.....sweet............



A kiss that is never tasted, is forever and ever wasted...........

 

okay......  here is last weeks shot!!!!  yep....  last weeks :(  The REALLY sad thing is that I took the photograph last week.... I was super excited about it because I could use this shot for my Big Picture Color Connection prompt too.....  and then POOF!!!  Time just disappeared!!!!  Had the photo.... but no time for my blog....  The whole fly across the country, run 26.2 miles, fly back across the country deal (right before Christmas) did me in!!!  But in a good way!!!  :)  And then the working and the cooking and the present buying and wrapping took over and before you know it....  well.... here I am!!!  Sooooo......  sweet is our word!!!  Now I picked these little kisses because they are soooo stinkin cute.... not my favorite thing to eat.... which is reason #2 for picking them.....  less temptation!!  heehee  Plus... I LOVE how the light reflects off of the foil wrapper....  soooo.....  this shot has no profound meaning or evoking thought attached to it....  I just like it...  yep that's it....  the short and sweet of it!!!  :)  be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!  :) 

.....space..........

there is enchantment right in front of you, waiting for you to notice........

Space.......  holy cow what a tough word to capture in a photograph!!!!  When I think of space I don't think of NASA kinda space....  I think of wide open space....  uncluttered space....  and the breathtaking beauty of something much larger than me.... ironically, space is also the thing that we seem to ignore the most in our lives....  it seems that folks these days have lost all sense of space....  personal space.... yep....  folks have really lost touch with that one!!!  :)  people seem to think that my space belongs to them too....  never stopping to think that ya can't just TAKE someone else's space and expect them to be all warm and fuzzy about it!!!!  I really think that peoples inability to recognize the need for space causes them to miss soooo much of the beauty this world has to offer....  every single day we are blessed with the beautiful creation of breathtaking sunrises and sunsets....  they fill that wide open space of a sky with colors that truly cannot be reproduced in a photograph or a painting.... but most of us are too busy with the meaningless nonsense that we fill our daily lives with to notice....  we never make room for the beautiful space that God creates for us EVERYDAY!!!!  We never pause to notice the sparkle of sunshine reflecting on rolling green hills.... or the whisper of the wind blowing through the trees....  we never make space in our lives for silence either....  WHY???  are we afraid of silence???  afraid that if we don't fill our space with THINGS and NOISE that we might have to take a real look at our lives???  that we might just discover that our lives are filled with clutter and nonsense....  that our "full" lives are really quite empty....  void of real meaning....  clarity....  purpose....  yep.... we might just notice that there is something out there that is soooooo much bigger than us!!!  This year I have really been working on simplifying my life....  getting rid of the clutter of THINGS that rob me of what is most precious.... my TIME!!!  And in doing this, I have gotten a glimpse of how important space really is....  and I'm not just talkin about closet space.... heeheehee!!!  I'm talking about the space in my head....  yep.... with simplicity comes space....  and with space comes clarity!!!!  I have become increasingly aware of the importance of the REALLY BIG little things!!!  Like this A-MAZING sunset....  breathtakingly beautiful....  so vast and majestic that you could almost hear the sun as it appeared to sink into the ocean....  a sight that I will remember FOREVER.... and one that I could easily have been too "busy" to notice!!!  HOLY COW!!!!  I'm sure glad I didn't miss this one and I'm EXTRA glad that I was able to share it with my guy!!!!!  :)  and while my life is still a work in progress.... and I guess it always will be.... I really feel like I am evolving in the right direction.... a direction filled with clarity, peace and a greater appreciation for space!!!!  :)  be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too....

.........purpose............

we join souls for a purpose far greater than our own..................

This weeks word for Nicole and I is purpose.......  I think that there are sooo many layers to the definition of this word....  It's a pretty intriguing word!!!  But the thing that keeps coming to mind is.....  what is MY purpose in this life!!!???  And what I find most intriguing is that I've never really been sure what my purpose in this life was???!!!  Nope....  when I was little I didn't dream of going to the moon or finding a cure for some disease....  I don't even really recall what I wanted to be "when I grew up"!!!!  I mean I think I wanted to be a movie star..... but didn't we all???  :)  And I have never really struggled with the fact that I really just don't have a clear idea of my purpose....  nope.....  I have ALWAYS been perfectly content with just seeing what each new day brings and going with it!!!  Now.... don't get me wrong.....  once I set my mind to something.... well.... look out....  I take great pride in finishing what I start.... in reaching my goals..... once I decide what they are!!!  :)  And that's where Rick comes into the picture........  he can talk me into pretty much anything!!!!  Example....  about 2 years ago I started running....  to drop a little weight.... clear my head....  get healthy!!!  And I would have been perfectly content running my little 3-5 mile neighborhood route forever!!!  :)  BUT NO!!!!  Rick comes up with the idea that we should run a Half Marathon.....  now I had NEVER run a race.... much less a 13.1 MILE race!!!  But he convinced me that I could do it..... yep.... he talked me into it!!!  He created a goal for me that I would have NEVER created for myself!!!   He helped me find purpose in something as simple as running!!!  and HOLY COW.... that is just one example of way too many to talk about!!!!  So....  when I started thinking about this word and what it means to me.... well....  HE was what I thought of first!!!  It's not really that he gives me purpose.....  it's that he kinda points me in the right direction!!!  :)  Yep.... I believe that my purpose is to LIVE.... LAUGH.... and LOVE my way through this life with my guy!!!!  I believe that God sent him to me... on purpose (heeheehee)....  to help me be the person that I was meant to be.......  to help me step outside of what is safe and comfortable......  and no matter what life may throw my way.... I know that he will be by my side....  and that we will find our purpose in each day of this life.... together!!!!  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!!

.........tasty..............

It is the simple things in life that really matter.........

Mine and Nicole's word for this is TASTY....  I REALLY thought about a trip to the local bakery for this one but reconsidered!!!!  Instead, I decided to capture the simplicity of what I define as tasty these days!!!  For about the last year I have REALLY tried to reconnect with the simplicity of true nutrition....  and I have worked REALLY hard to put food in perspective....  it fuels my body!!!  YEP....  sound all psycho I know....  but it is sooooo very true!!!!  I have spent the last few years working VERY HARD on my physical self....  logging in countless running, swimming and biking miles....  and for what????  So I could feel like I deserved a cheese burger or a donut????  It really became painfully clear to me after I ran my first marathon that if my nutritional effort didn't equal my physical effort I would NEVER see the results that I was working soooo hard for....  kinda like only putting together half of a puzzle....  I mean really.... what is the point??!!!  Sooo....  I began to reevaluate my choices....  I decided that I was the ONLY one responsible for what I chose to nourish and fuel my body with....  and more importantly... I decided that I REALLY needed to place VALUE on my food!!!  Yep....  here's a little perspective for ya....  1 chocolate chip cookie equals 78 calories.... and 1 mile of running burns about 100 calories.... sooooo is ONE cookie WORTH 1 mile????  and more importantly....  can I only eat ONE cookie???  usually the answer to that is a big FAT no!!!!  The flip side of this is that 1 whole apple equals 80 calories!!!  and the BEST part is that it is LOADED with nutritional VALUE!!!!  yep....  it is GOOD FOR ME!!!!  Chocolate chip cookies....  not so good for me.... NOPE!!!  NOT AT ALL!!!!  So that is how I got started......  and then......  I took this thinking one step farther....  I have chosen to eat as cleanly as possible!!!  As organic as I can!!!  It's actually pretty simple.... and not as expensive as you might think!!!  My philosophy is....  if you peel it.... it doesn't HAVE to be organic (like bananas or cucumbers).... BUT....  if you don't peel it....  go organic (like lettuce, tomatoes, apples and such) This is not a scientific thought!!!  heeheehee!!!!  NOW.... what does any of this have to do with the word TASTY????  Let me just tell ya.........  when I started this little lifestyle change I discovered....  well.... I discovered TASTE again!!!  Yep.....  my first organic tomato was AMAZING!!!  took me straight back to my childhood........  and I realized that I had NOT actually TASTED a tomato since I was probably 12 years old!!!!  HOLY COW!!!  How sad is that????  I had been eating watery no taste tomatoes for years... and wondering why I wanted to eat a chocolate chip cookie instead!!!  This change has reintroduced me to TASTE and natural flavor!!!  It inspired me to actually grow some of my own little organic goodness....  had a sweet little box garden with lettuce and tomatoes...  and they did pretty good until 2 months of 100 degree temps!!!  :(  gonna give it a shot again next spring!!!  :)  NOW....  with all of that said.... let me say this....  I still have a cheat....  I still love chocolate....  but I don't deserve a treat EVERYDAY!!!  SERIOUSLY!!!!  Nobody is THAT good!!!  :)  and treats and cheats are a barter!!!  It goes something like this...."I can eat that Snicker bar which I will INHALE in 5 seconds flat....  for 271 calories which means I will have to run 3 miles to burn the little devil off.... and still be starving AFTER I have eaten it.... PLUS I will feel like CRAP because I ate it OR.... I can eat a banana which is LOADED with potassium and goodness... only about 100 calories and soooooo much better for me"..... sometimes the Snicker wins..... but not very often!!!!  I am happy to report that I embraced this healthy change... and I have managed to stick with it!!!  AND it has give the word TASTY a whole new meaning.....  in a REALLY good way!!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too.....

..........fragile..................



Never allow anyone to rain on your parade and thus cast a pall of gloom and defeat on the entire day. Remember that no talent, no self-denial, no brains, no character, are required to set up in the fault-finding business. Nothing external can have any power over you unless you permit it. Your time is too precious to be sacrificed in wasted days combating the menial forces of hate, jealously, and envy. Guard your fragile life carefully. Only God can shape a flower, but any foolish child can pull it to pieces.............



Last weeks word for Nicole and I was FRAGILE.....  and I'm blaming the whole late post thing on the Thanksgiving holiday!!!!  :)  I was busy cooking up the turkey that the UPS man delivered to my house (best thing that I EVER discovered was the the UPS man would deliver my Honeybaked turkey right to my stinkin door!!!!  WOOT!!!)  and I was running around like a headless turkey myself!!!  Note to self.....  December marathons may not be such a good idea.... BECAUSE.... ya gotta train for them!!!  Yep....  this time of year I always find myself overwhelmed and pressed for TIME....  so making time for 2-4 hour long runs is a little tough.... and stressful!!!!  Sooooo.... I found fragile to be a pretty self describing word.... and very fitting for how I feel around this time of the year.....  If you know me.... you know that I REALLY try to keep myself focused and on task and 95% of the time I manage....  in my own weird kinda way to do so!!!  BUT then there is that other 5%....  that moment when I become frayed and stressed beyond my limit....  that moment when everything that I have worked so hard to keep together just unravels and I feel exposed.... out of control.... fragile!!!!  And in that moment of vulnerability.... when most would melt into a puddle....  those closest to me witness me loosing my mind FIRST....  THEN I melt into a puddle!!!!  YEP....  before I succumb to the fragile side of myself....  I generally ALWAYS go full blown Linda Blair!!!  And after 45 (I am 45 right Rick???) years of being me and trying to figure out WHY I do some of the JACKED UP things that I do, I have decided that the the crazy psycho moment.... just before I wilt and cry.... is my weird silly way of trying NOT to show my fragile side....  my way of not giving in to what I see as a weakness!!!  CRAZY RIGHT!!???  and because of that... "fragile Shelly" only comes out at the end of a loooooong argument.... or alone in a dark room late at night.......  or on a REALLY LOOOONG RUN!!!  (hey....  maybe December marathons are a good idea after all!!!  :)  )  The above quote really spoke to me on sooooo many levels!!!  You know... without even trying or wanting to know... that some folks are FRAGILE.... and NOT in a good way!!!  They are the eternal dark cloud....  the giant wet blanket....  and they want you to be just as broken and miserable as they are!!!  "NOTHING external can have power over you unless you permit it"!!!  WOW... now THAT is profound!!!  What I have found is that these folks who scream to the top of their lungs about how terrible their life is and are professional singers of the "oh poor pitiful me" song NEVER stop for a second to realize that the folks who appear to have it all together....  are dealing with their own issues....   Yep..... we are quietly navigating the peaks and valleys of our own life.... even while enduring the emotional hijacking so selfishly inflicted by others!!!!  And just like the little flower bud in my shot (gotta love a Knockout rose bush that is blooming in November!!) we guard our fragile life CAREFULLY!!!!  with layers and layers and layers we protect our fragile side......  exposing it only when necessary and only to those who are closest to us!!!   But just because we prefer to keep our weak moments private ones doesn't mean that we don't have them!!! Soooo..... now that I think that I have this whole "fragile Shelly" thing figured out....  I'm gonna work on embracing the fact that it's okay to have a fragile moment......  OCCASIONALLY!!!!  :)  And I'm gonna work on omitting the whole Linda Blair thing BEFORE the fragile thing and see how that goes!!!!  I'm sure that my VERY tolerant husband would appreciate that!!!!!  :)  :)  :)  nothing like a little photo blogging to identify areas for self improvement huh!!!!  :)  be sure to head on over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!!

.........tangled................

Oh what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive...................

HOLY COW!!!!!  Can't believe that it is almost Thanksgiving.... and Christmas is just right around the corner and then 2011 is gone.....  this year has really flown by faster that I wanted it to!!!!  The years seem to get shorter as I get older!!!  :)  This weeks word for Nicole and I is tangled.......  and the first thing that came to my mind was the quote above!!!!  I have always tried to live my life projecting the true me....  I am what I am....  like it or not..... take it or leave it!!!!  Someone much wiser than me once told me... "be careful what you say and do....  because the lie that you tell today will become the life that you have to live tomorrow!!"  And over the years that has been proven to be true....  I have experienced that in my life.... and witness it daily in the lives of others!!!  I really have no time to tangle my life up in deception.....  but lately I seem to be surrounded folks who apparently NEED to deceive....  they embellish..... stretch the truth soooo much that they have lost sight of who they really are!!!!  They have become so tangled in their own lies that they have lost track of what is truth and what is deception.......  and just like the ol black widow in my shot........  they try to lure those around them into their web of lies..... tangle them up in their drama and mistruths!!!  I don't really think that their intention is bad.....  I actually think that they are searching.... for happiness....  acceptance maybe........  and they feel that they have to be deceptive for others to like them.... accept them....  when in reality....  it is the truth and ONLY the truth that will set you free!!!!  I believe that a simple truthful authentic life is the key to happiness....  no stress....  no getting all tangled up in trying to remember what lie you told to who....  Yep.... I believe that God means for us to live a tangle-free life!!!!  A life where we embrace and accept the path that He has planned for us!!!   Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!

........faith.................

All it takes is a little bit of water and sunshine
To make a big tree grow
And every tree was a little bitty seed at one time
It just takes time, you know

And patiently they lay in hope
And God provides the rest
All we really need
Is the faith of a little seed

This week the word for Nicole and I is FAITH!!!!  I LOVE this word!!!!  :)  My shot this week could have been of just about anything....  cause I'm a believer in this word on soooo many levels!!!!  As a matter of fact.... it would probably be safe to say that this word defines my life....  seriously!!!  So much that it is difficult to put into words just what faith means to me....  I view EVERYTHING through faith!!!  I have faith that people are good and fair (often times they prove me wrong... but at least we start out in the right place!!  :) ) I have faith that I can do ANYTHING that I put my mind to....  yep...  ANYTHING!!!!  I have faith that my life is gonna be what and where it needs to be...  no matter how many bumps and curves are in the road... I have faith that I am on the road I NEED to be on!!!  I have faith in all of these things BECAUSE I have faith in God!!!!  Now, a lot of folks may not believe that to be true.... and that's okay.... I'm not a "pew warmer"...  I don't believe that God keeps a running total of the number of hours you spend in a building with others who claim to be just like you...  THAT is the safe way...  the easy way......  I believe that God is with you ALWAYS.... that your greatest moments of faithfulness are the ones that no one really see's!!!!  They are the LITTLE moments....  the little seeds of love, hope, kindness and yes FAITH that we drop along the path of our lives!!!  They are the smile to a stranger in the elevator.... the pocket change that you drop into the hand of a homeless man....  the friendly conversation that you have with the kind old guy who bags your groceries....  the moment when someone reaches out to you.... knowing that they can trust you....  and that you will not judge them!!!  I believe that these tiny seeds of faith that we drop along the way will be nurtured by God....  even if its just in the form of a thought from those who's lives we touch along our daily path!!!  And just like I have faith in God and His direction and purpose for my life.... I want the people who's lives that I touch to have faith in me!!!!  I want them to believe that I come from a place of goodness and that I am a trustworthy and reliable person....  because I truly believe that once others see those characteristics in me.... those tiny seeds of faith and hope and love that I have shared with them can begin to grow!!!  Just like the little seed in my shot!!!  Yep....  this is pretty much how I see things.....  It is up to us to plant those seeds... and have faith that God WILL provide the rest!!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!! 

........relax...............

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.........

Okay.........  so LAST WEEKS word for Nicole and I was RELAX!!!!!  I did some serious struggling with this word....  thus the week late post!!!!  And I think that it was even one of my words.... what the heck was I thinking???!!!!  I will admit that the VERY first thing that came to my mind was the song by Frankie Goes to Hollywood....  I know.... I should be ashamed!!!!!  This weeks shot was soooo hard for me because I really DON'T relax like most folks.....  there are no days filled with lounging on the couch watching TV....  if I sit down to watch TV my mind is racing..... thinking about all the crap that I need to do....  all the things that I would rather be doing!!!  I don't have "spa days" or run off to get my nails or hair done.....  there are no days spent sitting and reading....  NOPE.... I am always doing something!!!!  BUSY....  yep....  I am always busy!!!!  And I like it that way!!!  The things that I find relaxing would probably be considered work for most folks....  I find peace in doing things......  gardening..... aaaaahhhh!!!!  working in my yard is pure bliss for me!!!!  LOVE digging in the dirt!!!  I ALWAYS have!!!  :)  running........  THAT is my most relaxing thing!!!!  When I'm running EVERYTHING falls into place....  things become clear in my head........  I solve ALL my problems when I'm running.....  that is relaxation to me!!!  I do occasionally (usually because my legs are sore from running) find time to soak in the tub....  and someday.... I will soak in the tub that is in my shot for LAST week!!!!  yep.......  it is an AWESOME claw foot tub....  that currently only has 3 feet!!  :)  and will need to be refinished.... someday!!!  :)  and did I mention that the other person that lives in this house has more irons in the fire than I could EVER handle!!!!  Bless his heart....  yep my hubby is one crazy busy guy...  makes me tired just thinking about all the things that he has going on!!!  Maybe he should have the FIRST soak in said tub!!!  :) heeheehee!!!  be sure and head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!! 

....morning.........

I'd like mornings better if they started later..................

The word for Nicole and I this week is morning......  and really.... what can I say....  I HATE MORNINGS!!!!  It's true... I always have.....  I can remember when I was a little kid hating the way I felt in the morning!!  I wasn't in my head.... it was a true physical thing...  I always feel yucky when I have to get up early.... and just let me clear something up.... early is any time BEFORE 10 am....  SERIOUSLY!!!  :)  I have, however, learned to deal with mornings as I have gotten older and been forced to experience them on a regular basis.... for a paycheck!!!  For instance.... I have learned to control my urge to CHOKE the chatty happy ball of sunshine people who get near me in the mornings!!  I have learned that I will not burst into flames if I look at the bright bright bright (way toooo bright) early morning sun!!!  And I have learned the importance of COFFEE in the morning!!!  YES!!!  Coffee makes mornings possible for me..... and safer for the general public I might add!!!  :)  So you can probably understand why coffee is a REALLY BIG DEAL around this place....  my poor husband... bless his heart... had embrace my need for coffee in a big way....  probably for his own safety!!!  :)  His first words to me in the morning are usually "good morning, want some coffee?"!!!  :)  I LOVE HIM FOR PUTTING UP WITH ME!!!!!  :)  And he bought me the AWESOME cup in my shot this week....  bought it umpteen years ago when he was away because it reminded him of me and he thought I would like it!!!  (and because he is my best guy!!!!) It is my FAVORITE cup and has found it's way into a lot of my photography....  and gotten my through a whole lot of yucky mornings!!!!  As a matter of fact.... I am drinking Raspberry Chocolate Truffle coffee out of it as I type this!!!!  :)  And I haven't tried to choke anyone yet.... so it must be working!!!  :)  :)  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!!



.......frightening..............

When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.

The word for Nicole and I this week is frightening.....  pretty fitting word for this time of year!!!  :)  I absolutely LOVE October....  the weather is awesome....  and there is a sort of magic that fills the air......  it is that spooky, creepy, yet fun filled time of the year!!!  And it is by far my favorite time!!  It is when all things frightening become okay...  black cats, spiders, ghosts and witches all become acceptable...  necessary...  and FUN!!! :)  This time of year is filled with memories of haunted houses, hay rides and trick or treating........  spooky, creepy, frightening fun filled memories!!!  So Happy Halloween y'all......  may your season be filled with tricks, treats and frightening FUN!!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too... 

.....twisted.............

If life gives you limes, make margaritas.........

The word for Nicole and I this week is twisted......  and seriously....  this is all I could think of....  a twisted lime in a frozen drink!!!  I think that means I am in need of a trip to NOLA!!!  :)  It did however, get me to thinkin about the word twisted and how important the twisted things are in my life....  you see twisted by definition means to wind together....  and I really started thinking about how my life is twisted together with the lives of others....  some by choice... like family and friends... and some not so much by choice... like strangers on the elevator and people in the grocery store...  yep... our lives intertwine with everyone that we encounter....   even if we are only twisted together for a split second in time!!!!  So I thought back to that twisted lime.... ya gotta know that without it... well... that drink wouldn't be as good!!!   Yep.... that twisted lime just makes it better....  and when my life is twisted together with the life of someone else.... I want to be just like that lime...  I want to make their life better.... with a smile... a kind word... a helping hand!!!  Pretty sure that is the way God intended for it to be!!!  (minus the whole margarita part!!!!)  :)  :)  :)  Be sure and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!! 

.........found..............

Memories are the treasures that we keep locked deep within the storehouse of our souls, to keep our hearts warm when we are lonely............

Holy cow..... this week has flown by!!!!  The word for Nicole and I this week is FOUND...  now I had TONS of photo ideas with this word but I kept coming back to this little guy!!  Rick discovered this little treasure a few years ago in the upstairs area of our house.... actually behind a wall... if you can believe that!!!  Let me just give you a little history... about myself.... I am fascinated by OLD things... explains why I live in a hundred year old house huh!!!  But more than that I am fascinated by the "story" that old things tell....  I think about our house and wonder what happened here???   where there grand parties???  was the house filled with children???  oh my.... I wish walls could talk!!!!  So when Rick found this little soldier the first thing I thought was.... HOLY COW that thing looks OLD!!!  and then the wheels in my mind began to turn....  as you can see....  this poor guy has no feet....  so I'm figuring that he was well used!!!  :)   I wonder how this little soldier found his way behind an actual WALL!!???  Must have been a serious game of war going on!!!  :)  I wonder if the kiddo this belonged to lost this guy... or just forgot about him....  and if that kid is still around (all grown up of course) does he remember this guy???  Did he tell his children about the cool metal army men that he used to have???  And by the mere fact that we found this treasure.... I feel some unexplainable connection to the whom ever this little guy might have belonged...  a piece of someones past.... found.... becomes a part of my present!!!  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!!

....reality............

Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality.  If you can dream it, you can make it so.............

The word for Nicole and I this week is REALITY!!!  And boy was this a perfect word for me!!!  And my shot today works for my "extreme crop" prompt for my Picture Inspiration 52 week project over at Big Picture too!!!  BONUS!!!!  :) 
Today I became a triathlete......  wow....  that is tough to say....  because I really don't feel any different!!!  I am still the same ol me....  Nope.... I didn't morph into a super human when I crossed the finish line....  when people see me they don't know that I am a triathlete....  and I'm really not the kind of person to share that about myself with total strangers.... sooooo.....  here I sit.... not sure what to feel or think about my accomplishment!!!  Here I sit....  thinking about the reality of this day....  so here it goes.... 
It was never really "on my list" to complete a triathlon.... but I watched my husband and son complete several.... and while watching them... I also watched everyone else in each race compete.... I watched them all cross that finish line.... and I thought to myself...  HEY... if they can do it.... so can I!!???  Maybe!!???   So in May of this year I began to train....  the run.... hey... I had that in the bag.... I've been running for several years now and I LOVE to run... it is my BEST thing!!!  the bike.... bought a great bike last year (I was kinda thinking about Tri's back then) and while Tri biking is quite technical with all the fancy shoe clips and aero bars... riding a bike is well.... just like riding a bike.... it all comes back to ya!!!!  and then there's the swim....  and this is where REALITY slapped me in the face.... I really don't swim!!!  not even a little!!!  I have never learned proper strokes and breathing.... so this was gonna be tough!!  So... in May I started swimming at the local Y....  I SUCKED!!!  and I kept sucking for a REALLY long time!!!  My poor husband would instruct me.... and I watched TONS of "how to swim" videos on YouTube!!!  heeheehee yep.... good ol YouTube!!!  And I eventually began to get better and better.... in the POOL!!!  And then REALITY struck AGAIN!!!!  The triathlon swim was NOT in a pool.... nope.... it was an open water swim.... in a LAKE!!!  Where the fish and snakes live.... and where I can't see... even with my goggles on and my eyes wide open!!!  So.... bless my sweet husbands heart.... off to the lake we went.... for me to practice NOT DROWNING!!!!  With each passing week my training log grew and grew.....  I logged hundreds of swim, bike, run miles over the last four months.... all leading up to today!!!!  Yep.... today was the day!!!  And when I woke up this morning.... I was scared to death!!!!  When we arrived at the race site.... I was scared to death!!!!  I couldn't even look at the water.....  because I was scared to death!!!  But the time came and I walked to the end of the pier..... and I jumped in!!!!  Now I must confess that my swim was a WRECK....  I was a total mess in that water.... my heart was racing, my breathing was too fast, I got kicked in the face!!!  (WHAT!!!???  I didn't train for THAT!!!) and I choked on and swallowed half of the lake....  but the REALITY is that I DID IT!!!  The bike and the run followed and while difficult I managed them pretty well....  and I CROSSED THAT FINISH LINE!!!!  And much to my disbelief.... I finished second in my age group!!!!  (that would be the REALLY OLD age group!!!)  HAAHAHAHA  I couldn't believe it when they called MY name!!!!  :)  And after I finished..... someone very special to me   put it all into perspective....  they said...  "doing it was the easy part....  it was the worrying about it that was the hard part"!!!!  And they were right!!!!  It was the space between my dream and reality that I was soooo afraid of!!!  And today I learned that the REALITY is I can do anything I put my mind to....  it might not be so cute while I'm doing it... but hey....  who's dream is it anyway??!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!!

.......broken (record)............

never place blame one others without first searching for fault within yourself........

This weeks word for Nicole and I is broken..... I imagined shots of broken windows.... broken glasses.... broken light bulbs.... but I could not pull my mind away from the broken PEOPLE that are in my life......  sooooo....  with a little bit of symbolism here I go!!!  get ready cause I'm about to jump on a soapbox!!!  :)  Now.... I am a believer that EVERYONE has a story to tell..... we have ALL been through tough times.... tragedy.... had bad days.... even bad years!!!!  We have all been BROKEN!!!  BUT I find that some folks can never really get past any of this!!!  They are stuck....  their lives play over and over and over like a broken record....  They never move beyond their difficulty....  they use their troubles and tragedies as an excuse....  for poor behavior.... for their negative attitude....  never really recognizing that others have their own issues to deal with...  their lives are filled with self pity....  Now I don't mean to be harsh.... but this is just how I see it.....  I really feel that these people don't WANT to move beyond their tragedy....  they have learned to use it as a crutch....  as an excuse to lay blame....  a way to manipulate others and situations to get what they want....  and the broken records in MY life are down right scary!!!  They are master manipulators....  experts at emotional control....  they can cry at the drop of a hat....  when it benefits them!!!   and their passive aggressive behavior can be spotted from a mile away.... by anyone who is paying attention!!!!  I find their self victimizing mindset to be emotionally exhausting.... pathetic....  and I am sad for them.....  sad because it is so obvious that they want to be liked.... loved even....  but they never realize that even their most casual social contacts are quickly put off by their inability to move beyond their issues....  creating a never ending cycle of self pity and blame....   what they fail to recognize is that there really is no blame.... only fault!!!  Now don't get me wrong here....  their tragedy is not their fault....  BUT their behavior beyond their tragedy IS!!!!  HOLY COW!!!  With all of that being said (sorry for being all dark and venty!!!!)....  I am a believer that we are all children of God.... and that all things that happen to us....  the GOOD things and the BAD things..... are by His design....  there is a reason that we suffer tragedy in this life..... I believe that God intends for us to LEARN and move beyond each tragedy.... as better people!!!  And I don't believe that God meant for us to be broken records!!!!  Soooo.....  I will praise Him in the sunshine..... and I will praise Him in the rain!!!  And I will continue to pray for the broken records in my life....  that they might be able to move beyond their rough spot....  and hear the end of the song that God has written for them!!!  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!!

........happiness..........



"For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea."
- e.e. cummings

This weeks word for Nicole and I is HAPPINESS!!!  And can I just tell ya.... this word had perfect timing!!!!  My shot this week is of my HAPPY PLACE!!!  :)  Straight out of the camera with just a little crop......  this is where I find my happiness!!!  There is just something about the ocean....  I can never put it into the right words....  but that is where I find healing for my soul.....  the everyday yayaya that others feel they need to "share" with me is washed away with each breaking wave.....  I find perspective there....  I realize just how small and insignificant that I am in this big ol world when I stand beside the ocean.... so powerful and full of mystery.... things just seem to fall into place....  and with the first deep breath of that ocean air.... I find myself again!!!   And the beauty......  HOLY COW!!!!  I am forever amazed and humbled by God's mighty hand as I stand on the shore....  He starts each day with majestic sunrises and ends them with breathtaking sunsets....  my camera could NEVER capture the true beauty that He creates each day!  So when life gets a little rough and I'm struggling to find my way through each day....  THIS is where I escape to (with my guy of course....  a great big THANK YOU Jesus for blessing me with a guy who finds his happiness in the same place I find mine!!)!!!  Be sure and head over to check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!  :)

.....early.............

I have a "carpe diem" mug and, truthfully, at six in the morning the words do not make me want to seize the day.  They make me want to slap a dead poet.......

This weeks word for Nicole and I is EARLY.....  and those who know me will find it hard to believe that this was MY word.... yep...  what the heck was I thinking!!!!  I hate early mornings like I hate root canals!!!  I actually used to have a little saying hanging on my fridge... "don't hate yourself in the morning... sleep past noon"!!!  I am grouchy.... the BEST part of EARLY for me is COFFEE!!!!  Now I KNOW that God has a sense of humor since Rick is an early bird.... he hops up out of bed like a ball of sunshine... all happy and TALKATIVE!!!!!!  How the heck we have managed not to kill one another over the last 27 years worth of mornings is a miracle!!!!  I will admit that over the years there are a few things about the early morning that I have learned to appreciate....  like the cooler temps in the hot hot summer time....  I will occasionally set my alarm and head out for an early morning long run.... yep OCCASIONALLY!!!  I have also found an appreciation for the AMAZING light of early morning....  it is a light like no other....  it is full of life.... and I LOVE photographing it....  however, my sunset shots will forever out number my sunrise shots... no question about that one!!!  :)  Oh.... and did I mention just how much I appreciate early morning coffee???  yep........  THAT is my best early morning thing!!!  :)  Be sure and head over to check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!  HAPPY LABOR DAY!!!  Wishing you all FUN and safe travels!!!!  :)

.....inspiration.........

what lies before us and what lies behind us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us........

This week mine and Nicole's word is inspiration......  WOW!  such a powerful word!!!  So this week I have really put some serious thought into just what inspires me.....  and the answer was pretty simple....  it is PEOPLE!!!  Not in the way that you might think though...  I am not one who is impressed by WHAT people are....  could really care less....  we are all the same in God's eyes... and that is a fact!!!  What impresses me.... inspires me.... is what people are capable of in the face of tragedy....  in the midst of devastation!!!  What people are capable of when they put all doubt aside and BELIEVE that they can do ANYTHING!!!!  And I had never really been touched... inspired if you will...  by the true power of desire.... determination.... commitment.... until I started running races!!  My very first race was two years ago....  a half marathon....  what was I thinking!!??  About 3 miles into this race I came up behind a guy running with a prosthetic leg.... a "blade runner"....  and for the next three miles I continued to run behind him....  thinking back on how hard it had been for me to force myself out of the door to train for the race.... with two perfectly good legs....  I was humbled by him....  I was inspired by him!!!  And every race since I have seen people like him....  and people like me....  each one of us running.... swimming.... biking....  to cross that finish line....  not because we will win....  SERIOUSLY!!!  there are literally thousands of runner's in these races.... and only ONE can WIN....  but we all keep running....  and we all cross that same finish line!!!   And I am continually inspired by the smiling faces....  the tears....  the hands thrown in the air giving thanks to God above.... the glow of accomplishment...  that I see at the finish line of EVERY race!!!  And THAT is why I run when it is 100 degrees....  THAT is why I run when it is freezing.... THAT is why I run when I don't feel like running!!!  And when you ask me WHY  I run??  I will tell you...  I run because I CAN!!!  And I am soooo deeply inspired by those who have been told that they "can't"....  because of a disability...  because they are too slow... because they are overweight... because they are too old... BUT they still hit the road day after day...  believing in themselves when no one else believes in them!!  Knowing that they have what it takes to accomplish their dreams!!!  Doing the "impossible"!!!  Those people are my inspiration!!!!    Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week!!!

........sharp................

We are all pencils in the hand of God..............

This weeks word for Nicole and I is sharp....  I really struggled with this shot until I ran across the above quote!  Luck for me I had these awesome colored pencils huh!!  :)  The combination of  our word and the quote really made me think about just what kind of pencil I want to be in God's hand!!???  I don't want to be a dull or broken pencil in His hand.... I want to be a SHARP pencil!!!  :)  I want to be at my best when He uses me!!!  The struggle.... for me at least.... is STAYING sharp!!!  This ol world (and the people in it) can dull you in a heartbeat!!!!  And I have struggled with this problem a whole lot here lately!!!  :(  People around me seem to take great pleasure in stealing my joy... and sucking the life right out of me!!!  They just wear me out to tell ya the truth!!!  :)  And I find myself feeling dull and used up.........  and in my frustration... I fail to humble myself....  I try to fix me!!!  The reality is this......  I can't fix myself alone....  nope... I can't!!!  I can never make myself as sharp as God can make me!!!  I alone can never make myself as sharp as God needs me to be!!!   I have got to lay myself at His feet so that he can sharpen me and use me!!!!  So... YEAH for this word!!!!  and for the thought that it sparked in me!!!  Nothing like a little photo-therapy!!  heeheehee!!!  :)  Be sure and head over to check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!  :)

.....soothing............

Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.....

This weeks word for Nicole and I is soothing!!!  And this is the FIRST thing that came to mind for me.....  a steaming hot cup of tea!!!  It is my new best thing!!!  :)  I believe that I have actually become addicted....  and I get a little upset if my day doesn't allow me my "tea time"!!!  :)  Inside that little afternoon cup of tea I find peace from my crazy day....  it is soothing.... to my soul!!!  Maybe it is some ancient Chinese thing....  or just my crazy imagination....  but I feel better....  things gain perspective....  with that soothing cup of afternoon tea!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot this week too!!! 

....curve......

A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn.......

This week mine and Nicole's word is CURVE.....  I had lofty creative ideas for my shot for this week....  but no time to see them through!!  :(  Funny how life seems to get in the way of our creativity!!  I day dream sometimes of the things that I could do given the time!!!  And then I am quickly returned to reality by responsibility!!  yuck.... and to think that I couldn't wait to grow up!!!  What was I thinking???!!!   I love the above quote.... and thought it quite fitting for my life right now....  even for my photo this week!!  Confirms to me that although life doesn't always go as we plan....  we have to stay on course....  bend.....  be flexible!!!  Because it is in the curves of our life that we grow... learn... become stronger...  discover what is really important!!!  So my shot this week is NOT of a long stretch of curving road...  no curved railroad tracks... no awesome little ladybug... (I looked hard for that one...  to me she would be the PERFECT curve!!)  NOPE... my shot is of the curved rim of a glass... and some freakin AWESOME light!!!  And my focus this week has been to stay on track.... no matter how many curves there are in front of me!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!!

....indulge..........

let them eat cake...............

This week's word for Nicole and I is INDULGE!!!!!  By definition indulge means to allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of.....  what the definition left out was the word OCCASIONALLY!!!  :)  And there should be something near the word indulge explaining the difference between it and the word OVER-indulge!!!  heeheehee!!!  Ya see... I am an all or nothing kinda girl when it comes to most things......  especially yummy treats!!!  Yep....  I'm the one who eats an entire bag of oreos in 24 hrs just so they won't be around to tempt me anymore....  profound logic huh!!!  :)  A few years ago I really took a long look at my life....  my eating habits.... spending habits.... the way that I used my time.... and I discovered that I was very lacking in (not really self-control) but reason!!!  I never really took the time to reason with myself about my indulgences!!!  Do I really NEED a whole bag of oreos???  I think not!!!  And how will I feel if I eat a whole bag of oreos???  That old familiar guilty "I'm a big fat loser" feeling!!!  YUCK!!!  Hate that feeling!!!  And the same with THINGS that I buy....  do I really need ANOTHER pair of shoes....  (maybe...  if their REALLY cute!!  heehee)  But seriously....  there is a fine line between indulging and overindulging!!!  And when we don't recognize that something good is eventually turned into something that makes us feel bad.... guilty....:(

So.... I have really made a point to not indulge everyday....  and to savor and appreciate my indulgences!!!  When I see something on the store shelf that I think I want.... I reason with myself.... do I also NEED it???  hummm....  and chances are...  the answer is NOPE!!!  Same way with my yummy little sweet tooth indulgences....  I keep NOTHING tempting in my house.... (my poor hubby!!!...  but I do keep things around for him that HE likes...  and that I DON'T like!!!  :).... like fig newtons.... yuck!!!)  That way I have to really reason my indulgences....  Do I want a brownie so bad that I will get in my car and drive to the store for it????  And do I need a whole pan of brownies or just one little brownie????   And how many miles will I have to run AFTER I eat that stinkin thing????  And da da dada....  I have just places VALUE on that indulgence!!!  My shot this week is of this YUMMY little pettifor........  picked it up at my local grocery store and got the very familiar question from the bakery counter girl...  "just one?"....  yep just ONE!!!!  And trust me it was equally beautiful and YUMMY!!!!!  :)  I must also admit that I bought a TINY TINY TINY container of Ben and Jerry's Double Chocolate Brownie ice cream and some maraschino cherries....  I DID use them for a shot too.... and I DID eat them all up!!!  :)  And I will be running an extra mile today!!!  :)  It's all about balance people!!!  heehehehee!!!  :)  Be sure to check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!

.....feminine............

I don't mind living in a man's world as long as I can be a woman in it..........

This week mine and Nicole's word is FEMININE....  I have to say that I really struggled with this word!  Feminine would be the absolute LAST word that I would use to describe myself....  I am not a frilly girl....  I don't really even have frilly things!  There are no lacy flowy girly girl things hanging in my closet....  No feminine decor in my home....  I am a pretty low maintenance girl....  not a ton of makeup....  no foo foo hairdo!!!  And God sure knew what He was doing when he blessed me with a BOY cause I would have surely not have survived many years with a drama filled girl!!!!  (plus I would have NEVER been able to fix her hair!!! heeheehee)  I have always said that I was my Daddy's first born SON!!!  I would rather be out in the yard throwing a softball than wearing ballet shoes....  and I wanted BB guns and bikes for Christmas!!!  My momma.... bless her heart....  she tried her best to doll me up and at least make me LOOK girly....  but without fail, I was always the shoeless little girl with the kool-aide mustache and spagetti-o's all over the front of her dress!   It's just not who I am.... not who I have ever been!!!   However....  I am still a girl....  just not of the girly type!!  :)  I just happen to prefer running marathons and riding my bike over tea parties and shopping!!!  :)  It has taken me a really long time to realize that it's okay to embrace the girl that I am!!!  It's okay to be a strong woman.....  strength and determination doesn't make me less of a woman.... it doesn't make me less feminine!!!  Although the GIRLY GIRLS would sure like to make you feel that you are!!!  The fact is this....  frilly lacy girly girl THINGS don't make you a woman....  and when you take that all away....  those foo foo girls and I are just alike!!!   We are women.... we are feminine!!!  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!!

....familiar.......

In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine.....

The word for Nicole and I this week is FAMILIAR!!  For me familiar is one of those words that makes you feel all warm inside....  it is a comfortable word!  But not a word that is so easily captured in a photograph!   Familiar.... common.... everyday.... intimate....  the familiar things in my life are sometimes overlooked.... expected.... taken for granted.  Tucked in the back of my mind until something reminds me of how important they are to me....  a familiar scent that catches my attention.... reminding me of the way my grandmother's house used to smell....  a familiar laugh in a crowd.... bringing a flood of memories as I am reminded of my Poppa and how his roar of a laugh would make everyone in the room laugh too!!  The familiar feeling of the cool grass under my feet....  taking me back to my childhood and endless summer nights spent playing hide-n-go-seek and chasing lightening bugs!!!  We need the familiar things.... they remind us of where we came from.... of what is truly important in our lives!!  My shot this week is of my most favorite familiar thing!!!  My guy!!! :)  A few years ago we spent 6 months apart....  was the absolute hardest thing that I have EVER done!  And during that time.... the most important "familiar things" in my life were gone....  things that I had taken for granted.... important little things.... like the smell of his cologne.... the sound of his voice.... the familiar "feeling" of his presence when I would walk into the house.... but the thing that I missed the most was his touch!  I missed sitting on the couch at the end of the day.... holding hands and talking.... I missed how his touch would remind me that I was safe....  that I was loved!  And in the absence of his touch I realized just how important  this simple little "familiar thing" is in my life!!!  His touch is comforting.... warm.... protecting.... intimate.... FAMILIAR!!!  With just a single touch I know that everything is gonna be alright!!  It is my BEST thing!!!  :)   And I don't want to every live another day without it!!! 

Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too.

.....waiting.............

Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day............

Well..... another week has flown by.....  finding myself in need of some down time to just catch my breath!!!  Mine and Nicole's word for this week is WAITING!!!  And while it is lacking in artistic merit.... I KNEW that this would be my shot for this week!!!!  This scene plays itself out day after day at my house (as proven by the slobber marks on the window!!!  heeheehee).....  sweet Scout waiting for Rick to return home!!!  Waiting patiently to give him all the love his little heart can hold!!!  Our sweet puppies....  sooooo excited and happy to see us each day....  every time we walk in the door you would think they hadn't seen us in weeks!!!  Tails wagging...  waiting....  to give us big ol wet dog kisses and let us know just how much they have missed us!!!!  Unconditionally they wait.....  wait for us to finish whatever we think is important at the time....  wait for us to notice that they have found their favorite toy and would really LOVE to play....  wait for us to realize that it's been awhile since they have been for a w-a-l-k!!! (ya have to spell that word around here!!!)  They are always waiting.....  to love you!!!  And my life is better because of them!!!  I believe that God created a special little place in our hearts that can only be filled by the love of a dog!!!  And I consider myself pretty darn luck to be sooooo loved by mine!!!  Heck.... I certainly like them better than most people!!!  :)  And as I sit here typing this, I am blessed to have them both curled up by my feet....  waiting....  for me to finish what is important at the moment.... waiting to give me all the love in their little hearts!!!!  :)  Be sure to check out Nicole's shot this week too!!!!

....circular...........

and out of the darkness came forth light...........

HOLY COW!!!!  Can I just tell ya that summer is kickin my butt!!!  It is as HOT as BLAZES with no relief in sight and we have been busier that a one legged man in a butt kickin contest!!  :)  (sorry.... my redneck roots are showin!!)  However, I do know that this heat will help me to appreciate cool fall days.... eventually!!!  :)To tell ya the truth, I don't even know what week Nicole and I are on in our 52 week project... gonna have to do some counting!!  :)  Nevertheless, our word for this week is CIRCULAR!  This one was tough for me....  I struggled to find inspiration on this one....  so I took a lot of shots of random circular things... but nothing spoke to me... until I began to edit some shots that I had taken of the tiny little spring from inside of an ink pen....  Yep...  my shot this week is of a spring from an ink pen!!!!  And the object itself was of no real inspiration.... it was the LIGHT!!!  Inside of this tiny little circle I was amazed and inspired by the balance of darkness and light!!!  The yin and yang that existed in this tiny little space!!!  Such a profound discovery... and one that caused my mind to race with thoughts about balance in my own life!!!  While I try to find something good in my life everyday.... I have to admit that I have had.... and surely will continue to have dark days....  we all will!!  But even in that darkness I am searching for the light!!!   Not really the light at the end of a dark tunnel.... but the light that exists within the darkness...  the balance!!!  So I see my life as a circle.... a never ending cycle of light and dark.... good and bad....  happy and sad!!!   And I think that life is meant to be this way....  one cannot exist without the other in the circle of our lives!!  So may you all be blessed with balance in your circle!!  heeheehee!!!  And I wish you all a safe and happy 4th of July!!!  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!  PEACE!!!!  :)

 

.....refreshing............

summertime and the livin is easy...................

It is OFFICIAL!!!!  Summer is here......  quite frankly I thought summer had started about 5 weeks ago.....  with all this CRAZY heat that we've been having!!!  This week mine and Nicole's word is REFRESHING.......  and for some reason this word really reminded me of summertime.....  awesome memories flooded my mind of childhood summers!!!!  Summers spent at the lake with my family....  carefree endless summer days filled with frog chasin....  fish catchin.... green apple eatin.... adventures that will forever bring a smile to my face!!!   And the tradition of the 4th of July........  the day when my daddy took me to the firecracker stand and let me pick out whatever I wanted!!!  :)   HOLY COW....  THAT is the only day of the year that I couldn't wait for the sun to go down!!  :)  And every year.... without fail.... it ended with a big fat ice cold watermelon!!!!  It was (and still is) my favorite summertime thing!!!  OH the GOODNESS!!!  Sweet.... ice cold... and juicy!!!  So juicy that I was only allowed to eat it OUTSIDE!!  And after my belly was full...  a good hosing off was required before I could even go inside the house!!  :)  As a kid, I was one of those "bury your face" in the center of the slice kinda watermelon eaters!!!  :)  I have since refined my technique!!!  heeheehee  :)  I can think of nothing more refreshing than a big fat juicy watermelon...    So....  there was no question for me what my shot this week would be!!!  :)  now... if you will excuse me.... there is a watermelon in my fridge!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot for this week too!!!

.... weathered............

Everything about him was old except his eyes and they were the same color as the sea and were cheerful and undefeated

This week mine and Nicole's word is WEATHERED.....  and I have to confess that my shot for this week is a cheat!!  :(  I did attempt a current shot for this week but nothing compared (in my mind) to THIS shot!!!  So THIS shot it is!!!  :)  Let me start by saying that I really have a passion for photographing street people.....  they are so authentic... raw.... baring their souls to those who would care to listen....  and I am drawn to their untold story....  and they all have one...  a story that is!!!  They are a walking reflection of a weathered life....  perhaps a life filled with struggles....  hardships....  sadness or pain...  when I see them I am never really sure why they are there.... on the street.... but their weathered face and hands silently speak  of a hard life....  and I am intrigued!!  What brought them to this place....  and while I do feel a certain sense of sadness for them.... I also, through my camera lens, see a simple peace in each of them....   and even though  I can never quit put my finger on that sense of peace that I capture in each of them, I know THAT is what draws me to each and every one that I photograph...  This fellow is a homeless man in Key West....  and when I saw him... I was drawn to the light on his face and beard.....  he sat quietly....  never asked for a dime....  in the warm ocean breeze....  his skin weathered by time....  by the sun.... by life....    he seemed so at peace.... this  weathered old man...  silently telling his story without speaking a word.

 Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot this week....  sorry for the cheat girl....  PROMISE I'll post a current shot next week!!!  :)  PS... welcome back!!!  :)

....growth...........

Growth begins when we begin to accept out own weakness

Week 19........  and we are in full blown summer mode around here....  it is HOT AS BLAZES!!!  Don't even want to think of how hot July and August will be....  why is it that I don't live in Portland again???!!!  :)  This weeks word for Nicole and I is GROWTH!!  Man... I would have loved this word back in March when everything was just starting to peek out of the ground....  totally found this little gem by accident....  we were moving the camper around in the yard... (yes we are going camping!!!  wish us luck!!!)  and I just happened to look up into the trees (the ones that were about to be wiped out by the camper!!) and there it was!!!  It was my lucky day for sure!!!  :)  And the quote is one that I try really hard to live by.....  the two together really put things in perspective for me....  no matter what my weakness is.... I have to own it.... accept it as mine!!!   And in the moment that I acknowledge my weakness it becomes my STRENGTH!!!  I grow....  beyond the boundaries that myself and others have created....  and become a better person.... a stronger person!!!  I believe that every circumstance.... every situation.... every challenge in this life presents you with an opportunity for growth!!!  I see this life as a journey that has been planned out for each of us by an Almighty God, who's intent is that we learn and grow from the day He puts us here until the day He takes us home....  and I sure don't plan on disappointing Him!!!  :)  Be sure to head over and check out Nicole's shot this week too!!!  Her work is ALWAYS amazing!!!  :)  :)