Make me a channel of your peace.
Where there is hatred let me bring your
love.
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
And where there's doubt, true faith in
you.

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life, let me bring
hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness, ever joy.


Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we're born to eternal
life.

Book Review: Audrey Bunny

A couple of weeks ago I was sent an email asking if I would review the children's book, Audrey Bunny, written by Angie Smith. I immediately responded and just a couple of days later, the book arrived. It is my honor and privilege to write this post today.

I was excited to read the book for a lot of reasons. For one, it is written by Angie Smith, who is the wife of Todd Smith (lead singer of my very favorite Christian band, the award-winning group Selah). I went to one of their concerts an hour away by myself a few years ago and it was an evening I will never forget. Angie is an amazing speaker and blog writer. I read that they lost their daughter, Audrey in 2008 when she was just a few hours old. You can read about it here.

Audrey Bunny is a sweet story about a little bunny who has been sitting in a barrel of stuffed animals in a toy store for a very long time, waiting to be chosen. She is sure nobody is buying her because she has an imperfection. She has a mark on her heart. One day a little girl who came in to the store almost bought her, but didn't. She came back a few days later, on her birthday and bought the bunny, who she named Audrey. The bunny is insecure and tried hard to hide her imperfection because she was sure the little girl would return her to the store. She later learns that the reason she was chosen was because she wasn't perfect. The little girl loved her unconditionally.

It is a wonderful story teaching children (and adults) that although we all look different, God designed us perfectly. God does not make mistakes. We are loved more than we will ever comprehend and no matter how imperfect our hair, how much we weigh, or how many wrinkles we may get, we are all special and beautiful in His eyes. I pray this book helps people of all ages learn to love what they see in the mirror. I'm sure Audrey Bunny would have been one of my children's favorite books. If it is God's will, I look forward to reading it to my grandchildren one day. For now, it will be on my coffee table.



About the Author

Angie Smith is a well-known speaker and the bestselling author of I Will Carry You, What Women Fear and Mended (B&H Publishing Group). Audrey Bunny is her first children’s book. She has a master’s degree in developmental psychology from Vanderbilt University.

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." ~Psalm 139:14

"Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings." ~Psalm 17:8


(One of my favorite songs, "Through It All" by Selah)

And just so you know I can totally relate....
p.s. I forgave my mom for letting me go to school looking like that on picture day! ;)



Much Love,
Angie

Always

Well, there's absolutely no way I could ever finish my unrealistic goal to write 1000 things I'm grateful for before the end of this month. What was I thinking? Sorry if this disappoints you. I've been having too much fun taking photos in my spare time. Don't get me wrong; I am noticing so many things that in the past I may have overlooked. God's beauty is everywhere, and when I'm seeking photo opportunities, it's impossible not to be grateful.

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." ~Jeremiah 29:13

I want to share just a few of my favorite pictures this week.

I love learning about shallow depth of field, and my new 28mm lens!

I'm grateful that my friend, Linda agreed to be my model this week, even though she didn't look her best. She is such a good friend to me. I'm eternally Grateful that she is in my life! 

This is not a new photo, but it is one of my favorite pictures of my brother, Dave. It's going to be two years this next week since he left us. Words cannot explain that guy. He loved so well. He will never, ever be forgotten. 

My photography coach and dear cousin and friend, Lynn called to tell me to go outside and take a picture of the sunset. I just love that we might all live in different parts of the state, but we have the same sun. God's artwork is the best!

Photography & Life's Lessons

It's all about the Light...

Who would have thought photography could teach me so much about life? It's teaching me that if I don't want to live in automatic mode, I must be intentional about my focus and the amount of light (God) I let in. I want God to be the center of my life. I'm a mess when I try to live without Him and without balance. I don't want to be that weird Christian by being over-the top; and I don't want to be so far away that I will be in darkness, because we all know that's not good! I can only see clearly when He is my center.

The main thing I've learned so far in photography is that automatic settings are way easier than manual. You can almost take the perfect picture with your eyes closed. I've never heard of a "real" photographer using automatic settings (I want to be the real deal), so I'm determined to learn to take mine in manual mode.

In manual mode you get to choose your settings. When you look through the eye piece, you see a meter. The meter must be perfect at zero to take the perfect photo. The f stop takes into consideration the amount of clarity of what you are focusing in on and whatever is not in focus is blurry. The lower the number, the more blur in the background. My favorite photos are taken when the object is in perfect focus and the background is blurry. The shutter speed works with the f stop. I don't have a clear understanding of the shutter speed, except that it controls the speed that the light hits the lens and if the number is too low, you get "noise" in your photo. If so, you must move the ISO (controls the sensitivity of the light; still don't have a clear understanding of that either) up, but not too far or when the photo is enlarged, it won't be clear. It's also imperative to have your focus exactly on your object.

My cousin also let me borrow her flash. Apparently, metering doesn't matter when you use a flash. It adds light to the subject and it allows for an obvious sparkle in the eye! xoxo

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how you decide to take your pictures. Either way works and it's not for me to judge which way you choose. Some might not even know if you are in auto or manual mode. For me though, I'm choosing to live from here on out in manual mode, where I get to decide. :)

Oh, and we all know that it's important to focus on people instead of things... :)

"Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." (John 8:12)

61- quiet Sunday mornings when I'm the only one up
62- leaves
63- kind people who give of their time
64- the smell of dinner cooking in the oven
65- the sound of laughter from someone downstairs watching something all by themselves
66- people who wave at someone walking
67- my house, particularly in the Fall... after all of these years
68- the wind blowing leaves
69- slippers
70- yellow, green and orange
71- beef tenderloin
72- an overhead slam from up at the net
73- breakfast
74- living in a small town
75- finishing a workout
76- having nothing on the calendar today
77- an innocent childhood
78- determination
79- bright blue skies
80- piano music playing softly in the background
81- fresh fruit
82- stripes and plaids
83- close friends who know me well
84- and love me anyway
85- that age is just a number
86- outliers
87- my crockpot & vita-mix
88- spices
89- that my life is so blessed that I get to write "my crockpot," when I rarely use it

This week in Photos (Beauty in the Little Things)

51- that I don't have to work full-time to put food on the table
52 -my favorite perfume
53- that dentists ask me to sub
54- I get to wear scrubs to work
55- coffee to go
56- that I have a job where I get to have one-on-one relationships
57- that I know how to be healthy and when I mess up, I get a do-over every day
58- my alone time in the car
59- our dishwasher
60- our nice, cozy home

Listing a thousand Gifts by the end of November

1- a house big enough to have a guest suite
2- friends and family who want to stay with us

3- people who inspire me

4- someone who only speaks highly of others

5- long walks on cold, crisp mornings

6- the time change, for lighter walks in the morning

7- a healthy body to be able to exercise

8- puppies and the happiness they bring to lonely neighbors

9- a warm house

10- frost on windshields

11- the contrast of colors of the leaves 

12- bright red leaves 

13- Fall candles

14- pumpkin cake and pie with whip cream

15- my very smart, creative, loving and generous cousin, Lynn who is helping me with photography

16- how she encourages me to never quit when I'm frustrated

17- FaceTime with Meghan in Santa Monica

18- anticipation of a vacation to visit her later this month

19- early morning coffee and breakfast with John

20- my job being close to home

21- up north Michigan

22- group texts

23- games

24- every single person in our euchre group

25- strong family bonds that never change

26- photo opportunities right here at home and near town

27- coats, hats and mittens

28- good walking shoes

29- indoor exercise equipment
30- that I enjoy fruits and vegetables

31- my digital camera and new flash

32- music, music, music, music, music

33- bubble baths

34- the ability to know how to pamper myself

35- being able to read and type

36- my computer and cell phone
37- the scary fact that although I gave away several bags of clothes recently, I don't miss a thing

38- the ability to forgive

39- people in my life with a sense of humor

40- my car and how it starts every single time I get in it

41- being able to afford gas when it costs $3.69/gallon

42- that I don't need to take any prescription medications

43- my shoulder being back to normal

44- I'm going to say that one again... my shoulder feeling so much better

45- Ken, the physical therapist

46- my life-long friendship with Jan

47- hot coffee with almond milk

48- hot showers with nice smelling shampoo/conditioner

49- toothbrushes, toothpaste and dental floss :)

50- our newly painted garage floor

Whatever it takes, Lord.

I heard this song this morning while I was working out and it immediately resonated with me. I am so guilty of only going to God when I need Him and tend to put Him on a shelf until I'm totally desperate (Forgive me, Lord!). I write this post today when I'm not desperate, but filled with gratitude that He is always there to pick me up. I'm grateful for the times when things aren't going so great, when I'm forced to go to the only one who can really give me comfort anyway. I'm even grateful for the losses in my life.

He promises He will never let me go; it's me who lets Him go.

"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:19

I love when God speaks to me through a song. Have you heard this one? It gives me comfort and it makes me stop and appreciate all He has done for me.

"Let Her Go."



Are you like me?