Monday, September 30, 2013

A little Photoshop here, a little photoshop there.....ARGGGGG!!!!

Omgosh, this is so hard, this photoshop stuff...I mean really it does SO much...I was happy and content using my free and easy online editing programs (ipiccy & picmonkey)!!! Until, a fab friend of mine gave me Photoshop Elements 11 (thanks, Carrie)...I've only heard awesome things about my new friend Photoshop, but I was so intimidated to use it, I never bothered to take the time...

Well, after hanging out with another friend of mine, who knows a heck of a lot more than I do about everything in photography, gave me great photography tips and encouraged me to get to know my new friend, Photoshop! (Thanks, Leslie)...

So here is my RAW photo, in manual, edited in photoshop, bought some actions and applied it to this photo, put a frame around it, and I also made my own watermark...Good thing my son is amazingly handsome...HA!



Since this photoshop stuff took me, ALL DAY. I went ahead and edited the same photo in ipiccy in about 10 minutes...I really do like the simplicity of ipiccy, but I'm willing to challenge myself...I actually like the ipiccy edit better :-/




Sunday, September 29, 2013

Faithful GOD!!!!!!!!

Today in service while worshipping my JESUS with tears to that song, "Faithful GOD", by Laura Story, I wanted to just fall to my knees in thankfulness to HIM...Gosh, HE is so faithful and I am so not...I don't know what brings me to tears more, HIS faithfulness to a wretched sinner like me, or my unfaithfulness to HIM?  Either way it pricks my heart to continue to give HIM the worship HE so deserves for HIS faithfulness, and for me to just simply love HIM so that I can stay faithful to HIS will...

As we sang this worship song, I couldn't help remember the desperate time of need I was in with my Little Lovely, and how I received HIS faithful love of comfort, in an instant...HIS faithfulness represents so many things and in this particular time of need, HIS love showered me...It's so true when GOD allows trials in our life how evident it is HE is testing our faith...When I mentioned HIS love of comfort came in an instant I say that in a way for you to understand that HIS love waited for me to respond...As I was in my desperate state of need is when my unfaithfulness would come into play...But when I would finally open my eyes to remember,  GOD is here along side of me orchestrating all of this, instantly, HIS love of comfort poured over me!! In that time of desperation I remember moment by moment I would forget and then moment by moment I would remember...The great thing was, as I practiced this moment by moment need for my GOD, it got easier and easier to stay in fellowship with HIM moment by moment and no matter what came our way I was covered!!! I pray that makes sense to you...

I almost feel like the apostle Paul when he explains Romans 7:14-20...HA! I know that I do, that I don't that I do, but don't do what I do, do, do...HA! 23 times he says some form of word "do"in NIV version...

Anyway, with all of this said, (I'm so dramatic) I wanted to share more about our Faithful GOD!! We found out on October 17th we will finalize our adoption of our Little Lovely!!!!!!!!!! Can I get a whoop-whoop?!?!??! The attorney called at first to tell me we would do the final adoption on Oct. 3rd, but she still had to confirm...So when she called to tell me that date wasn't available, I sighed...BUT, then she said she scheduled it for October 17th, immediately my frown was turned upside down... What's the significance of October 17th, IT IS MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birrrtthhhdayyyy, I got a present from JESUSSSSS, Happyyyyyy birthdayyyyy to meeeeeee!!!!!!!!! Sing it wit me friends!!!

So precious....I'm getting a hand delivered, special birthday present from my Sweet, Loving, Faithful, Amazing, Sovereign, LORD!!! 

Can't wait to celebrate, which I might add, I am making this an open invitation to everyone that stayed faithful in prayer for us...Invite to follow :)


 


Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Daddy Love


I have yet again, related to Romans 7:24 


 "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death."


A couple of months ago while waiting for the trial date to come for my Little Lovely, I stayed at the mercy of GOD….I lived out scripture verses as the days came closer for us to find out if we have yet jumped another hurdle in the adoption of our Little Lovely…I could remember feeling so free from the oppression that would weigh me down…All I did during my days of waiting, was fellowship with GOD almost every second, took every thought captive and repeated HIS promises over and over in my head...Oh what a glorious time….

I miss it now…

I've been struggling a bit, since the trial, with that intimacy I had with GOD...It was a feeling I can't describe, but I know you can relate to what I mean…I'm still spending time with the LORD and I still have the intimacy,  but it's the moment by moment I want back… I remember when I was at the LORD'S mercy my boy would continually tell me how different I was…"Whatta mean, boy?"  "Well  Mom, I can't remember the last time you got mad or yelled at us." Gosh, that crushes my heart knowing how much I impact them when I'm frustrated…And now, it crushes my heart just realizing how hard it is for me to admit that publicly…That dang pride in me…


Anyway, I've been feeling that frustration again, pressing down on me for a while, and now my BFF kinda noticed it…She said, "I seem off." Guess you can't hide stuff from your BFF's...Praise be to GOD for that…I shared about being at the LORD'S beck and call during my waiting time for the trial and I explained to her how that feeling has faded a bit... I got what I wanted and now I feel guilty about missing that moment by moment intimacy...I know these feelings are from the evil one, I know GOD will not, has not and will not ever leave me…She shared about the apostle Paul and his thorn…Why did GOD allow this righteous man who has been through so much and does so much for the name of CHRIST,  yet have this thorn…Certainly, this could hinder Paul from doing what he was suppose to do…But did it? No, it did not…I'm so thankful she shared that with me…It showed me that the thorn in Paul's side was reminder of exactly why the word says what is says in

2 Corinthians 12:8-10:

"Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away.  Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

BAM!!!!! I'm weak...

I love how the LORD shows us things through His people and His word…Maybe I could have become spiritually proud of where I was at with the LORD, maybe He saw boasting in a way that didn't bring Him glory, maybe He is doing something I don't know anything about?  But what I do know, is even though I am weak, then I am strong…His love is profound!!!! 

I attached this picture of my amazing husband and our sweet daughter because it inspired me to write this post and reminds me of how my Daddy in Heaven looks at me….Agape!