Changing my perspective.

"The supreme need in every hour of difficulty and distress is for a fresh vision of God.
Seeing Him... all else takes on proper perspective and proportion."
- G. Campbell Morgan

 

Lifting my eyes.

"Do not let your happiness depend on something you may lose... only (upon) the Beloved who will never pass away." - C.S. Lewis

Selena [my birthday-baby] turned nine months!! Ahhh, time flies! Soon she will be one and I will be... well, never mind how old I will be. *grin* It was a cold, dreary, rainy day... and we stayed nice and cozy inside capturing this growing little girly. I love the preciousness of a bond between a mother and child. The incredible joy of watching a baby turn into a wee-little-person... with personality, moods and emotions. 

What a joy it has been to journey with Selena not just because she is the daughter of my dear friend Robin, but to watch her grow through the lens of my camera... capturing and seeing things through the eyes of a little one.

Jesus, give me the joy and faith and dependency of a child. ♥
To see more Baby.ness go here

It has been a week full of reminders, re-evlauation, restoration and repentance. 
This needs to be the state of my life.  
This was a most precious discovery Jesus gave me last week. [Yes, I screamed and cried... hearing her voice before heaven!!!] 
This makes me so thankful that science just proves what Jesus has always been trying to tell us. 
This was so much fun to see with my Daddy last week! 

How greatly I need Jesus. How I long to go deeper. To seek Him with my whole heart. I am asking Him to teach me what simplicity means. What the near future looks like practically... including photography, branding and life in general. I am excited about may ideas, but also waiting for His leading and His direction! I have been even more aware of how greatly I need Him every hour, every minute in these last few months of health challenges... and now, its deeper. I want it for everything in life. Yesterday at church, I was once again blessed by the realization that nothing convicts, heals and restores my soul like worship!! He restores my soul! He does! He gives me Himself... always, to the full and overflowing. Is He yours this day, dear friends? Are you His?

‎"Do you not believe He loves you with an everlasting love? Do you not know that He spared not His only begotten Son, but delivered Him up for you; and do you think that, after having done so much for you, He will withhold from you anything that is necessary for your well-being? You must not think so.” - C.H. Spurgeon

-KM 

 

 

 

Branding one's business is a l-o-n-g processes.
A process I started thinking about almost a year ago.

I've spent the last almost-365-days praying, thinking, dreaming and scheming...

I am buried in the middle of it. Quite buried. 

In the last few weeks, I have been collecting things in piles that "represent" me and my brand, and now starting to get REALLY excited with ideas that are coming together. It is such a gift from Jesus to see things falling a little more into place. While everything [blog, website, design, logo, name] might not be complete for a little while longer yet, I wanted to give a sneak peek of color scheme and things that I am thrilled to pieces about... *happy dance*

"There's surely something charming in seeing the smallest thing done so thoroughly as if to remind the careless that whatever is worth doing... is worth doing well."
- Charles Dickens

"For this God... is our God forever and ever: He will be our guide... even unto death." - Psalm 48:14

♥ KM

Everyone...
this is:

Rillian.

Lord Rillian, to be exact. 
He was given to me as as Christmas present from a precious adopted sister, and until today, he has been nameless. 

Thankfully, the royal court was able to put our heads together, declaring that Rillian was quite a good, solid, distinguished yet practical name for a penguin. He is a Lord, even though he has the appearance of an Emperor due to the unanimous declaration that the court does not want to be ruled by a penguin, no matter how darling-helpful-fun-party-like they are. *grin* With that decision being made, Rillian and I went on our first photoshoot...
and I discoverd what happens::

"If You Give Penguin Snow..."
 

He will want to pose for a picture....

 

When you take his picture, he will start to make snow penguins...

 

When he has been covered in snow... he will ask to go inside to dry off. 

 

After drying off, he will notice your tea and ask for some of his own. 

 

Tea will remind him he's hungry... so he'll ask you for a cookie.

 

 

When he's finished, he will be in a happy mood, and that will make him want to dance to his favorite song...

 

 

After he has danced his heart out... he will ask to play the piano so he can compose his own piece. 

 

Music will remind him that it was Christmastime not too long ago, and he will want to look at twinkle lights.

 

Twinkle lights make him happy, so he will get excited and want to play a game!

 

 

 Word games make him want to study, so he will ask to see your library so he can read. 

 

He will probably read for a very long time... 

 

So long, that he will fall asleep and have dreams of fairy tales and happy things. 

 

 

When he wakes up... he will want to tell you about his dream and ask to color a picture of "Happily Ever After"

 

And then write to his penguin friend to tell them about it. 

Then he will want to see what you are working on... the pictures will remind him of posing.

 

And chances are if he wants to pose again...
he is going to want to go back out,

and play in the snow. 

 The end. 
♥ 

Dedicated to my forever and always penguin-friend and Royal Majesty, along with the other members of the royal court.
Also, to my precious Rebecca who I have grown to love so dearly.

 

dizzy with details...
just a bit out of focus. 

My new life goal:
"To make it my ambition and definitely endeavor to live quietly and peacefully, to mind my own affairs, and to work with my hands..." - 1 Thess 4:11, Amplified
 

waiting for His best. 

"[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed that I would see the Lord's goodness in the land of the living! Wait and hope for and expect the Lord, Kristi; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord." 

- Psalm 27:13-14, Amplified

Since I was little, I loved creating things. I was the arts and crafts kind of girl. Markers and paper, paint and wood, scissors, tape and card stock, sewing machine and fabric scraps... it was endless. If I thought up an idea, I wanted to do it. Ask my Mother. *grin* Making messes and beautiful things as a result as been a life long pursuit. Now with sites like Pinterest, my creativeness is even more inspired and delighted!! So so so so many ideas.

In the last several months, I have been captivated by the concept of restoration, remaking and refinishing. It started with a chair, then turned into a rocking chair, picture frames and now even some simple upholstering as well. Mhmmm! The thrill and delight I get from taking something old and making it new is wonderfully addicting. Probably because it reminds me so much of the Gospel... of what Jesus did and does for me daily. So now, the first Saturday of the month is my new favorite day... fifty percent off all Goodwills. Yes! Perfect for finding random pieces of furniture and frames to refinish. Interestingly, as I have continued to pray about and contemplate ideas for my photography future [branding, logo, design, colors, feel, look, etc.etc.etc.] I have discovered that I adore cream: ivory, lace, creaminess anything. Gray too and also soft browns. For some of you, that may sound like it doesn't go together... but oh, it so does. So creams have come out in my refinishing projects lately. They just seem to go with everything. 

Anyway, the last several weeks I have spent random amounts of time up in the workshop refinishing the rocking chair and about a dozen picture frames. Sanding, painting, sanding, painting, sanding... love it!! I am rather in love with the workshop feel. As 2012 just began [or so it feels] I am still working on my "bucket list" of things I'd like to do this year... but I can tell you that it will include learning:

- To use a table saw
- To use a staple gun
- Staining techniques 
- Sanding details
- How to wood burn

Ah yes, don't you want to join me? *grin*
Life has been full of unexpected circumstances and situations since about Thanksgiving... this has led to becoming rather behind on other things which are now accumulating beyond being accomplished. I hate being overwhelmed. Jesus is teaching me grace. Jesus is teaching me humility. Jesus is teaching me to take life completely a day at a time. So much easier said than done. What a joy it has been to my heart in the midst of everything to have "simple" projects to work on, little bits at a time. Also, having several photography jobs in the last week have added to that delight as well... I love having creamy, precious, emotion-filled images to edit once again. 

So enjoy some images of refinished things! I forgot to take before pictures... so use your imagination: the rocking chair was white and really stained and scratched with some flowers on it. The picture frames were all fairly cheap ones from Goodwill or our attic, mostly oak kind of wood. I am quite pleased with their almost finished state!  

‎"You can blame circumstances, but backsliding always begins in the heart." - A.W. Tozer 
-KM 

PS - New favorite song... wwwoooow.
PPS - This is super fun and amazing.
 

 

We are not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be. - C.S. Lewis

Carl likes Casey.
Carl has liked Casey for a while...
Carl has been friends with Casey, well, for a long time too. 

Then... it happened. I think it's called love. 
He prayed, talked to mentors and then asked... 

As they say, the rest is history!

Casey liked Carl and so it's worked out quite swimmingly, to say the least. 

Carl makes Casey laugh. They enjoy being silly. 
Carl loves Cheescake [like LOVES] and Casey loves to make Cheesecake. 
Carl is a computer geek, to the core. Casey is a writer... they like to hang out with their laptops. 
They both love their families.
They both love music.
They both enjoy Starbucks.
They both giggle... 

mhmmm! Yeah, they are cute. 

It was quite the engagement session... antique shop scoping. giggling. snuggles. smiles. grins. laughs. creamy sunset lighting. laying in the mud. getting locked in an antique shop, with the owner's dog. starbucks. wonderful window light. mhm. Yep, it was good. I am quite pleased with the results. How thankful I am every time I get to capture the beauty of relationship. A couple... soon to covenant before God to love and cherish, in sickness and health, till death. Lovey-doveyness. Yes! ♥ I loved being behind my camera and capturing people again... ah, 2012. How much you have waiting for me. Life is always an adventure with Jesus!

‎"God knows our situation; He will not judge us as if we had not difficulties to overcome. What matter is the sincerity and perseverance of our will to overcome them." - C.S. Lewis

-KM