Monday, January 2, 2012

2011 in Hindsight: personal // northeast, tx portrait and lifestyle photographer



Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come...
|| Robert Robinson - Come Thou Fount ||

       Alright, I know what you're thinking. A 2011 recap in the middle of the first week of 2012 is pretty lame I know; especially when everyone else has done their sweet little posts and have long since moved on to posts about the New Year and all the hopes, promises, and potential it possesses.
But the seconds that turned Dec. 31st 2011 into January 1st 2012 didn't turn me into a model blogger. ;) So I'm afraid you'll have to put up with this "old news" if you can and look back on 2011 at least one last time.
       To say I have learned a lot from the past year would be the understatement of the century. The Lord saw fit to shake me right to the core time and time again. Every time I let my grip on this world tighten, He loosened my grip as soon as possible, teaching me that the only thing worth clinging to is Him.
 The words of Ecclesiatstes are ringing in my ears: 
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven. {Eccl. 3:1}
There were times for many things. Minute to minute it seemed as if the world around me was constantly changing, growing, waning, failing, developing, discovering, stopping, starting, climbing, conquering, strolling, questioning, achieving, racing, or pausing.
I found myself stuck off somewhere in the middle of it with nothing to do but live life in light of the grace of God. 
Enjoying every season, be it with friends {new and old}...

 ...with family...
{bad hair days were invented to teach me humility...I'm sure of it...}
...all alone...
 {WARNING: Sometimes things get a little interesting when I have no supervision and its just me and the ole' black box of recordability }
{that's an injured eye people! my life isn't easy ya know ;)}
{things also get slightly dangerous when I try to haphazardly climb onto a slippery bathtub edge determined to photograph my new favorite footwear. These are necessary measures I cannot control ;)} 
...with these goofballs {who, as you can obviously see, deemed me "not cool enough" to be in a picture with them ;)}...

...or with these {and other} precious littles whom I love to the moon and back. :D
 
I had awfully big adventures.
 God was gracious enough to let me have the opportunity to continue to grow, expand, and love what I do in this business/hobby of mine. :) 
{You get to see these pictures soon, I promise...I've got several shoots I did in December that I'll be posting in the coming weeks. :)}
I happily witnessed the sweet Providence of God as pregnancies were announced, some friends got engaged, others found love, new babies were born and they  grew like weeds.
Some sad goodbyes had to be said to people that I loved very dearly, but God's grace was sufficient.
Last year has left me looking at this new one with a sobered yet hopeful perspective. I want to strive to live for myself less, care for others more, focus on things of this world much less, strive to cherish, dive into, and enjoy His Word much more,  worry infinitely less, pray & trust God infinitely  more.
To 2012 I say
"When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay."
 For whatever the Lord has in store for me up ahead in the coming twelve months, I pray that I will take it on with gratitude and zeal knowing that all the way my Savior leads me.


~Through Christ's Love 



Here's a shout out to Rachel, Jessica, and Susanna for their pictures in this post. :)

5 comments:

  1. Hey looky! I'm on your blog! :D
    I cannot believe it's been almost a year since the internship! Crazy!! Miss you too!!!! <3

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  2. I LOVE your self portraits. They're so cool & creative. Beautiful photos! :)

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  3. Well, I have to say you have made my day, my year, my second, my minute and my life a better life. You have been such and inspiration to me and uplifting spirit of faith. I am truly blessed to be called your Aunt Dana!!!! and I thank God for speaking through you to me personally. He is our Great and Almighty Comforter and Creator and We should be thankful everyday to have HIM by our side leading us in HIS paths of righteousness!! Amen!! I Love you!! Aunt Dana

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  4. Wow, your photography is just amazing! Looks like you had an awesome year :)
    I love the pictures of you! I take a lot of selfies, too :)

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  5. Wow! You do amazing things with your photography! I love it! You,re so talented!<3

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Hey!! You're commenting!! You are so nice :) Thanks for making my day. :D