Week 10: July 2

In honor of the 4th of July, here are 7 reasons why I love America.

1.) The freedom to express myself in my speech, the way that I dress, my actions, and the people whom I choose to hang out with.  But most importantly the freedom to praise and worship God. 
2.)  I love living in a nation that is a melting pot where every nation, race and color is represented. It is this diversity that has helped to make us a strong nation.
3.) We live in a nation that is filled with wonders.  From the rolling plains to the rocky mountains.  From dessert landscapes to tropical delights.  America is beautiful.
4.) We are very patriotic. We are a proud people who are proud of their country. 
5.) Southern hospitality.  You are never a stranger in the south, just a friend waiting to be made.
6.) Yankee pride. I love that northerners are a proud people who are proud of the way that they helped to shape this country.
6.) The food.  I love the diversity of our food and how we integrate other cultures food as part of own.  And then, how we can take that food and make a new food out of it.
7.) The endless possibilities awaiting you.  You can do and be anything that you want in this great nation.  The circumstances of your birth do not effect where you go in life.

Let Freedom ring! Happy Independence Day! Happy 4th of July! This weeks photos are dedicated to celebrating the 4th of July, and all the fun that comes along with it. 

                                                                                                                   Old Glory

                                                                                                     American Hot Dog

                                                                                          Denton 4th of July Parade

                                                                                                                       Friends

                                                                                                                   Fireworks

                                                                                                                Watermelon

                               Men and Women who Protect the People and this Great Nation

Week 9: June 25

This past week I went through a LTS (Life Training School) through my church, the Bridge.  It was one of the most life changing and challenging expereinces of my life.  In a nut shell, the leader (Graham) took the basic truths of the Bible and who God is and helped me to better understand them, and Him (God).  Through this school I was able to better understand God, on a level that I have never done before, as well as to better understand who God created me to be, and how to truely forgive people so that I can walk in the freedom that God intended me to walk in.

Here are a few of the truths that God reveiled to me this week.

1.) God LIKES me.  I know that God loves me, in fact I take that for granted (but will not anymore).  But God LIKES me.  He created me just the way that I am because He wants to spend time with me.  He wants to be my Father as well as my friend. 
2.) God is my Father first. And then he is a creator, judge, redeemer, and king. Everything that He does in my life He does first as a Father and then as a _____________ (fill in the blank).  And God longs to be my Father, my Daddy.  He LOVES me as a daughter.
3.) Forgiveness is the key that will set you free.  God has intended for me to walk in freedom.  Through this class I have been able to forgive people for wrongs and percieved wrongs in my life and forgive myself.  I have been able to break free from the lies that Satan has keep me in and am now able to walk in truth and in freedom.
4.) I am not unloveable.  I am loveable!  God loves me and made me in His image.  He made me to be the person that I am.  I am no longer going to hide who I am from the world but rather use who God made me to be so that I can be a light to the world.  

God is amazing!  I have found a new found love and desire to get to know God better.  When asked before if I was a Christian I would say yes.  But I think that I am just now beginning to really understand what it means to be, not a Christian, but a child of God.

In honor of all that God has done this week for me and in me, this week's photos are dedicated to Bible verses that God has brought to my mind and Bible verses that are dear to my heart.

Week 8: June 18

I had quite a few family events happen this week.  Father's Day was on Sunday (the 17th), my Mom retired after 27 years as a Fort Worth Police Officer and we had a retirement party, I baby-sat my niece, and went out for drinks with the family.  As so many things circled around family, I thought that I would do this week's photos about family.

I am blessed to have such a supportive, loving famliy whom I can count on through thick-and-thin.  My life would not be the same without these people.  I know that you cannot choose your family but I can honestly say that if these people were not my family, I would still want to be there friends.

Family Members:

Dad - I love the way that he always take cares of us, even though we are adults. He never stops trying to do whatever it takes to make sure we are happy. 

Rob - (my step-dad) - I love the way that he is always there for me.  He never stops worrying that his kids are safe and healthy.

Mom- I love her tenacity and the way that she always has my back.  She is my cheerleader in life.  I admire her craftiness.  She can do anything once she puts her mind to it.

Don (my big brother) -  behind his calm demeaner is a mand if intrigirty.  He helps to keep me focused on the important things and not to get carried away (which I do). 

Khara (my baby sister) - I love her no-hold-bars-attitude.  She is fearless and says what is on her mind.  She is never afraid to call me out on my crap.

Beth (my sister-in-law) - I love her gentle spirit.  She is a Godly woman who helps me to keep the faith when life, and fmaily, get trying.

Rich (my brother-in-law) - I love his sense of humor and how he always knows just what to say to help defuse crazy situations.

Julia (my oldest niece) - I love her sense of humor and the her compassion.  She loves people and loves helping out with whatever needs to be doing.

Aubrey (my youngest niece) - I love her engery and her imagaination.  She is the happiest littler person I know!

Bernarder (my sister's best friend and a adopted member of the family) - I love his sense of style and the way that he plays peacemaker.  He helps to calm me when I get cranky.

                                                                                            Don, Rob, & Rich

                                                                                           Beth, me, & Khara

                                                                                                      Rob & Julia

                                                            Khara, Don, Mom, Beth, Rich, & Julia

                                                                   Me, Mom, Don, Aubrey, & Khara

                                                       Bernardo, Me, Mom, Rob, Khara, & Rich

                                                          Don, Aubrey, Bernardo, Rich, & Khara

Week 7: June 11

I wanted to do something a little different this week.  So I decided to take up close photos of different body parts.  Nothing risque.  Just body parts that people see every day.  Like I said, something different that I would normally not do. 

And yes, these are all my body parts.  

Week 6: June 4

I love going on nature walks.  Picking a park, nature trail, or just a neighborhood and walking around taking photos of the things that catch my eye.  You would be amazed that when you do this how a blindness seems to be lifted from your eyes and you REALLY see all of God's creation around you. My nature walks are also a way for me to let the world go and to take a step closer to God.  I am always amazed that when I look at nature how I can see the hand of God and how He created everything.  From the delicate petals of a flower to the individual blades of grass to the brilliant colors that make up the sunset.  God has blessed us with a world full of wonders.  Just open your eyes and take a look. 

This week I went to different locations and walked around looking at the beauty surrounding me.  It was so much fun, and I saw some really amazing things.

                                                                                                   Grey Egret

                                                                                                      Flowers Full of Sunshine

                                                                                                   Through the Willows

                                                                                                     Nestled Amongst the Coral

                                                                                                   Texas Sunset

                                                                                               Reflections

                                                                                           Wings of Flight

Week Five: May 28

 The story of America's quest for freedom is inscribed on her history in the blood of her patriots. -Randy Vader

Memorial Day is a day to honor the brave men and women who have fought, and who are still fighting so that we can have our freedom.  I want to thank all of the men and women for their sacrifices, and will try my hardest to not let their sacrifices be in vain.

And a special thanks to:

E-4 ENIGNEER PAPA WILLIAMS US Army (great-Grandpa)
TSGT RICHARD DALE SAGER US Air Force (my Grandpa)
OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR US Air Force (Dad)
AIRMEN FIRST CLASS US Airforce (Mom)
HMC/SW CHIEF PETTY OFFICER/SURFACE WARFARE US Navy (Dad)


*********************************************************************

Pictures taken this week are what reminds me of Memorial Day.

                                                                                                 Freedom

                                                                                                                                           Family

                                                                                                                                           Military

                                                                                                                                            Cook-Outs

                                                                                                                                           Freedom 

                                                                                                                                 War Memorial

                                                                                                                                           Sparklers                                                        

Week Four: May 21

Soft.  Warm.  Rough.  Splintery.  Smooth.  Delicate.  When I say these descriptive words what images come to your mind?  It's amazing how one word can bring up a whole slew of images: from the negative to the positive.  Yet at the heart of these words, and images is texture.

Texture is an impressive thing. Texture helps us to see the innermost structure of an object or food: the filaments that help to make it up.  Texture helps us form a clear mental picture of an object or the particular way a food tastes when we describe it.  For instance the way that grass feels when walked on with bare feet. How warm my favorite knitted scarf is on a cold winter night.  Or the delicate silkiness of a flower in bloom.  The slippery glistening effect of bubbles floating on the air. The smooth shininess of pearls.  The composition of bark on trees.  And the delicate sweetness of freshly made crepes.

And as you’ve probably already guessed this week’s photos revolves around textures.

                                                                                               Lush n Tender

                                                                                                              Wooly n Soft

                                                                                                             Waxy n Silky

                                                                                                 Shiny n Shimmery

                                                                                                         Shiny n Smooth

                                                                                         Rough n Splintery

                                                                                                       Delicate n Sweet