have been impatient with my husband, I have said some pretty unkind things to him. I have acted unbecomingly, and I have been provoked by him.  The sermon given by Ron Schrock came at just the right time because it spoke straight to my heart. I must admit that when I prayed for patience, it was not for patience with my husband but with my children.  I didn’t know that when I prayed for patience that God would also show me that I was not living up to His standards of biblical love either. If I strive to love biblically then patience with my children and husband should follow. 

My family is the most important aspect of my life and I want to love them with biblical love. I want to love them the way that God intended. So today I am praying that the Holy Spirit will help me to love biblically and that patience will be a result of that love.

 

Will you pray for me and my family?

I Heart Faces: Before and After

Over at I Heart Faces this week, Amy and Angie are taking a well deserved break.  When they take such breaks they do not run a challenge for the week, instead they ask for the photographer’s story in photos. Each time they do this there is a theme. This time the theme is Before and After. They want the photographer to choose a photo from way back when they started getting really serious about photography (this is the before).  And they want a photo that was shot and edited in August (this is the after). Won’t it be fun to see how far all of us have come?  I know I have come a long long way since the very first time I entered a challenge on I Heart Faces.

So here is my before:

Here we are at the park exactly 6 months ago.  look how pasty the baby is. look how dull the color is. Ugh.

and here is the after:

Look at the difference! No more paste, and much more color.

What do you think? Has my photography improved?

Head over to I Heart Faces this week and see how much everyone is improving and maybe show us how much you have improved as well!

Gratitude

 Gratitude: A positive emotion or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has or will receive.

When I think of all the things that this country has to offer I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I overwhelmed because there are men and women that risk their lives every single day so that I can freely bask in the joy of our God, my husband, and children .  When I Look at this flag, it’s not just a flag that I see. It’s decades of selfless service.

Until today I have not had the words nor the strength to write this. I have been mourning the loss of a classmate, childhood friend, but more importantly a United States Soldier. It is because of the  selfless service of he and his colleagues that we benefit from the freedoms of this country.

We lost a soldier last week but more than that we lost a friend.  He dedicated his life to serving this country.I’m uncertain if he knowingly dedicated his life to enriching the lives of his friends and family; but he did. His smile was contagious. His laughter was comforting. His attitude was enlightening.  His service to this country is unforgettable. Jacob Gregory Swanson was loved and will be missed by many. Jake, Thank You  and God Speed.

Give Me Your Best Shot: Preschool

This is his last year of preschool. He will be going to kindergarten next fall. I just want to know how he went from that courageous three year old last fall, to this handsome almost five year old. Here’s a photo on his first day of preschool last fall.

Mr. A has been going to his preschool for the entire summer.  This Monday marked the start of the school year. I went to take some photos and happened to catch a fairly good one of the little man.  He was working very hard at drawing me a picture before I left to meet up with hubby and Mr. C at home.  He looked over to see if I was still there and Voila, picture perfect.

Look how much he has grown! It’s breaking my heart. I sorted through his clothes today. He’s no longer in toddler sizes. He has graduated to big boy sizes. *tear*

Do you have a favorite shot this week?  Just click on the icon on the top to share.

A Visitor

Mr. A has been playing soccer for two weeks. He has another practice tonight. Last week he did some stretching.

and some running,  lots of kicking,

and a kitty came to visit!

We don’t know where it came from, but it sure was beautiful.  I couldn’t help bug snap a few photos of it.

I think the kitty was gopher hunting but we didn’t tell the kids that!

Mr. A also did some listening, but also did some temper tantrum throwing.  We are considering taking him out of soccer because he is getting very frustrated during the mock games. He really enjoys one one one instruction from the coaches but doesn’t do well in the group setting.  Do you any of have any suggestions of a plan of action for us?  On one hand I don’t want him playing a sport that is frustrating and no fun for him. On the other hand, I don’t want to pull him out if it is too soon to tell.  Sometimes parenting is tough huh?

 

Featured

We have been featured on Lynette Kraft’s Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground today for Getting to Know you! It is such an honor as she had tons of nice things to say about my photography. I am just a beginner, so criticism and nice comments are always welcome!!

Since she had such nice things to say here’s my latest favorite photo!

Thanks Lynette!

I Heart Faces: Nostalgia

Over at I Heart Faces this week, the theme is Nostalgia.  The challenge is to take or present a photo that is nostalgic to the photographer in some way.  I chose the photo of Mr. A playing in the waves because I have lived by the ocean my entire life. I have been looking forward to the day that my son or daughter would be able to play on the same beaches and in the same oceans as I have.  This photo not only captures my heart but it also captures my dreams.  Mr. A had such a blast experiencing the ocean without us holding his hand. He wasn’t afraid and in fact he had an amazingly fun time. I hope that we will make more memories just like this one with Mr. C as well, but for now, my dreams are coming through with my eldest son and that’s just heart warming all by itself.

Now head on over to I Heart Faces and see all the other nostalgic photos, they are sure to be beautiful!

Give Me Your Best Shot: Waves

We took a little day trip to the beach, Mr. A had a ton of fun playing in the waves.  My favorite shot of the week is one of him sitting in the water.  The water is very cold here on the Mendocino Coast.  It is amazing that he even wanted to play in it at all, let alone sit in it.

And look at the foam. Love this shot!!

click on the button at the top of this post to enter your best shot of the week!

The gathered waters He called “seas”

“And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear." And it was so.  God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas." And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:9-10

Isn’t it amazing how much God created in just seven days. Our family went to the beach yesterday and as I sat watching Mr. A play in the waves of the majestic Pacific Ocean I thought “Wow, God is awesome.”  He created all things to glorify himself, but he lent them all to us to enjoy. Praise Him for what He has created.

“Oh Lord my Lord how majestic is your name in all the earth, Oh Lord, We Praise your name, Oh Lord, We magnify Your name, Prince of Peace, Mighty God, Oh Lord God almighty.”

I was reminded of this song while sitting on the beach. Just look at those beautiful waves.  Imagine our world without that beauty, what a miserable place it would be. Praise God that he has given us beauty!

What amazing creatures He created! I know that most of us coastal dwellers are mostly annoyed by Sea Gulls, but God created them.  He created them for a specific purpose to dwell by the Sea.  They really are beautiful and we should praise God for them.

 

Thank you God for all that you have created. Thank you for loaning it all to us for our stay here on earth.  I pray that we will take good care of all that you have created and that you are glorified in all that we do and say. For you created all things for your glory.

I Heart Faces: Bubbles

This weeks’ theme over at I Heart Faces is bubbles. I could not resist that opportunity to share the following photo of you. Mr. C thought it was extremely funny when I put bubble bath on his head while taking a bath a few weeks ago. There are many more bath time photos from this same day, but this one caught my eye and I thought it was perfect for this week’s theme.

I don’t think it gets any cuter than that. Head on over to I Heart Faces to see all the other wonderfully bubbly photos this week.

Rub-a-Dub-Dub: Baby in the Tub

Mr. C has always loved taking a bath.  “Bath” was one of his first words. He crawls walks into the bathroom and says “ba” that’s how we know he is ready.  We can not say the word bath unless we are putting him straight in.

I thought we should chronicle the happiness of our little man in the bath, so I took a series of photos. I love how some of them came out. I thought I would share them with you.

 

Just look at the joy in this child’s face! I don’t think it can get any better than this.

Okay maybe it can. He thought having bubbles on his head was pretty funny.  The next photo is my favorite and I will be submitting it to I Heart Faces for this weeks challenge.

No series would be complete without the naked baby standing up in the tub.

Oh little man, you are just so sweet! I hope you are inspired to go soak have some fun in the tub!

Wiggles, Giggles,Soccer and Dirt

It has been a very busy week.  The boys have been doing all sorts of fun things. Mr. C has learned to climb the baby structure at our local play ground, Wiggly Giggly Park.

Mr. A went to his first soccer practice.  He wasn’t too excited about the contact of the sport, but liked the ball. I think he is going to be more of an artistic spirit than athletic.  I guess we will see how the season goes.

Mr. C also learned that he can sit back in the baby swing.

But it is much more fun to swing with daddy!

  and Mr. C played outside in the dirt.

Mommy found some good deals at our local super market which I will post later.  It has been a good week.  We are truly blessed.

Flash Back Friday: Water Water Everywhere take two

 

The theme for Flashback Friday is Water Water Everywhere this month. Last week I posted photos from out trip to Six Flags, but this week I think I will share some of our beach photos from the summer. Hop over to Bloggin’ it from the Burbs and join in the fun!

Our family enjoys playing at the beach, we are blessed to live in a beautiful place where the ocean is just a walk away.