Hand-picked for the Master's bouquet!

This is a photo of my niece that passed today. She is 2 in the photo, but her features haven't changed since. She went home to be with the Lord. It is bittersweet. I am sad that I won't see her anymore, and I can only imagine what her mother must be feeling at this time of great loss, but I take comfort in knowing that she is in heaven, frolicking like little girls do as she crawls up in God's lap and says "It's beautiful here, I am so glad to be here." I picture here asking God to take away mommy's sadness.

At about 3 weeks old, she was diagnosed with myoclonicendocephalopothy, basically a seziure disorder. The doctors told us that she would not live beyond 2 years and that she would always be in a vegetative state. We have been blessed with her for 4 1/2 years in all.

After her diagnosis, I wrote a poem that I would read when this day came. Even though she was disabled, and we knew this day would come, you just can't prepare yourself for what you have to face.

The poem reads: A MEETING WAS HELD QUITE FAR FROM EARTH: IT'S TIME AGAIN FOR ANOTHER BIRTH. SAID THE ANGEL TO THE LORD ABOVE; A SPECIAL CHILD NEEDS MUCH LOVE, HER PROGRESS MAY BE VERY SLOW; ACCOMLISHMENTS SHE MAY NOT EVER SHOW. SHE'LL REQUIRE EXTRA CARE FROM ALL THE FOLKS SHE'LL MEET DOWN THERE. SHE MAY NOT RUN OR LAUGH OR PLAY; HER THOUGHTS MIGHT SEEM QUITE FAR AWAY. IN MANY WAYS SHE WON'T ADAPT AND SHE'LL ME KNOWN AS HANDICAPPED. SO LET'S BE CAREFUL WHERE SHE'S SENT FOR WE WANT HER LIFE TO BE CONTENT. PLEASE LORD, FIND THE FAMILY WHO WILL DO THIS SPECIAL JOB FOR YOU. THEY MAY NOT REALIZE RIGHT AWAY; THE LEADING ROLE THEY ARE ASKED TO PLAY. BUT WITH THIS CHILD SENT FROM ABOVE, COMES STRONGER FAITH AND RICHER LOVE. AND SOON THEY'LL KNOW THE PRIVILEDGE GIVEN IN CARING FOR THEIR GIFT FROM HEAVEN. FOR THIER PRECIOUS CHARGE SO MEEK AND MILD IS HEAVENS OWN......VERY SPECIAL CHILD

Not so Redneck after all

I did this bridal photo shoot today. I loaded the photos and then began looking through them, and I was surprised at myself. I am shocked that I actually took the pictures. I mean, they look like some expensive professional photographer took them. I have been professionally taking pictures now for about 3.5 years, but I mostly do families, kids, and seniors...I haven't really ever done much in the way of glamour.
More than feeling good about my work, I am just so pleased to have had such a wonderfully pleasing shoot. I mean, lots of times, folks want things so perfect that they stress over every little detail. and that stress, stresses me out. This bride was perfect. She was sweet, and easy-going, very down to earth. If all photo shoots were that easy, I might be inclined to do them more often. Truth is, I am nervous every time I have a new client. I worry if they will be pleased, or will I be able to accommodate their needs or wants. I so did not have that worry today. Look at the results:

the Lighthouse

Wednesday night, we attended a gospel concert performed by the FAITHFUL QUARTET at Pine Grove Baptist Church. They sang beautifully, but the greatest victory was the one soul that came to know JESUS. How glorious an occasion for this man to turn his life of to Jesus. Afterwards, we enjoyed good old-fashioned Christian fellowship. Of course there was food. Thursday night we went to Mimms Baptist Church in Conroe for their annual bible conference. This was the 2nd year we have been able to go, and I tell you...the music and the messages are so wonderful and God-filled, that you can't help but to be on fire for the Lord. Like a lighthouse, you want to be a shining light for others that they might see Jesus in you. Brother Herb Reavis was one of the two preachers tonight, and he delivered a message so powerful, and so honest. You can see Jesus oozing out of his poors. I pray that all christians would be like that. I want to reek of Jesus. I want to be like a lighthouse, so that others can see Jesus in me.

One Word

I was on Tallyscrapper looking at all the art journals and this months prompt for the journal entry is one word. What one word are you? What one word do you aspire to be? Give us you in one word. Someones one word was confidence, and anothers was willpower. Someone else's was free and yet another person's is strength. This got me to thinking...what would my one word be. After careful consideration, I decided my one word would be JESUS. I want to be like Jesus. I want Jesus to be what others see in me. But more than that, I want Jesus to be the center or my life. I want Jesus to be the controlling force in my life. I want to let go of the little things and hand them over to Jesus. I trust Jesus with the big things, now I need to let Jesus have the little things. The little things are what chip away at my heart and soul a piece at a time. How come I haven't already surrendered those things to Jesus. How come I feel like Jesus has so much to do that He wouldn't have time for my little things. Jesus has to be Lord of all or He can't be Lord at all. The fact is, Jesus is Lord of all, wether or not we know or believe it. Beliving it or not doesn't change the facts.

BINGO

Most people celebrate New Year by partying the new year in and then party on New Year's Day. Cabbage, black eye peas and cornbread is the holiday meal tradition. The old wives tale is that those foods will bring you good fortune for the year.

Well, I have never been one to go with the flow. I am always creating my own mold. Sometimes that is not so good, but most of the time its great. Last night, my family and I went to church and listened to a few messages and then fellowshipped with each other until 10:30 or so. I had plans of scrapping the new year in after we got back home, but the kids were still up. We decided to teach them how to play "UNO". A game that they should be able to understand and keep up with now that they all know thier colors and numbers. It was the funniest thing, at the end of our example round, Dakota was the first one to get down to one card. Before we started, we had explained that they would have to say "uno" when they got down to the one card or they would have to draw extra cards. She remembered that she was supposed to say it, but instead of uno she proudly proclaimed "bingo". We all laughed. I can begin to tell you how excited the kids were to make Gary and I draw cards or skip by us.

Today, we are preparing a feast. Although it is not the traditional one. Instead we are Bar-b-quing. The brisket and sausage are on the pit now, and the potatoes are being prepared for the potato salad. What bar-b-que meal would be complete without a glass of sweet iced tea.

Oh, I almost forgot. Resolutions are a common part of the new year celebration for most as well. I have really never been one to make resolutions. I don't really know why, I just haven't. I always hear people talk about how they make resolutions that are broken just about as fast as they are made. In a rebellious manner, I decided to gain 10 pounds. I figure that if the opposite of your resolution usually happens, then I was a shoe in to actually lose some weight this year.