Quick Peek - Kyle and Jill: Anoka MN Engagement Pictures

A couple of the promised pictures. More coming soon! Thanks for being such a cute couple despite the cold, guys! :)

I'm still alive....

I'm still here...

I rigged my computer, so that I can use it for the engagement pictures that I shot today [fun stuff... can't wait to share!] but it's going to have to go in. But for now.... it's working :)

Got a crazy week coming up, starting a new session of swimming lessons [three days a week], along with teaching an aquacise class, editing pictures, and trying to get the most I can done on my computer before I bring it in. I'm also starting a writing challenge with some friends, where we are going to write everyday for a month. I'm super excited about it, but I think it's going to be crazy! If you care to follow along my blog for the challenge is Paper and Ink Spots .

You should be seeing a sneak preview of todays engagement shoot tomorrow! And I'll try to jump right back into my blogging routine.

Hope your weekend was blessed!

~ Kelley

Computer....has some issues

Hi there! This is supposed to be "My Work" day... but... but... my computer has some issues.

It's been smoking. I thought I warned him that smoking is bad for you and can give you cancer, but apparently he didn't listen. He tried to hide it from me, but I smelt it on his breath. And, I saw the sparks from his lighter... ;)

I all seriousness though, I could definitely use some prayers for it. I have almost three months worth of pictures and documents on it that weren't backed up [I had been meaning to do back-ups for a long time] and I also covered an event for the newspaper that I would *really* like to get paid for. {sigh}Not to mention the fact that I *really* don't want to pay for a new computer. lol

I'm learning though to trust God in it all, and that "all things work together for good." And if it does die... I can handle it, with Him.

A friend is going to look at it for me tonight, and hopefully he'll be able to figure out the problem. Keep praying!

Thanks!

~Kelley

Why I love Winter: Sledding

Or Sliding... :-) It's which ever way you look at it. Last week after church some of the families went to the hill. It was so nice out, the week before it had been in the negative temperatures, but on Sunday it was in the 40s. Spring is coming! [which maybe, just maybe means that this is one of the last posts in this series for the year]

Snowball fights, good friends and lots of exercise coming up the hill :-)

 {Kate kept sliding back on the sled... and eventually slide right off!}

{Mom has a whole passel of little ones :) Rachel, Elijah, Kate, and Ian}

Snow ball fight! 

{Ethan taking cover from his dad}

{Amy getting plastered by Daniel}

Whitewash!

 Daniel better watch out ;)

Fuzz insisted on walking up the hill *every* time all by himself. Quite the man.

Natalie being... Natalie. 

Ian!! I love this little kid. :D 

{Just to be clear... It's a doggy hat... *not* a bunny.}

This is when he was being my chariot driver... "GO! GO! GO!" 

Lost some people along the way....

Hey pretty girl! 

Benjamin! 

On a kind of sad note... there's not much snow left around here.. everything's turning to MUD :P 

[new series coming in the next month or so.... Why I love SPRING!]

~Kelley

Little things and a Big God

[A few thoughts from the book I just started reading, 'The Irresistible Revolution', by Shane Claiborne]

"We are surrounded by unbelieving activists and inactive believers. Where are the true Christians?" 

"We live in a world that has lost it's appreciation for the little things... a world that wants things bigger and bigger. We want to supersize our fries, sodas and church buildings. But amid all the supersizing  many of us feel God is doing something new, something small and subtle."

{both from the introduction to the book} 

I think the ironic thing about the above *very* true statement, is although we are supersizing everything else in our life, we have failed to realize how truly "supersized" our God is. We put Him in boxes, make Him smaller than He is... and routinely fail to believe that He is BIG. At the same time, when He tries to reach us through small things - whispers, creation, etc - we fail to realize that it is God because... "He's supposed to be BIG."  What an oxymoron!

Let's wake up and see God in the little things, but at the same time wake up to the fact that we've limited Him to those little things, and that He is bigger than our wildest dreams. Let's take up the banner of our King and become believing activists, know that our God can change the world.

A Red Rose

Oh, and it's Valentines Day! ;)  Remember to love everyone... not just your "significant other".... just as God loves us.

~ Kelley

Saturday Sharing: A Single's Valentine

Since it's Valentines Day on monday... and since I'm still very single this year [Although I did get some chocolate! haha, thanks Abbey!] I thought I'd share this Video with you from the gang over at Jostie Flicks . I got a kick out of it.

Happy Valentines Day to you ALL!

<3 Kelley

Why I love Winter: Soft Snowflakes

Fluffy snowflakes falling softly are one of God's wonders that make me stop and contemplate. They make me feel full of wonder, like a kid, even though I've seen them for 20 years... 

[This verse also reminds me that sooner or later spring *will* come]

"He spreads the snow like wool, and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down His hail like pebbles. Who can withstand His icy blast? He sends His word and melts them; He stirs up His breezes and the waters flow." [Psalm 147:16-18]

What is Success?

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." {Joshua 1:8}

The other day I was reading this passage; I had already been contemplating the question, 'What is success?' and this started me thinking even more. I mean we can all figure out the world's definition of being successful. If we have a good job [and we're on top of the corporate ladder], we drive a Caddy or a BMW [or a Ferrari], we have lots of investments and a huge house. But what I was wondering is, what is success supposed to look like for the Christian.

Unconsciously, before I starting really thinking about all this, my view of success was finishing what you've begun. And although in some cases that can be true, I can think of some circumstances where that idea held me back from doing what I was supposed to be doing. At one point last spring, I felt the need to quit a job that I had only been working at for less than two months. For a while before I quit, and even after, I struggled with the fact that I didn't finish what I'd started. I came to the conclusion that success doesn't always mean that you have to finish it. So if that's not success, and neither is money, or a job, or a car and house, than what is?

Even the definition of success leaves you hanging:

"a degree of measure of succeeding / A favorable termination of a venture / one who succeeds / obtaining wealth, favor or eminence." [Websters Dictionary]

So basically, success is measured by what *you* think is a favorable termination of a venture. [Or by what our culture thinks]

So is success by God's standards physical things? Is it spiritual gifts? Is it the amount of people that you win for the Lord? Is it the amount of work you do?

Is it being rich? Is it being smart? Is it helping lots of people? Is it just plain doing exactly what the Lord tells you?

The Hebrew meaning of the word is:

To be intelligent, consider, expert, instruct, prosper, deal prudently. give skillful, teach, to have and make to understand[ing], wisdom,  behave self wisely, make wise, guide wittingly.

In the other parts of the bible where this word is used the word is translated wisdom. Maybe success doesn't have a tangible form, and maybe it looks different for each person that is following the will of God for their life.I think it's more like wisdom, behaving wisely, teaching, instructing, to make wise, to make to understand.

"Only may the Lord give you wisdom [success] and understanding." {1 Chronicles 22:12}

"The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel... to receive the instruction of wisdom [success], justice, judgement and equity." {Proverbs 1:3} 

"A man will be commended according to his wisdom [success]." {Proverbs 12:8} 

I guess, though, regardless of what success looks like, the way to get there is laid out in the first verse that we read....

"The book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, that you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe what is written...."

I wish you all much success, in God's terms!

~Kelley

Two Spots of Joy

I know I've blogged about these two before. But I really love them. And they are truly two spots of joy in my day... as I'm writing this, every so often Fuzz runs into my room and pears over my desk to give me a kiss. Oooh how happy is that. And so.... you get to see more pictures of these little cuties. Hopefully they make you smile a little of how much I do!

 This. just makes my day. 

 Petie loves anything to do with hair... which explains why she's wearing three "hebands"

 My little man. 

She likes to hug him. On her own terms ;)

 It's interesting watching twins grow up.. they really love each other. The other day I was listening to Kate [while she was supposed to be taking a nap] telling a story about "da bear outide! Jijah, toot it! Jijah toot it! While Elijah was now where in the room. 

 And then they got a little crazy....

 And a little goofy....

But they settled down because they like the camera. 

Fuzz's "camera face"

 Awwwwww

 This one has to be one of my favorites. It's just so classic.

 Although this one comes pretty close.......

Personalities coming out......

 Playing with their big bro...

 Apparently she didn't want a kiss.... she wiped it off. 

 He was pretty happy with himself for conquering that mountain of pillows... must be all that weight lifting and push ups that he does....

 So this girl.... has style. An eclectic style.. but style none-the-less. Yes, she is wearing five different shades of pink and stripes, checks and herringbone all in the same outfit. 

And I wish I could claim this amazing picture of Elijah.. but Mark takes the honors.

And the three of us :)