Beauty

I went to have my quiet time at a local park today. I needed the solitude, the beauty, the quiet.

I walked around taking pictures of the flowers first but found myself increasingly frustrated at my inability to capture the beauty! I was seeing the hands of my Maker in every petal. The warm sun on my skin, the cool breeze across my face, the bright colors that caught my eye as I walked along the path left me awe-struck. Our God is so great! His intricate works in creation, to His intricate work in our lives as He weaves it together. I feel humbled at my tiny self. I feel inadequate in my worship. No words, no pictures can completely express the wonder of our God. But that's why He is God and we are not. We are His children, and forever I will stand in awe of the beauty.

Glorious beauty

I was overcome by the glorious beauty of our Creator during the recent blizzard that hit our campus. Our God has the power to cover entire states with a blanket of snow so deep that life as we know it is paused until we can recover. Yet despite the inches of falling snow, and the changes in our schedules, the sun still rose and shone its warmth on us as we treked through the fluffy whiteness to take pictures. The sky was still blue, and God was still the same. And I think He was pretty proud of that beautiful blizzard :)

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
⁶ He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
⁷ So that everyone he has made may know his work,
he stops all people from their labor.

Job 37:5-7

“Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
or seen the storehouses of the hail..."

Job 38:22

"Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."

Psalm 51:7

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool."

Isaiah 1:18

How good of God to give us reminders of His glorious splendor and beauty!

Glimpses of the future..

These are some shots I got a couple weekends ago while visiting my college for next year. I did lots of picture editing this weekend!

Photography with my new camara...

Add learning my new camara to my list of 2010 goals!!! :)

Show Me Your Glory

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

2 Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they display knowledge.

3 There is no speech or language

where their voice is not heard. [a]

4 Their voice [b] goes out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun,

5 which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

6 It rises at one end of the heavens

and makes its circuit to the other;

nothing is hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul.

The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right,

giving joy to the heart.

The commands of the LORD are radiant,

giving light to the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring forever.

The ordinances of the LORD are sure

and altogether righteous.

10 They are more precious than gold,

than much pure gold;

they are sweeter than honey,

than honey from the comb.

11 By them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can discern his errors?

Forgive my hidden faults.

13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;

may they not rule over me.

Then will I be blameless,

innocent of great transgression.

14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19

Lord, you are beautiful. Your glory is displayed in all of creation. You make me stand in awe of all that You are and I praise You, Jesus.

7 Years Ago Today....

My favorite little girl in the whole wide world was born in Solola Guatemala.

Today my heart breaks and my arms feel so so empty. I think of her mom who labored hours on end to deliver this sweet little girl, and she never got to know the delight of Claudia. I pray that she knew Jesus and that she is in Heaven looking down on her little girl who turns 7 today. But it breaks my heart that she never got to hear the infectious giggle of her little girl. I would give anything to have met this woman, who must have had the biggest heart of joy that she passed on to her daughter. Claudia laughs and smiles more than anybody I know. And tonight, I would do just about anything to have her next to me.

Amidst my heavy heart, thoughts, and tears I rejoice in the fact that God gave me this little girl. She changed my life forever, and I will never be the same. This girl lit a fire in me for the orphans, and my love for her has burdened me for the fatherless even more. I have learned how to trust God for the impossible even more, and I have learned that sometimes the only option is to place the most precious things in life in the hands of God. I put Mighty to Save with this video because this is still my song for her. I believe that God is still mighty to save- her and all the other children stuck in this mess of paperwork and laws. I believe that He has the power to bring her home. Whether or not that's in His plan is one thing- but I'm choosing to believe that one day she will come home.

Happy Birthday my sweet Claudia girl. I schemed all day yesterday about how I could manage to stow away on a plane and be with you on your special day. You are a delight, beautiful, funny, precious, and LOVED. You, sweetheart, have stolen a piece of my heart and I will never get it back from you. You changed my life, my goals, my priorities. If only you knew the prayers that I have prayed for you and your future, and the tears that have been shed over your precious life. I believe that God has a plan and a purpose for you. Feliz Cumpleanos mi chica preciosa. Te amo para siempre.

My little boys..

I have a fabulous new babysitting job for the most wonderful family EVER. Their mommy babysat for me when I was little so it's fun to be babysitting for her kids. Today, their older boy went to a neighbor's house for awhile. The baby was in a smiley mood so I did a little mini photo session. I am already on my way to being the photographer mom and I'm only 17 lol!!

I LOVE these kids so much and I've only been doing this for a week. I want to spend every day with cute kids. Can I please skip college, get married, and be a mommy?? :)

Glimpses of His Face

Have you ever been stopped by beauty? Beauty that reflects the majesty and glory of God? Something in creation that makes you stop and think, "My God is amazingly fantabulously incredible!" When I saw the sunset the other night I was stopped by its incredible beauty (I was still able to to take lots of pictures though lol). God has placed things on this earth that reflects His irresistible beauty. I feel like He hung that sunset just for me. Just as the sun rises and sets every morning without fail, God is faithful to His promises. He is constant, unchanging, and irrestibly beautiful, just as the sunset is. I have trouble summing up the words, because our God is truly indescribable.

O LORD, our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory

above the heavens.

When I consider your heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars,

which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,

the son of man that you care for him?

Psalm 8:1,3,4

For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

the LORD bestows favor and honor;

no good thing does he withhold

from those whose walk is blameless.

Psalm 84:11

Let the name of the LORD be praised,

both now and forevermore.
From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,

the name of the LORD is to be praised.
The LORD is exalted over all the nations,

his glory above the heavens.

Psalm 113:2-4

Homesick

Today I am homesick for Guatemala.

My arms are aching to hold the kids. As I look through my pictures, I remember how overwhelmed I was at their neediness. How could my 2 arms show the love of a mother to 18 children?

I miss seeing Caleb hold the kids. And I miss experiencing new things with him.

I want to run down the hill from the orphanage to go and hug this sweet friend. Was she able to go to the doctor? Has her body been healed? My heart aches for the people of this country. I miss their hugs, their language, their hospitality.

I miss the beauty. I miss walking out in the morning and feeling like falling on my knees at the sight of God's glory EXALTED.

I miss my sweet sweet little girl. Oh, Claudia, babe, I love you so much sweet girl. What I wouldn't give to bring you home.

Oh I miss her laugh!! :) I smile through my tears!

I miss my little guy. Even though his diaper leaked on me everytime. His eagerness when I walked in the room made my heart break and sing all at the same time. Sweet boy, I hope someone is there for you to wrap your arms around and make you feel secure.

I long to go and hold them, and whisper in their ears that I love them. So much.

This my friends, is one in 143 million. That just brings me to my knees today and makes me cry.

That's my heart, laid out for you today. I'm homesick and saddened by this world we live in. And so today, I have to turn these children, these people, this country over to the hands of the Father and have faith that He will protect and provide for them.