A sweet little picture

Oh the joys and memories of childhood that flooded my mind today! The last day of school! Such a joyous photo assignment. Joy pouring forth from the faces and mouths of children and teachers alike!

I could smell that distinct school bus smell and remember all too well the flitters in my stomach as my young mind would think forward to all the wondrous events that a summer could hold! Sleeping in, running barefoot outside, eating lunch in the yard with neighborhood friends, catching lightening bugs, playing flashlight tag, camping out in the backyard with my brothers and later on with girlfriends, popsicles galore, lazer tag in the field, sleepovers with hours of girltalk, riding our bikes to town (unbeknownst to the adults) and chasing frogs on the banks Canoe Creek.

Life was good.

Life is still good!

As even though seeing all those little hands waving to their teachers brought back all these memories, in one form or another, I still do many of those things!

Life is good.

May 27, 2004

This date holds so much for me.

I was in the car with my mom driving to Bowling Green when I got the call.

One of my dearest friends had just passed away due to ovarian cancer.

I knew it was coming. In fact, she had held on so long that we were all at the point of praying that the Lord would go ahead and take her home. As hard as that was to pray - it was harder to watch her suffer. And linger. And fight.

Brooke Hall was a fighter. That's for sure. If that's one thing she taught me, it was how to fight the good fight. She fought the cancer two years. Two years longer than what was expected for the rare form she had. It was aggressive, but it couldn't beat her. In the midst of surgeries, chemo, radiation, trips to doctors, medications, throwing up the entire way from Louisville to Bowling Green - she never gave up. In fact - I don't believe any part of her ever thought of giving up. She still lived on campus at WKU. Remained an RA in the dorms. Took chemo treatments while taking care of other students.

Her heart was so big for others she often counseled others in the shadow of her own pain. But one would never know.

Five years.

Five years without Brookie.

It doesn't seem like it's been that long. Yet it seems so long ago since she's sat across from me. Twirling her curly hair. Pushing her crooked glasses up her nose with her cheek. Walking up behind me and poking my side - which would then cause a reaction termed "do the Amber." Her laugh, her no-nonsense attitude, her love, her joy, her passion for Christ and that others would know Him -- Man she is so missed!

And here I am, a photographer that doesn't have any pictures available to post of her just yet. I'll get to that though. Soon.

Brooke taught me so many lessons. So many.

Even as she laid in pre-op before her second surgery she spoke truth of her Heavenly Father and what He was teaching her. That even though her future was uncertain, we don't choose our paths, God has chosen our path for us. Whatever path that is. And wherever He leads us, we are firmly held by Him. She had such peace in that truth. As she told us this, she spoke of this song that touched her so much in that specific time in her life. It's by Ginny Owens.

If You Want Me To

The pathway is broken
And The signs are unclear
And I don't know the reason why You brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I'm gonna walk through the valley
If You want me to

Chorus:
Cause I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet
so if all of these trials bring me closer to you
Then I will walk through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my home
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'd never go alone

ya oh oh no

So When the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I go through the valley If You want me to

What a great lesson to learn. We never walk through the valley alone.

We will be celebrating her life this weekend and I cannot wait! How sweet it will be to come together, share stories, laugh, cry, eat Brookie's favorite foods and remember one who the Lord used to impact our lives in amazing ways - which for most of us dramatically changed our lives and brought us all closer to our Father.

Oh Brookie! You are missed so much at times that it hurts, but we all know that your thoughts, your focus and your heart is in a place with the Lord that we can only half-way imagine about right now. I miss you, but I wouldn't bring you back. Instead, I look forward to the day I get to join you in constant praise of our Father who brought us together in the first place!

I pray I can live my life even half-way the way you did - and bring glory to God while I'm here.

Fun Summer Photos

Yesterday was such a blessing. Aside from spending time with a longtime friend and doing family portraits for her, I was also privileged to meet three other families and do their portrait sessions also.

I just love that the Lord has blessed me with an ability that allows me to meet new families, get to know them, laugh with them, play with their children while taking photos...all while doing something that I love.

Although photography isn't everything in life, I truly enjoy it. The best part is knowing that I'm providing wonderful memories for moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas for years to come on how their little ones crinkled their nose, or can manage to find dirt anywhere or just how incredibly precious their smile is. All such wonderful things that photographs help us to remember. And the Lord allows me to do this.

I once heard a photographer say, "When I shoot a portrait of someone, I am photographing the very face of God." As we are all created "In His image," I see such wonderful attributes of a Heavenly Father. Love in a mother's eyes as she looks down at her baby. Wonder in a toddler at the sight of bubbles or blowing on dandelions. Joy in the laughter of siblings.

Such sweet moments.

So that was my Saturday. A wonderfully full day of sharing in the moments of the lives of new friends as well as old. And being reminded again how incredibly blessed I am.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

And speaking of blessings, I just can't end this post without sharing the Lord's wonderful provision in my life.

Life seems to be happening a lot around here. Whether it's an oven that quits working, Desperately needing new ductwork in the attic, being too busy to get certain things done and still not having enough time to get together with friends that long for fellowship or the sudden need of dental work that wasn't planned on in the budget. All of these things (and then some) just keep happening, but in the midst of it, I know, God will provide.

Faced with the temptation to throw my hands up in the air, I know all I can do is trust. The Lord has taught me that He is my provider. My protector, my Rock. If I can trust Him with my soul, I can surely trust him to provide the means to pay for a root canal!! Not knowing how I was going to pay for the whole procedure, along with a crown on one of my molars, I trusted. I was able to pay half of the root canal and set it up to pay the other half within the next few weeks.

And the Lord was just waiting to show me his love for me.

In just a matter of four hours, he provided me the full amount to pay for the other half of the root canal....and then some! A good portion of the crown I have to get next month is also taken care of by His own hand. He has provided a wonderful and bountiful increase in my work to show me that I am His.

I typically don't like to share about finances or deeply personal things on here, but I felt compelled because I know I am not the only one to struggle when life happens. And I honestly can't say I struggle as much as others I know.

These days there are so many things that are uncertain - jobs, banks, the economy overall. But there is one thing that is certain and that is Christ and His redemption for those who are called to know Him and who call upon His name. I cannot imagine how life would be if I truly had to do it on my own; without knowing I can rest in Him and take hope in Him alone. It doesn't mean that times won't be tough. Banks still fail, jobs still are lost, loved ones die, friends walk away, the doctor gives an unwanted diagnosis - it's not always an easy road. But there is Hope of a life - an eternal life filled with the joy of knowing an infinite Father.

And what a joy that is! That even He would be mindful enough to provide me with dental work to alleviate a tiny tooth ache.

My Little - Big Helpers!

Praise the Lord for such sweet and wonderful friends who will dig in and really get their hands dirty to help me out!! (literally!) : )

I have been trying to finish my front yard for some time now (and trying to fix the fish pond for two summers....) Well, it has all been accomplished this week thanks to two of the greatest and hardest working little helpers!!!

This is a before shot. Before 12 bags of top soil, 1 bag of sand and four scoops of mulch.

You can see the hole where the fish pond was before.

A little lesson in using the level, backfilling and re-leveling! These girls learn quick and do a great job!

Oh what fun to get all dirty and not worry about messing anything up!!

Getting the wrinkles out of the new pond liner can be exhausting!! Or is it the whole job that's exhausting!?

Just moments before we conquered the mulch pile.

In progress...

And done!! Hope and Rachel worked so hard, and made the hours pass quickly with great conversation, a bit of joke-telling, story-telling and most importantly lots of laughs!

I'm so glad to finally have my landscaping done. This is the best it's looked since I've lived here! I certainly could not have done it without their help!

Thanks girls!!! And thanks Christy and Carol for letting your girls spend part of the day with me!! These are so precious!