My Life Update as of December 16th, 2013

These last couple weeks have been great. I hope the same is for you all!

First off, now I work at a Post Office, as Janitor, 5 days a week in the mornings, with a friend of mine. That has been going well. I have amazing people to work with and am so thankful for that..That way I wont be cleaning bathrooms, mopping floors, wiping windows/ counters, and dusting for grumps. (Although I'd still be there working even if they were grumps, hehe) They all have joyful personalities...well, most of the time. ;) I have cracked a few jokes with some of them since being there and vice versa.
So...the workers (at least some of them) like Baklava. You know what that means? It means I'll be making them some sometime next year.

I found some John Calvin Sermons (on Ephesians) on Sermon Audio by Still Waters Revival Books. There are a lot other ones by John Calvin, but I think I'll start with the Ephesian ones. So excited about it! I am hoping to listen to one a day (or night or early morning), but not sure exactly if it will work out or not, as I am very busy on the first place. But in order to have time, I have to make time.
 His sermons have always been a blessing for me. I am hoping that this will help me to pay attention to Biblical topics and such throughout the day. Even though you can't really be thinking about Biblical Theology while doing math. ;) Too bad!! But as I take care of my farm animals, clean the house, organize, work at the post office, and such it will be a good idea to have Christ on my mind. :)
I also found some that are not audio (just typed out) that I might read too. Whichever I do, I'll try and post each whenever I read/listen them. :)

I do read theological books as well. As I am 18, I do not believe in following blindly in religion if you can clearly study it on your own. I am not saying that I do not follow someones teaching, I am saying that you can not say you "believe something", if you can not describe it yourself or study it yourself- that is not a true belief. So, that is why I study things on my own. :)
I am thankful that through the study I have done, I have not been led astray by false teachers or by fanciful words of the wicked. The Glory be to God!

"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." ~Romans 16:17-18

Some books I have been reading:

Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure by David Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Taking the Christian Life Seriously by by Sinclair B. Ferguson
Domestical Duties by William Gouge
Sum of Saving Knowledge in the book Westminster Confession of Faith
Ye That Love the Lord, Hate Evil by Fred. T. Di Lella
Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliot
And a couple parts of other books here and there.
I read my Bible too, of course.
I pretty much try and read anything I can get my hands on, which can be a problem concidering how many awesome books we have in our possesion and how little time I have to read them all. But I try and read not too many at a time, so I can actually get through them and not be in the middle of 8 books at once. Plus, it is easier to grasp things when you are doing a little at a time.

I am also starting to memorize Ecclesiastes and finish up Proverbs. I used to always complain that memorization was "too hard", but I have come to realize that I just wasn't putting effort in to actually DOING IT and doing it frequently. That is why I have been stuck in Proverbs for years now. That is going to change. Thankfully. :)

School has been going great! I really enjoy it as well. In History I am reading/ studying the Constitution. In Math I am doing a whole book on review before I go on to Algebra. (Can you believe I am actually super excited to start Algebra?!!! :D) All my friends seem to dislike Algerbra... I hope I don't. At least my mother liked it when she was in school, so I have some hope. ;)
Maybe it is just my impatience to finally go forward and feel "normal".

Ha, and what does "normal" even mean in today's corrupt world? Yeahh, that pop-star has a "stunning" dress on today....which most of the time means half dressed or maybe normal is that 18 year old woman with that boyfriend of hers who she does who knows what with and does so with no shame... -_- So, no...I guess I really don't want to be "normal".

So...I thank the Lord I am not "normal" as the world defines it and that I am saved by grace to be a new person. Praise the Lord! Be behind as I am in school, but what matters in my life is if I glorify God and do what I do well for the furthering of His Kingdom and our edification.
On that, I am moving forward and better than I would have if I was not behind. I find I am learning so much, that I likely wouldn't be grasping if I was younger.


So heres to another blessed week. May the Lord encourage you all in His truth.
Peace, my friends. :)


“Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” ~Ephesians 4:3

"Marriage and the Marks of Farm Life" (Bryan Welch)

The chickens are pooping all over the front porch again, and my wife is a very special woman.

Almost every week, at some point or another, Carolyn says how happy she is to live at Rancho Cappuccino, surrounded by the wildlife and the livestock, steeping in nature’s own exotic brew of life, death, struggle and ecstasy.

Sounds great, you may say, but the chickens are pooping all over the porch. The geese are pooping all over the lawn. The manure in the sheep pen is two feet deep right now and  the pasture where the cattle are grazing, well, it’s a cow pasture. Talk about your exotic brews.

The cow is a virtuosic defecator. They poop more, larger, wetter, deeper, noisier and more often than anyone else on the farm.

But all God’s children leave their mark.

The chickens leave theirs on the front porch.

My wife’s friends are revolted. Who can blame them?

But my wife is a very special woman.

We’ve tried solutions to the chicken problem. We tried fake snakes. The chickens ignored them, then killed a real snake and left it there, next to the fake snakes on the porch, to express their disdain I guess. This really happened. No kidding.

Then we created a barrier of silk flowers in little buckets. The chickens steer clear. Guests have to step over them.

Of course the chickens still do their business all over the sidewalk and the drive way and the lawn.

I’m acutely conscious that there are very few roommates who would put up with this, and almost all of them are men. If you think I’m being a sexist,  you have an invitation to come help me clean the sheep pen. Then we can talk about my prejudices.

I figure if Carolyn decided to divorce me, I could either move to town or be single for life. I try to think of some other attractive woman who would be willing to join me at the Rancho. I can’t. Even some of the best sports I know can’t hide the little grimaces that say, “How can they live like this? How can she live like this?”

So here’s to Carolyn, with all my gratitude. I’ll make sure I take my boots off every time I come inside. Promise. Unless I forget.

*~~~~~~~~~~~*
Original post here.

"When I am weak, then am I strong..."

"Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong." ~Corinthians 12:10

Bring Our Soldiers Home!!! :'(

Ward Miles - First Year (Video)

There are no words I can add....just please watch the video.

This little guy was only 2 ounces more than I was! <3

http://vimeo.com/78393869

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee.." ~Jeremiah 1:5

"In every season of waiting, our response should be to rely on Christ as the true source of our joy..." (Jasmine Baucham)

“Don’t spend your discontent moments daydreaming about married life. It happens to all of us. We become discontent and harried and look out over that pile of dirty dishes and sigh about the day when you’ll be able to be supper on the table for the man of your dreams- when there’s a guy in your life who needs you, not just to change his diaper or feed him his applesauce.

“But…sowing habits of discontentment has two negative results. First, it takes our sights off of the here and now, and sucks the industry and joy out of today’s service. Second, it becomes a part of our character and demeanor that is sure to hinder us later in life.

“Remember, this is not the only “waiting” season you will ever have to endure should the Lord bless us with husbands some day, we may wait for job transfers, moving opportunities, a biblically functioning church, the blessing of children…in every season of waiting, our response should be to rely on Christ as the true source of our joy.”

   ~Jasmine Baucham from her book Joyfully at Home

The Real Truth about ‘Boring’ Men — and the Women who Live with Them: Redefining Boring

(Post originally written by Ann Voskamp)

So not every guy proposes with lip syncing, rolling cameras, and a choreographed entourage.

Yeah —  so what if  your Dad didn’t?

He just pulled that beat-up Volkswagon Rabbit of his over in front of Murray Reesor’s hundred acre farm right there where Grey Township meets Elma Township, pulled out a little red velvet box, and whispered it in the snowy dark: “Marry me?”

“He didn’t even get down on one knee or anything?”

You boys ask it incredulous, like there’s some kind of manual for this kind of holy.

And I’ve got no qualms in telling you no. No, he didn’t even get down on one knee – it was just a box, a glint of gold in the dark, two hallowed words and a question mark.

“Boring.”

I know. When you’ve watched a few dozen mastermind proposals on youtube, shared them with their rolling credits on Facebook, marvelling at how real romance has an imagination like that.

Can I tell you something, sons?

Romance isn’t measured by how viral your proposal goes. The internet age may try to sell you something different, but don’t ever forget that viral is closely associated with sickness – so don’t ever make being viral your goal.
Your goal is always to make your Christ-focus contagious – to just one person.
It’s more than just imagining some romantic proposal.
It’s a man who imagines washing puked-on sheets at 2:30 am, plunging out a full and plugged toilet for the third time this week, and then scraping out the crud in the bottom screen of the dishwasher — every single night for the next 37 years without any cameras rolling or soundtrack playing — that’s imagining true romance.
The man who imagines slipping his arm around his wife’s soft, thickening middle age waistline and whispering that he couldn’t love her more…. who imagines the manliness of standing bold and unashamed in the express checkout line with only maxi pads and tampons because someone he loves is having an unexpected Saturday morning emergency.

The man who imagines the coming decades of a fluid life – her leaking milky circles through a dress at Aunt Ruth’s birthday party, her wearing thick diaper-like Depends for soggy weeks after pushing a whole human being out through her inch-wide cervix, her bleeding through sheets and gushing amniotic oceans across the bathroom floor and the unexpected beauty of her crossing her legs everytime she jumps on the trampoline with the kids.

The real romantics imagine greying and sagging and wrinkling as the deepening of something sacred.
Because get this, kids — How a man proposes isn’t what makes him romantic. It’s how a man purposes to lay down his life that makes him romantic.
And a man begins being romantic years before any ring – romance begins with only having eyes for one woman now – so you don’t go giving your eyes away to cheap porn. Your dad will say it sometimes to me, a leaning over – “I am glad that there’s always only been you.” Not some bare, plastic-surgeon-scalpel-enhanced pixels ballooning on a screen, not some tempting flesh clicked on in the dark, not some photo-shopped figment of cultural beauty that’s basically a lie.

The real romantics know that stretchmarks are beauty marks and that different shaped women fit into the different shapes of men souls and that real romance is really sacrifice.
I know – you’re thinking, “Boring.”

Can you see it again – how your grandfather stood over your grandmother’s grave and brushed away his heart leaking without a sound down his cheeks?

50 boring years. 50 unfilmed years of milking 70 cows, raising 6 boys and 3 girls, getting ready for sermon every Sunday morning, him helping her with her zipper. 50 boring years of arguing in Dutch and making up in touching in the dark, 50 boring years of planting potatoes and weeding rows on humid July afternoons, 50 boring years of washing the white Corel dishes and turning out the light on the mess – till he finally carried her in and out of the tub and helped her pull up her Depends.

Don’t ever forget it:
The real romantics are the boring ones — they let another heart bore a hole deep into theirs.
Be one of the boring ones. Pray to be one who get 50 boring years of marriage – 50 years to let her heart bore a hole deep into yours.
Let everyone do their talking about 50 shades of grey, but don’t let anyone talk you out of it: committment is pretty much black and white. Because the truth is, real love will always make you suffer. Simply commit: Who am I willing to suffer for?
Who am I willing to take the reeking garbage out for and clean out the gross muck ponding at the bottom of the fridge? Who am I willing to listen to instead of talk at? Who am I willing to hold as they grow older and realer? Who am I willing to die a bit more for every day? Who am I willing to make heart-boring years with? Who am I willing to let bore a hole into my heart?
Get it: Life – and marriage proposals — isn’t not about one up-manship — it’s about one down-manship. It’s about the heart-boring years of sacrifice and going lower and serving. It’s not about how well you perform your proposal. It’s about how well you let Christ perform your life.
Sure, go ahead, have fun, make a ridiculously good memory and we’ll cheer loud: propose creatively — but never forget that what wows a woman and woos her is you how you purpose to live your life.

I’m praying, boys — be Men. Be one of the ‘boring” men – and let your heart be bore into. And know there are women who love that kind of man.
The kind of man whose romance isn’t flashy – because love is gritty.
The kind of man whose romance isn’t about cameras — because it’s about Christ.
The kind of man whose romance doesn’t have to go viral — because it’s going eternal.
No, your dad did not get down on one knee when he proposed – because the romantic men know it’s about living your whole life on your knees.
There are Fridays. And the quiet romantics who will take out the garbage without fanfare. There will be the unimaginative calendar by the fridge, with all it’s scribbled squares of two lives being made one. The toilet seat will be left predictably up. The sink will be resigned to its load of last night’s dishes.

And there is now and the beautiful boring, the way two lives touch and go deeper into time with each other.

The clock ticking passionately into decades.

'Passion and Purity' by Elisabeth Elliot

I got a new book, Passion & Purity yesterday. So excited to start reading it! :D

If you have read this book, comment below with your thoughts about it.

“I realized that the deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able to honestly to pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done.” ~Elisabeth Elliot

“I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts. Its easy to talk oneself into a decision that has no permanence – easier sometimes than to wait patiently.” ~Elisabeth Elliot

Planting, School, Rubber Bands, Kittens, and Flame-throwers...

So these last two days were spent doing school, cleaning, and finishing all our planting for this year. We will be transplanting the fruit trees in the spring.

As for that brick sidewalk that I was working on, well that will now be put off until the spring as well- Daddy and I decided to put flat rocks down for the winter and I will work on it in the spring, when it is somewhat warmer.

It's COLD outside now!! Although, we actually did not get snow the other day- thankfully, since that is the day we got the rest of the pine trees in. :)

Today I went outside to take pictures of Daddy using the flame thrower in the dark. My fingers were numb when I was done...I got some awesome shots, so it was well worth the cold fingers. ;) Maybe sometime I will post a couple.

This week has been going so amazing- getting up early and getting things done I have been wanting to get done, with a little less distractions.

Well, my kitty, Charlie, is much better now. In fact, he is getting a fat tummy. Haha... He is turning into a fatty! Let's just hope he doesn't eat anymore than he is already! ^_^

My Dad and I are now shooting rubber bands at stuff to see who can hit things...Haha, this was his idea not mine! He's been doing it since he was a kid, so he is wayyy better than I am. Boys..... *chuckles*
I haven't even hit anything yet. I'm such a lame gal. '_-

Alright, off to bed for now.

"Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace,
Comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work." ~2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Mountains in Scotland 

Jeremiah 33:15-16

Good morning those Beloved in Christ.
I hope the Lord blesses you with an encouraging day, glorifying Him in all you do.

Here are some the verses I read in my morning devotions:

"In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness." ~Jeremiah 33:15-16

Heidelberg Catechism Rap (Video and Lyrics)

Curt "Voice" Allen performs the rap song he wrote about Kevin DeYoung's book on the Heidelberg Catechism, "The Good News We Almost Forgot." Kevin and C.J. Mahaney, who challenged Curt to write the song at Next 2010, are in the front row.

Lyrics:

Verse 1:
Yeah I'm on a mission like a couple spies, and that guys is the reason why I catechize. The good news we almost forgot I recognize, Heidelberg rediscovering the gospel prize. It's not scripture but the truth in it will mention he, introduction hide and seek the 16th century. Written in a time when your mind was the weaponry, this document is back into the populace shouts to Kevin D. Better than you think not as bad as you remember, purpose driven truth, from Frederick the elector. He would initiate, the 129 questions to illustrate truths like Christ propitiates. All in a document, whose purpose was to teach children, a guide for preachers, and confessions in a church building. And this is all fact The Heidelberg Cat has been around but now it's seem like it is coming back.

Hook:
We believe in the cross, believe in his life,
We believe in his death, believe he's the Christ.
We believe that he rose from grave yes it is him
And we read the Heidelberg Catechism

We believe in the after life and we believe nothing's after Christ, so we stand our ground, cuz the truth's been around from the word to the Heidelberg.

Verse 2:
Year of the Heidelberg resulting in renewed passion, and we could see it in our lives lights camera action. Let's take a gander and address a few questions from Heidelberg document then look at the answers. But before that make sure that, you know how it's broken down, in a Q & A format, a few sections. Suggestions how to read this not to sound promotional, but Kevin put it in his book to make it a devotional. Each question each answer has a bit of commentary, so the application of it is not some involuntary. Mystery, the history screams through rings true but I'll just leave that up to God, cuz that's between you. to believe, but to believe you gotta read you and then you meditate on all the truths that the Heidelberg will illustrate. What's that the catechism homey where you been the good news we almost forgot let's get it in!

Verse 3:
From the word to the Heidelberg, we see that what's the comfort of life should come first. And in death that I with, body and soul but belong to the savior, commentary from me man, tell this to your neighbor. Moving on, how many things are necessary for thee, enjoying this comfort, to live and die happily? Three, my sin's misery, deliverance from sin, and gratitude for God is how the answer ends. Let's stretch it out the Lord's day 23 the grandaddy of them all, questions 59 and 60. What good does it do to believe in all this? In Christ I am right heir to the promise. Paraphrase, anyways I'm kinda limited I'm just trying to say a couple things my man Kevin did. On the Heidelberg, go and get you one, and by the way CJ homey this was fun.

Planting, Thrift Shopping, and School

We have been spending these last two weeks planting shrubs that were on sale at Home Depot and Lowe's. Which includes digging holes twice as wide and pretty deep down, my Dad and I then mix mushroom soil with our soil to get a good mixture to put around the bush in their holes. Fun and hard working times during these last warmer (ish) days.
It might get MUCH colder and possibly snow (?!) on early next week/ Tuesday!
I hope not, because we still have pine trees and now some fruit trees to plant (also some fence post holes) and we need to do them before it freezes over.
I am thinking tomorrow is going to be a long day.  *Deep breath*
I am glad I got some house cleaning down today because I may not have much time to do it tomorrow. We'll see! Life is exciting indeed!

Recently we went to a Thrift store. I needed to because during the spring/summer I got lots of shirts...but they were all t-shirts, which aren't the best on chilly autumn and winter days! So this time I got tons of blouses, so that takes care of that factor....but there were not many skirt there, sadly, so maybe we will go again sometime soon and hopefully find something!
Thrift store shopping is one my favourite kinds of shopping- that and craft shopping! (And I am not really into clothes shopping, lol)
At Thrift Stores they seem to have a relatively good selection of modest (at least somewhat modest) clothes, which is such a blessing.  There are SO many rows of skirts, shirts, and dresses, etc. I have found a lot of treasures there. I especially like Wednesdays there...They are at least half off!!! And their price are super cheap in the first place. Whoopie! ;)
We then get home and spend a good amount of time labeling (like each person's names, etc.) and taking out staples (where they price tags are stabled on)...Fun times! :D

I have been spending more time doing school recently, so that is wonderful!
Almost done with this math book! :D Yippee! So excited to start the next grade soon that I can hardly contain myself. ;)

Pretty amazing how your attitude can change as you get older.
I really like school now.
Thankful that God is maturing me to enjoy the things I need to do. :)

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." ~Revelation 5:13

"Your Hands" by JJ Heller

I heard this song on Pandora the other day. So needed it.
"When my world is shaking Heaven stands....When my heart is breaking I never leave Your Hands..."

God bless you all and have a blessed rest of the week. <3

Photography Website is Up!!

For those interested. I have my Photography Website up.
This is just starting out, so way more to come! :)

http://sunnymeadowphotography.com

Calming the Storm Within You

       "Devotions" Without "Devotion" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

Some of us have had devotions, but we have not had devotion. There's a big difference. We may have gone through the motions of reading our Bibles and "saying our prayers" but we have not been cultivating a love relationship with our God. We know alot about Him, but we don't really know Him. 

We are active and busy in a multitude of spiritual activities, but we have lost perspective of who it is that we are serving and why.

The result of our "devotionless" religion is seen in the way we respond to pressure. So many of us as Christian women are chronically stressed out. Everywhere I go, I see it in the eyes of women; I hear it in their voices; and too often I see it when I look in my own mirror. I know what it is to have demands coming at me from every direction. I know what it is to respond of weariness, with an impatient, demanding spirit.

And I know what it is to contend with God Himself, even as my eyes fill up with tears of frustration with myself and my reactions.

I also know that there is only one place where that angry, reactive, overwhelmed self can be transformed---the same place that Mary chose--the feet of Jesus.  I must take a conscious, deliberate, daily choice to sit at His feet, to listen to His Word, to receive His love, to let Him change me, and to pour out my heart's devotion to Him.

When I get into His presence, the whole world looks different. When I draw close to His heart, I find mercy when I know I deserve judgment; I find forgiveness for all my petty, selfish ways;  I find grace for all my inadequacies; I find peace for my troubled heart; I find perspective for my distorted views.

In Him, I find an eye in the midst of the storm.  

Oh, the storm around me may not immediately subside;


but the storm within me is made calm.

October 24th, 2013 (Photography)

I have been putting off writing a blog post until I had something new to talk about. Well, I have something to talk about- or more than "something".

To start off, my photography is going great! Did two sessions in the last two weeks (one of a family and their kiddos (together and separate, and another of another family of just their kiddos) and I have another one (a 2- year old child's birthday session) this Friday! One a week does not sound like much, I know, but with the editing that goes along with it and all that's related, it keeps me busy!

Although if anyone is wanting to do a session- I am all up for it! Just contact me at: SunnyMeadowPhotography@aim.com
I am charging $100.00 for one hour session- this includes a CD or Flashdrive with some of the pictures- usually around 15-25- depending on how many turn out. :)


I figured I might as well write this before it gets even more busy! 

The Dillow Family!

Girly loves her bubbles!

Silly Boy!

What a model- this what not staged!

Mommy and daughter playing with bubbles.

Family fun time. :)

Ohhh, caught some "mushy mushy" looks. ;)

A BEAUTY! (Got her looks from Momma too-hehe)

Silly faces :-)

These Pumpkins sure like their pumpkins. ;)

I wonder what she is thinking...."Ohh, how I love my hubby" or
"Yeah, we made these children and I am thankful I have met you, Sweetheart"

Family <3

Now the Beardmore Kiddos!

Brother&Sister Love!

Serious life is indeed....we'll walk this path together!

Siblings. :)

Cuteness!!

A beauty!

Handsome boy!

:D

My sister and I have been sewing again. I have been learning to play guitar (Yippeee!!!) and I am also going to learn to paint soon. So exciting!!

Going to start school up again as well. :D

Everyone have a great day and thanks again for stopping by!

Hope you enjoyed my photography. God be the glory! :)

Goodnight! <3

(P.S. I think this blog has the most exclamation points ever! ;) )

The Vanity of this Present Life (John Calvin)

Whatever kind of tribulation we may suffer, this should always be our goal: to learn contempt for the present life, and thus to be led to meditate on the life to come.
Because the Lord well knows our readiness to embrace the world with blind and even brutish love, he uses the very best means to part us from it and to rouse us from our lethargy, so as to free our hearts from so foolish an attachment.
All of us, in the course of our lives, like to be seen as people who long for immortality in heaven, and who are trying very hard to attain it. The thought that we are no better than the brute beasts, and that their lot is in no way inferior to ours, would be humiliating were we not left with some hope of eternity after death. If, however, we think hard of the schemes we all devise, the plans we lay, the things we do and undertake, we will find them to be mere dust!
Our folly comes from the fact that our minds are more or less dazzled by the false glitter of wealth, honour, and power, which are superficially attractive and which stop us looking further ahead. By the same token our heart is taken by greed, ambition, and other evil desires, and is held so fast by them that it cannot look higher up. Lastly, our entire soul seeks its happiness here on earth, because it is wrapped and entangled in the pleasures of the flesh.
To remedy this evil, the Lord teaches his servants to recognize the vanity of this present life, carefully training them by means of various afflictions. Lest they look forward in this life to peace and tranquillity, he allows war, turmoil, theft, and other evils to upset and trouble them. Lest they thirst too much for ephemeral wealth or trust too fondly in the wealth they have, he reduces them to poverty, sometimes by sending barrenness upon the earth, sometimes by fire, sometimes by other means; or else he condemns them to bare sufficiency.
Lest they delight too much in marriage, he gives them difficult or headstrong wives who torment them, or wayward children to humble them, or else afflicts them with the loss of spouse and children. If, however, in all these things he treats them kindly, to stop them from becoming proud in their conceit and complacent through excessive confidence, he warns them by means of sickness or peril, and gives them as it were visible proof of how fragile and fleeting are the goods we enjoy, since they are subject to decay.
Thus the discipline of the cross is of great benefit to us when we understand that the present life, judged in itself, is full or worry, trouble and much misfortune. It is never completely happy at any time, and all the blessings we hold dear are transitory and uncertain, trifling and tinged with endless misery.
The conclusion we draw, then, is that here we must expect nothing but conflict. If we would seek our crown, it is to heaven that we must look. We may be sure that our heart will never really learn to want the life to come, and to meditate on it, without first feeling disdain for this earthly life.

August 14th, 2013 (Life, Photography, and Lord's Day Quote)

I can't believe how fast this summer is going by!!

Almost September people!

General things are going on- school, house cleaning, outside farm work, cooking, photography, etc.

Photography is going awesome and am learning so many new things! It is so exciting! :) I am thinking about starting to shoot in RAW soon and looking forward to working with that! Progress- ohh yeahh!

I am also going to start up my sewing again. A skill I want to learn more of because it is so beneficial. You can also do so much at home to make money if you learn to sew.

I have made a good amount of food recently...that I really should have taken pictures of and posted on my food blog, but never did, so maybe next time!

But if you are wanting to see some of my recent photography, I'll share some from my most recent session- to see more, go to my 'Sunny Meadow' Photography Facebook Page.

A friend of mine is wanting me to take family session/ children portraits in the second week of September. So, hopefully by that time I will be shooting in RAW and editing will look better!

Here are the pictures I took recently of this beautiful girl! :)
(I told you all about doing her session on my 'July 22nd' blog post here. )

And, lastly, picture wise, here is what I had for supper... It was delicious!!!! :D

Alright, everyone have a blessed Lord's Day! Thanks again for stopping by, my friends!

"We love God’s day. We do not only keep a sabbath, but love a sabbath. ‘If thou call the sabbath a delight’ (Isaiah 58:13). The sabbath is that which keeps up the face of religion amongst us; this day must be consecrated as glorious to the Lord. The house of God is the palace of the great King, on the sabbath God shows Himself there through the lattice. If we love God we prize His day above all other days. All the week would be dark if it were not for this day; on this day manna falls double. Now, if ever, heaven gate stands open, and God comes down in a golden shower. This blessed day the Sun of righteousness rises upon the soul. How does a gracious heart prize that day which was made on purpose to enjoy God in!" ~Thomas Watson

"Philly is Ugly" (Film)

Finally! The Film is out!

Check is out here:
Philly is Ugly

Please share along with those you know- beautiful shots!!

July 22nd, 2013 (Photography)

I know what you are thinking...."Finally! She is writing again!"
Yes, I haven't written in quite some time.

So what has been happening in my life?

Well, to start it off, Ian Borowicz came for a visit from the 26th of June to the 9th of July- that went awesome!!
He helped my Dad work outside, we went shopping a couple times, and generally speaking, we all had a great time.

It is summer....obviously, but it has been in the 90s and mid 90s, so it has been pretty hot. Just making sure to stay hydrated- Water for the win!! ;)

So, we have started the garden- yes, late this year, but better late than never!
We have tomatoes, peppers, green beans, lima beans, squash, and sweet potatoes growing so far. We'll be doing a lot more in the garden these coming days...and weeks. Such a blessing to have home grown produce!

I am doing a goat trade with a friend of mine (who I haven't seen in a good while), so we both can have new blood lines for our goats and their goats. So, we will be getting Kiko and Spanish in our blood line, if the trading goes as planned. Yay! Kiko goats have good resistance to many problems goats generally have, especially with worms- so I am pretty excited with it all.

Photography has been coming along nicely. I have been editing a birthday party from June and have gatherings from June and April (I think it is April at least) that need editing. It has been fun. Editing takes forever! That is why it is best to do all you can to get your settings right- that way it needs less editing, at least when it comes to the lighting and so on. But I do enjoy it- if you don't enjoy doing something as a hobby, why do it?

Visit my Photography on Facebook here!! :D Feel free to 'like' it, if you like what you see, or contact me and maybe we can do a session together!

Sometime, this month or the coming month, I am going to do photography for a new friend of mine who's baby has Down Syndrome. They figured out after she was born that she had it, so it was a shock to the family and relatives. They are learning new things every day and I pray God will give them strength to take care, love, and thank God for her. It will be a good experience for me to meet her and take some pictures. Let's just hope they turn out!

School has been going alright as well.

Last week, my sister and I went to Shady Maple, in Lancaster, with a bunch of girl friends, for my one friend's birthday. We had a good time chatting, eating and just spending time together.
Shady Maple had great food (we went there for lunch)- broiled breaded chicken, creamed onions, stuffing, mashed potatoes, broccoli, salad and salad add-ons, all kinds of vegetables, etc, etc. The ambiance especially was BEAUTIFUL!!
We went to some shops around there as well.
Yes, before you ask, I brought my camera, so I got some interesting shots of places we visited.

 

 

A fun shot of my sister goofing off.

Hope you all are having a great summer and thanks again for stopping by!!