Friday, April 27, 2007

...its coming...

ok...so i have been TERRIBLE about posting!! im so sorry! these last couple weeks have been a nightmare! I have 2 papers to write, then i'll have free time! (im out of school) so keep checking back, in the ext couple days ill have a good long post up to fill you all in on my life!!


love!!!

Monday, April 16, 2007

...trying to sleep...but to no avail

...it's 4:30 am and I am sitting in bed dog-tired, but still wide awake at the same time. I've been trying to sleep for the last 4 hours. At first, when that wasn't working, I tried working on homework - couldn't concentrate. So I succumbed to re-reading a novel that is written with mediocrity (as far as well-written novels go), but a story that is singed in my memory. Reedeming Love by Francine Rivers is the incredible story of the faith of the Biblical character, Hosea. The fictitious characters of Micheal Hosea and Angel are direct allusions to the love story of Hosea and the prostitute, Gomer. It is incredible to me how a man can have that much passion and true desire for a woman whose past is anything but desirable. Francine Rivers' interpretation, and delivery of this story is truly breath-taking, scratch that...life-changing. (Not to mention addicting! I'm about 200 pages into it, after starting tonight!) God is so very much like His character, Hosea. No matter how broken, or dirty our pasts are...He loves us with the depth of the oceans. No matter how many times we anger Him, or frustrate Him, or even leave Him...He is there to welcome us back into His arms of redemption and peace, and unconditional love.
It can be truly maddening to know that our Father is willing to take us back after all the crap we've created, or been through, without any sort of debt to Him. Everything has price...right?
WRONG!

As long as we are honest and repentive and seeking, He will guide our every step without so much as an expectance of payment. Well, besides the constant abiding by His rules, and trusting Him. (Both of those can be difficult at times, but thankfully He's the forgiving type...as in unlimited amounts of forgiving!!! How cool is that?!)

Anyway, my book...I was writing about my book. :) Ah, yes...Katie reminded me of this book last week, and although I had read it before, I suddenly had a longing to re-read this story of faith, and unconditional love. It is impossible for me to fathom a man that could trust God, and be as obedient and observant of His still small voice, as this man does. The character in the novel is far from perfect, as we all are, but he has what I have seemed to lack these last few years...an insatiable hunger to hear God's voice. I envy him for that!!! Can you imagine envying a fictitious character in a novel?!? How very strange!

But in all honesty, that is something that I have lacked as of late. It seems that I have forgotten how to simply listen. If I am not besieging Him with my "wants" and "needs," I am generally asking Him to help others, or asking Him to speak to me. But I have come to the realization tonight (it started @ Reality during worship) that I am so busy asking for His input...I never seem to find the stillness in which I can merely just listen for it! Remember those quiet times after chapel at church camps (usually in the mountains) when we were younger? "okay kids...go have quiet time....meet back up with your group when the bell rings...don't go into cabins, don't sleep, don't socialize...etc etc etc." We would all scatter off to our various nooks and corners within the camp boundaries with our Bibles and notepads as if we truly understood what it meant to "BE STILL AND LISTEN," wishing we could just have more free time, and wondering how long til our half hour was up. I usually wound up hiking around up the hill a ways, no sounds but the sticks and pine needles crunching under my feet, and the birds squawking at each other, slicing through the otherwise silent cool air. Thinking back on it now, though, those were probably some of the times that I have been closest to my Father. No, I may not have known what I was listening for, but I can recall emotions rising inside me that I have rarely felt since. I wish I were more like that on a daily basis. More like Hosea. His ability to hear God's voice, even despite the physical temptations raging within him, combined with Britt's message, is the most substantial encouragement I've heard in a long time.

So thank you Katie...for reminding me of this incredible love story that I long to live out in my own life. And, more importantly, thank you Jesus, for being the center of that story.




Heavenly Father, your words to Michael Hosea stand out even to me God. I pray that You daily remind me to take time out to listen to what You have to say. I pray that I am quiet enough, long enough to hear Your desires, and hopes for my life. God, may You be all I desire to please. Thank you for Your unconditional forgiveness, Your deep passion for my life, and most importantly, Your Redeeming Love. I love you Lord. It is as simple as that. And I pray that I can honor You with everything in me.
~insatiably Yours....your daughter

Saturday, April 14, 2007

...guess what?

hey ya'll...

Karen French called me back to second shoot for her again!!! The wedding is today: ceremony @ the San Juan Capistrano Mission, and reception at the Ritz Carlton Dana Point. HOW FUN!!! :) It's only going to be she and I, (which is kinda intimidating) but I can't wait. I'm leaving home now, just wanted to ask you all to pray for me quickly if you think of it! I'm kinda nervous...haha.

all right...have a blessed day!

~b

Monday, April 9, 2007

...God, keep me seeking after You...

Do you ever meet someone, and the first time you really hang out....the moment you sit down together...you know that you could be awesome friends? That happened to me today! :) I'm so excited to become better friends with Katie Grace Clay! Lately, I've really been missing the connections of some of those solid Christian friendships that I used to have. It is definitely one aspect of my life that I cannot wait to grow when I move from Brooks. Anyway, Katie is a few years older than I and I truly admire her. She seems so completely grounded in her faith, and so devoted to Christ. I can't help but feel how much I've strayed from that since I moved up to Brooks. I miss that constant contact that I used to have with people whose lives were devoted entirely to serving the Lord. I pray that I can become that person again.
I digress...anyway...I absolutely love Katie!! she's a total sweetheart! With a wonderful heart and an awesome personality! She is most certainly an excellent encouragement! i cannot wait to hang out with her more often and create a tight bond!!

thanks for being an inspiration katie! :)

Thursday, April 5, 2007

...@ long last...the Vegas blog

Vegas Baby!!!

haha...ok so maybe the line is a just a lil cliche...but WPPI Convention in Las Vegas was soooooo much fun! (WPPI = Wedding and Portrait Photographers International.) I am blessed enough to consider Mike Colon an incredible friend (more like a big brother), and a mentor. AND to have him consider me an assistant!!! I went under his company name and got to play assistant! I cannot wait til I get to intern for him May-August!

Ok....so the basic schedule for the week was as follows:
Sunday: Left OC --> drove to Vegas...
-got into vegas about 2:30pm...
-grabbed lunch with Mike, Kristin Renee, Ray Santana (uncleray), Roseanna, Sam and Ashley (I dont remember their last name!!! I know they live in FL!!!)
-ran a few errands around the tradeshow floor
- stopped off to make an appearance at the OSP party @ Napoleon's in Paris...

Mike went covertly to both parties...in his HAWAII hat...
-headed over to the "Super Swanky Soiree" @ the Bellagio (hosted by Sara France and a few others) Mike's "girls" got temporary tattoos...hehe. mine was an Asian character that said "love." It was gone the next day.
-went to bed around 2-ish ( I was rooming with Kristin Renee, Amy Nave, and Tiffany Aicklen on the 11th floor of the Paris!)

Our Hallway!

Monday:
-Mike spent some time at his sponser's booths....
Nikon
La-Vie Albums

haha...sign issues


Elvis is Alive!!! @ the WPPI tradeshow at least!

- Monday night he shot at the Champagne Shootout. It was fun! In the Bally's event center, the four corners of the room were packed with people watching each of the four incredible talents battling it out. The onlookers appetite's were satisfied with free ice cream!!! Every topping you could imagine! The four photographers each had a stage with a studio lighting setup and a model. with huge Apple Cinema displays and Mac Pros and all that.

Roseanna, beautifully edge lit! (if I do say so myself)


Mike teaching at the Champagne Shootout...


My new buddy Martin...the Apple guy!

-Later that night we partied it up with at Bludomain the Kingpin Suite at the Palms Hotel. Mike got some bowling tips from Gav over the phone which put him just 3 points below first place! It was an awesome suite above the strip! With a pool table, two bowling lanes, and a bar...it was jammed with people!


The Kingpin Suite @ the Palms!!


Tom Flint, David Burke, and Mike Steelman after a few at the blu party...


David Burke, Tom Flint, Danny Heinlein, Corey McNabb, and Mike Steelman...


The Photographers, Jaysun and Jos bowling.


Tuesday:
- Mike had a talk at the Nikon Booth
- then at Pictage
- again at the La-Vie booth
- he was free from about 3:30-6 (so i managed to get a nap in there!)
- there was a Pictage Party at Napoleon's in Paris, and an Apple Aperture party, AND a WPPI hospitality party (@ Bally's) that I missed cuz I was sleeping!!! Apparently I really needed a nap! O:) oops!
- a HUGE group of us had dinner at Mon Ami Gabi in Paris. Then walked around and caused trouble! : )
-after all the craziness of the day, we headed over to THEhotel to party it up with [b] and his entourage! Dane Sanders had his patented Simple Photo Booth at the party...it was a HUGE hit! Here are some Pics of my good friend Jeff LaPlante and I being silly! :)




Wednesday:
- Lexar Booth talk (3 times over!! poor guy had to repeat himself over and over and over.)

- an Apple talk
- and a Nikon talk one last time.
- that afternoon I hung out with Jeff LaPlante and his wife, Sara, and their two little ones, Cam and Paige. It was the best night of the whole week! We walked from Paris to Aladdin (to get Starbucks) and then down the Mirage to see the Volcano erupt, then to Treasure Island to see the Pirate show (which was closed because of the wind...Cam was disappointed).

The Volcano Explosion...

All week I was fortunate enough to hang out with a great group of friends that I had met at the previous workshops...TJ Cameron (with whom I didn't get to spend NEARLY enough time!), Tom Flint, David Burke, Tiffany Aicklen, Corey McNabb, Mike Steelman.

I even made a few new friends!! Geaorge from Rangefinder Magazine, Kevin Meyers, Danny Heinlein...and SOOOO many more!!

here are a few random shots...

There was a HUGE pic of me at the Nikon booth!!! (I heard rumors of one at the Epson booth too, but never saw that one.) Thanks Mike!!


It's actually a half scale replica....I didn't know that!


The Strip @ night...


The ceiling at the Bellagio (my fav hotel) was strung with these cute little balls of flowers. They were light pink (kinda hard to tell here.)


After being there several times in the last few years, I finally saw the fountains!!! :)


aaannnnddd finally a pic of me...not sure who took it...Tom Flint maybe?