picotographures.

>>^^ going OUT of IN-N-OUT

>>^^ going IN to IN-N-OUT

^^matthew got arrested...for card cheatin'

ARIzona.

already, the posts about ladies conference are coming in. i'm sorry, but i'm running out of time on my computer and i must get back to the sun and pool to work on my tan, so if you wish to know more about this amazing opportunity i had at the conference, you'll have to wait. ask me later.

i just want to share my favorite quote by miss carolyn mcculley, not only a woman of GOD, but an excellent speaker, storyteller, and comedian.

"do we want thing thighs? yes, we do! but we only want them if it meant we got them walking besides our brothers and sisters, carrying their burdens."

hahaa such a great weekend. full of fun, laughter, and great messages and teaching. it was like a giant slumber party.

so much fun down here in sunny phoenix. yet i miss the movie rain.

avian beauty.

so here's my REAL post on beauty. my other one was just a quote. i know it will sound really lame to everyone, mostly the guys, but i don't care. i want to say this. so listen or not. but i think you should read it. after reading aly's post, i remembered once again what real beauty can be. avian beauty.

i met a little girl named ava. she is the most adorable three year old [well they're all to die for] i know. ava has big blue eyes, she is content and happy, and she has crazy curly hair that goes whichever way it wants. cute as a button; well cuter actually. and she is beautiful. i think that her most beautiful trait by far though, is her innocent mind.

you realize that beauty is distorted and photoshopped, but then you have no answer for what real beauty is. well, i think that one definition is beauty from the mind. not in the hands of magazine editors, not in the eyes of tyra banks, and not in the images we see pasted across the media. real beauty is inside a child's mind. kids have the most unique way of thinking. ways that adults can just not comprehend. to a child, colour is unimportant amongst playmates. to a child, glory, fame, and wealth are just words. and to a child, GOD is so big, so strong and so mighty there's nothing our GOD can't do!
why can't adults be that way? why does colour of skin cause separation among GOD's children? why have we become so greedy and self-centered that we are fighting with our neighbors? why is it that we have lost our fear and love for our MAKER? why can't we just be a child again? content, happy, and unaware of the greed, war, and hate? why must we care so much about what the other is doing, causing rivalries and what not? why can't we just look out for one another with compassion? is this not what the word of GOD speaks to us about?
remember beauty is what is inside of you, beauty is an innocent heart.

[matthew 5:44] But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"

ava sees nothing wrong with the world. it's just her, mommy, daddy, als, photosynthesis the cat, and her FATHER in heaven. the real things, the things that matter most. where's our avian beauty?

faith.

[faith] : confidence or trust in a person or thing; belief that is not based on proof.

confidence or trust in a person or thing; yes. we trust in GOD, that is our faith with GOD.

belief that is not based on proof; no. we believe in GOD because we have proof; proof in HIS word, proof in our lives, proof of HIS grace.

i heard an excellent message on faith. it wasn't complicated or deep really though, it was simple. and so good to hear. it was a reminder again of how great our GOD's love for us is.

[some of my notes from the message last night]
the human race greeted CHRIST with sneers and spit, hardened hearts, and we ignored HIS calls; yet HE still loves us so much. JESUS' love was not just a pretty thought or empty words, it was dropping blood, enduring pain, and bearing the weight of our sin. JESUS' love is not human love - it is GOD's love. a love that we can not understand. we love ourselves more than we love the ONE who gave HIS life for us, undeserving sinners.

wow. i don't know about you but if someone can love me that much, i want to know HIM more.

"Faith is not a leap in the dark, it is a step in the light."

philippians 4:6

[philippians 4:6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to GOD. (ESV)


something i need to work on.