Uninhibited & simplified (thoughts in my head-- bear with me)

Don't you wish those are words that described your life? I've been working with lots of kids and families this summer in my photo shoots. I love it. Part of why I love it is I love kids. Part of why I love it is cause I love to see the joy and pride on the face of parents who see their child's personality captured in a photo. But one thing it's reminded me of is the fact that kids are so uninhibited and simple. Ok-- life with kids isn't simple (before all you hard working parents think I am confused about this :)). But their life is simple and therefore they are uninhibited. They don't over think things. They don't worry that their needs will be met tomorrow. They typically find great joy in the moment and if that moment isn't filled with joy they express it and wait til a joy filled moment comes along. While this might be a oversimplified explanation of childhood - I believe much of it is true.

I've been working lots (not as much as was threatened at the beginning of the chaos at the bank), I've been busy with photography (which has been FAB-U-LOUS). But this weekend I had some time to get some things done. Think through what is missing and what would make life simpler and me more uninhibited.... maybe that's the problem with growing up and getting your life "together"-- you loose a bit of life in the process. I shouldn't say you lose life-- but balance becomes more difficult. I find keeping up with friends (who I would LOVE to keep up with, hang out with-- chat with) more difficult-- if I do that other things suffer. I find that my house isn't as organized as I wish it were. If I take care of things like working out and taking care of me I seem to leave behind other things I love (scrapbooking, photography, bloging, keeping up with friends, work, etc). I know that these things are part of taking care of me-- because they make me happy... but where's the balance?I think it's a common issue among women today. What do you do? What are the things that keep you going? How do you find balance?
I took this picture a couple weekends ago when we were in Holland. I thought it was fun. I love the colors-- I love the symbol of a girl on something that is not traditionally "girlie". I also too the clock picture in Holland. I love the perspective of the clock contrasted with the sky. Sometimes I think if time weren't an issue the sky would be the limit. But there seems to be the limit of measurable guidelines that seem to get in the way.

So in search of balance and giving back and following dreams... I am excited to announce that I will be teaching a photography class to some high school kids a few nights as part of a camp called "CREATE". A church in the area is sponsoring this camp and they contacted me to teach. I am honored and beyond excited to not only teach photography but to work with an age group that I love. It will be great to help them bridge the idea that God is the ultimate artist- of our world and our lives, but he has gifted each of us to be artists in our own way-- and I think in that creativity we discover a little more about who He is. We explore everyday surroundings, people, and life with different eyes. That is how I want to life-- with eyes of Christ.

Wow-- this is a weeks worth of lost blog posts-- I hope you are still reading.

ok-- so this all is summed up well with a song that often sticks in my head. It's new and I love the message-- or should I say challenge.

It's called "Give me your eyes" by Brandon Heath.
The lyrics in the chorus go like this:
"Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see"

Here's a video of him talking about it.


I leave you with that thought. What are you missing? What are you challenged to balance? How do you balance the things life throws at you?

Hope you are all doing well.
ck

just when you think life is getting good.

Life happens!

Work (the bank) is HORRIBLE right now!! And HORRIBLE is an understatement. Right now my life consists of getting up and being at work between 6:45 and 7am-- working. working. working. no breaks. no lunch (at my desk if I'm lucky). work til 7. That was today. Last Friday they told us we would be working manditory weekends-- regardless if we had plans or vacations planned-- no if's ands or buts. We seemed to have worked it out that we can work our tails off all week instead. BUT- it we don't meet our quotas-- weekends it is! BULL!

Oh and did i tell you we are in a "rush" to get this done just so they can eliminate our positions by the end of July-- at the latest late August. Nice-- worst of all we don't qualify for unemployment til the middle of September. So we are just getting screwed all around! Yesterday I almost walked out.

Anyway- I'm exhausted-- this is horrible for my health (when i have been working so hard to deal with stress and take care of myself). Needless to say I'm stressed, grouchy, and down right frustrated!

ck