Sunday, July 31, 2011

SHS: July 31st & Scripture and a Snapshot

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

1. Walking Empty Streets


2. Repeating Patterns
























Sitting outside at the picnic table with my camera, paper, and iced tea is so relaxing. I took this shot of the repeating lines on the tabletop.

3. Floor







We like to play games on the carpeted floor of the living room. Jon doesn't often play, and so he decided to take plenty of silly pictures while the rest of us played an intense game of Scrabble on Thursday night.

4. Then and Now























Taken in October 2009










Taken in June 2011

5. Fingertips

Christopher is a skilled pianist, who also plays four other instruments. He wants to major in music someday.




I'm also linking up with Katie's Scripture and a Snapshot.
























May you all experience God's peace in a greater depth than you ever have this coming week! God bless.

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Blog Button

You may have noticed my new blog button over on the right side of the blog, but if you didn't, here it is!


On Wednesday, I was attempting to create a blog button for the first time and it was surprisingly fairly easy! I just used Picnik and followed instructions I found here.

So, I'm anxious to hear...what do y'all think? Do you like it or is it too crazy for this simple blog of mine? And I have no idea how to put the code under it, in case anyone wants to put it on the sidebar of their own blog. Help!

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

P.S. Guest posting over here!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Reminiscing.

Summer days are slowly coming to an end. I'm looking forward to the busyness that college brings, but I'll miss having so much free time. 

These past three months I've had to move around a lot and live with two families besides my own which was a huge blessing. The lessons I learned and the friends I made are invaluable.

Summer 2011 was amazing for so many reasons!! To name a few...

Having two sweet, adorable little sisters. I love you, Jaycie and Ana!

Living in this beautiful house.

Strikingly beautiful sunsets. 

My family's return and getting to see them for a few weeks until I leave to return to Cedarville. Christopher's so funny! He can make me giggle hysterically about the most absurd little things. 

Waking up with gobs of golden curls in the morning when I shower right before bed the night before. Why don't I do this more often?


Drinking iced tea by the gallon. It's the perfect drink to cool down on a hot summer day.

Walking the Lake Erie beach: Slightly humid, pale sunset, footprints scattered across brown sand, children 
building sand castles, bluish-grey water.

Thank you God for showering me with blessing upon blessing!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Delightful Desserts.

Q: What's the perfect summer dessert?



A: Strawberries, blueberries, and grapes drenched in vanilla yogurt. Mmm.














































Christopher loves strawberries and chocolate mousse yogurt. He's always had a sweet tooth.







































What's your favorite light, summery dessert?

Linking up the first photo with:

Photobucket  


Brothers.

I'm sure my brothers are tired of me taking photos of them and it's only been a little over a week since they've been here. Seems like I've always got my camera pointed in their direction.



But they're too cute not to take pictures of, and since I haven't had much to do this summer, having photo shoots makes my days much more enjoyable. 

Jon and Christopher seemed annoyed at first, and I can understand why, especially because they're not used to it. 

Christopher tried running away from the camera and Jon chased him around the house with this stuffed orange kitty and blue creature (which I'm not sure what it is).

Now they've accepted it and often just ignore the camera, which I don't mind at all.


























My passion for photography is growing with the passing of each day and I find myself longing to pick up my camera and shoot, just as my body longs for a good, long run nearly every day.

I feel like my photography is improving dramatically and I have my 365 photo a day project to thank in part for making me pick up my camera and shoot every single day. If you want to see your photography improve in leaps and bounds I seriously suggest you start your own project of the same sort.
























I don't know about y'all, but I love going for walks around the neighborhood right when the sun's setting behind the clouds. It's peaceful and perfect for thinking and praying. The line, "There's a beauty to the dawn, a rhythm to the rain" from the song There is a God by 33 Miles keeps repeating itself over in my head, reminding me of how creation is declaring the glory of God. Maybe that's why I love nature and people so much. God created us to love and serve him and there's nothing that could be more worthwhile of our time and energy.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Scripture and a Snapshot: In-Depth Look at Faith












































What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? -James 2:14


For the past few days I've been seeking to gain a better understanding of what faith is. God prompted me to search for the word faith on http://biblecc.com/ and I've been going down the list reading each one and posting them on Facebook for my friends and I to read and soak in. How many times do you think the word faith appears in the Bible? After doing a bit of research, it seems that faith appears about 270 times throughout the Old and New Testaments, which is more often than the word love appears. Clearly, faith is vital for Christians. It must be backed by actions, because what is faith if there is no proof of it?

This coming week I can put my faith into action by:
* Taking time to listen to the concerns of friends and family
* Tithing 10% of my income or more
* Praying for specific needs that I know of
* Reading God's word and meditating on it for a good length of time every day
* Casting my cares and worries on God because he cares for me and you!
* Writing a letter or two of encouragement to leaders in my church
* Praying for missionaries from my church

Etc., etc. Those are just a few ideas.

Do you have any specific examples of how you put your faith in action last week?



Saturday, July 23, 2011

Still my heart
























Still my heart
Hold me close
Let me hear a still small voice
Let it grow
Let it rise
Into a shout
Into a cry

I am restless until I rest in You

Restless//Audrey Assad

That's my prayer for today. Yesterday was exhausting, driving down to Cedarville first and then over the Indiana border to pick up our new car with my dad. Waiting for three hours, finally getting the car and then driving home drained us both. Today I want to rest my body and my soul in God my Father.


Photobucket

Friday, July 22, 2011

I'm headed...

























to my college, Cedarville University tomorrow! It's just going to be a day trip to pick up a friend from the missionary kid reentry seminar that's been happening there for the past two weeks, but I'm excited to go, anyways. What are your plans for the day?

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Transition and Wee Bit Wednesday

Wow, I haven't posted since last weekend. There's just been a lot going on. My family arrived on Monday and my parents have been unpacking like crazy to prepare for guests we're having tomorrow. 



I said goodbye to my little sisters (who I'll see on Saturday), but I definitely miss them lots and it's only been a couple of days! The curly red-haired girl on the right is Sharon, their babysitter for the summer.



{one}
What is your dream job?
Traveling the world as a photographer for a magazine like National Geographic and teaching English or Spanish as a second language. Also, I'd love to be a mom to three or four.

{two}
How many best friends do you have?
That's hard to answer. I've got plenty of good friends, but one bestie? I can't say. One friend I've known since I was born because she was born in the same hospital I was 11 days prior to me. We're still pretty close.

{three}
What’s the longest road trip you’ve ever taken?
My family drove from California to Ohio when I was in second grade. It took us a long time because my brothers and I were so little at the time.

{four}
If you had to do one single thing every day for the next year, what would it be?
 I'd say prayer and Bible study, which I already do, so I will say exercise because that's something that I don't do as often or consistently as I should.

{five}
What’s one story your family always tells about you?
My mom always tells the story of me getting kidney failure at age 8 in third grade. I spent 11 days in the hospital and after I was released I got nymphrotic syndrome, which my mom claims made me look five months pregnant. I indignantly refuse to believe that and have told her so, but it's of no use. To this day, the story is still told.

{six}
How did your parents pick your name?
My parents were originally going to name me Rachel, but there were too many Rachel's that were born the year before I was, so my parents decided to use my dad's first choice, Jessica, even though my mom preferred the name Jennifer.

{seven}
What’s the one thing that scares you more than anything?
Wondering if my name is really in the Book of Life. Yes, I know that's sorta silly and pointless because I have declared Jesus as the Lord of my life and I believe that God raised him from the dead; but sometimes I let fear creep in and it gets the best of me. I need to trust God because he's faithful, just as 1 Thessalonians 5:24 says.

I'm also scared of becoming obese. I've always been obsessed with my weight and the weight of everyone else I see. It's horrible, and I know that if I don't overeat it won't be a problem, but I let my worry get the best of me.

{eight}
Are you a good cook?
Yes. My friends and family say so and I'd have to agree, although I'm useless without recipes to follow.

{nine}
Where do you see yourself in 20 years?
Married and mom to several kids, working from home and living outside of the US as a missionary.

{ten}
What’s your best childhood memory?
Going to Jais Aben Resort in Madang province on the coast of Papua New Guinea for a spiritual retreat in 9th grade.


Now it's your turn. What are your answers to the questions?

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Scripture and a Snapshot: Faithful Obedience.





Understand, therefore, that the LORD your God is indeed God. He is the faithful God who keeps his covenant for a thousand generations and lavishes his unfailing love on those who love him and obey his commands. 
-Deuteronomy 7:9

Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.  
-1 Thessalonians 5:23-2

This week I was feeling very distant from God and trying to figure out what to do about it. Eventually I decided to look up verses that talk about God's faithfulness. They revived my spirit like only the word of God can do. God has encouraged and challenged me to remain faithful to him and obey all of his commands. It really is simple. If we follow God's commands and love him, he'll pour out his infinite love on us.

Wider Blog and Other Summer Fun

How do you like the new look? Today I decided to widen the blog so that I can post larger photographs that will be easier for everyone to see. If you'd like to widen your own blog, Paper Heart Camera has a great, easy-to-use tutorial for you!



The last couple of nights we've been eating s'mores, watching Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and sitting around a campfire talking.














































I don't know why, but I just love this picture. We got to the campfire and when I saw the neighbor's yard I decided I had to photograph it.

   and then, she {snapped}  



Do you have anything exciting planned for the weekend? I'm looking forward to my family's arrival on Monday. Have a lovely Saturday!

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Late Lunch

Where'd we go this afternoon at a little after 2 o'clock? The mall for lunch!


















The faces Ana makes are priceless.












































Photobucket












































































Jaycie ordered a pizza roll and bread sticks. When they were done with their meals, both girls finished with an ice cream cone from McDonald's.


















The only item I ordered was a Mocha from Caribou Coffee because I'd already indulged in a bowl of plain oatmeal with a tbsp each of Nutella and Peanut Butter mixed in for brunch around noon.