Currently

I'm on my second flight this morning in route to WV. In a few hours Darren and I will pile into a rental and drive on in to my sister's. This time around none of us were nearly as excited, but I think the excitement is starting to kick in for all of us. I keep getting texts from people in WV wondering when we are going to get there :) 

But in the mean time, I love creeping on people with my iPhone (I've used the canon some today as well, I guess)... Every time I take a picture I mutter under my breath: "creepy creep creeper" ;P

So here are some of my creep shots, and a few others thrown in. 

Can't wait to get out to the slopes!!

-MarLeahJoy 

Not Your Average Let-Me-Down

I'm pretty in love with my 35mm. 

I've read online that it is known for naturally capturing really vibrant colors. So when I bought the lens I knew that it would really shine during the summer months outdoors.

And hey! It's the third day of spring and I think we're all feeling it just a little bit. 

When you see some of the pictures of our dog, Buster, you'll understand. :P

I just happened to glance inside the garage door that was standing open... and of course I see my car, still in much of a disassembled state. :P

Hehe, he was really feeling it ;)

-MarLeahJoy

Life Matters

So often we live our day-to-day life and can easily forget that each day we are doing something to affect who we are tomorrow. But not just tomorrow; tomorrow's tomorrow as well.

Recently, I read a little devotional that said we can learn God's will for our life by reading the Bible, praying, and asking for his will in the very little things in life. In certain situations I've caught myself with the attitude of, "Why do I need to worry about asking the Lord if this is in his will…?" 

Part of our message this morning at church was talking about being a child in respect to God being our father, and how we can have the similar carefree peace of a child when we have everything submitted to the Lord. It was brought out that David came to Goliath with assurance that he could kill the man through the power of the Lord only because he had trusted in the Lord for the times he was caring for his sheep. Okay, so if David really relied on the Lord when it came to protecting his sheep…Can the decision to trust the Lord in the little things that I face in my day to day life be anymore silly or scoffed at than to be trusting the Lord to protect my sheep from bears?? Now-days, if we didn't have a gun to kill the bear with, we would just become a massive bodybuilder and kill the bear with our own strength. Right?!?? Jk! But seriously, not many people would even think to ask the Lord to help them kill a bear. That's just something you're supposed to do with a spear or a gun (in respect to time periods)... But trusting in the Lord to protect his sheep was the only way David was able to have the confidence in the Lord to kill Goliath. 

In my life, there are some decisions… (some really big decisions!) that I know I'm going to have to trust the Lord in! At times when I ponder it, I've thought to myself, "How am I even going to know the Lord's will in this situation?"

I've come to this… Sometimes it might be good trust the Lord in the little things that maybe we could easily come up with the "right" decision on our own. 

Anyway, I have been enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon musing over these things in my nice little hammock… ;-)

In fact, the picture I used to put the quote on was one I took of the view directly above me :-)

-MarLeahJoy 

A Mind Portrait

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Proverbs 3:13

This week has been pretty "rushed" spending time with my sister and brother in law who are out visiting. Rushed as in, we stay up late doing things together and I wake up late with really puffy, tired eyes XD Anddd... That means I really don't have much time to spend reading the bible. But this morning I determined to do a little more and I was extremely blessed with this verse in Proverbs. At first I read it and was like "Okay... great! But..." And then it was completely opened up to me in my situation in life. Sometimes it's really easy to get anxious about why it may seem like some things I wish for in life don't work out, etc., etc., Basically this verse tells us that if we get the understanding and the wisdom of how the Lord wants to direct our life, we can be happy wherever we're at, knowing that it was His leadings. Only IF we seek the wisdom of the Lord first.

So those were my musings this morning on our way to the Coleman Theater on my half-work-day :) 

Alyssa and I took two film cameras with Black and White film and both of our DSLRs... and I threw around the flash a little bit, too and got some cool shots. Alyssa knows someone who has their own developing process, so I guess we'll get to see what the film looks like on Friday :)

-MarLeahJoy 

Not Over Yet

I woke up this morning to the radio listing off one hundred and one schools that were closed. So I peeked out the window, saw the ice/snow/whatever and curled up back in bed.

I really wanted to go explore some conservation areas today, but I guess the parents might not want me driving today. 

But, I guess yesterday was enough excitement :) Darren and I ended up going to Snow Creek up near Kansas City to ski. I think we both felt like it was worth the money and the trip. Darren caught on really good, too after realizing that trying the less-steep slopes really isn't how you learn to ski ;D Going full-throttle is the way to learn for sure! (He even ended up doing some jumps by the end of the day with no problem landing them!)

 I came home from skiing last night though, and my dad had the beetle in the garage (inward groan). D: Lol. The last thing I wanted to do last night was pull the VW engine. We did it though! And got it dropped off to "Red" this morning who will rebuild the values for me. 

Seriously, though. I really don't want to sell the beetle yet, but I'm thinking I might buy a car to go in between driving this VW and the new car that I have my eye on... Hmmm...

-MarLeahJoy

Snowed in Sunday

To be honest, I was still so bummed about our cancelled trip yesterday that I really wanted do nothing but feel sorry for myself. Everyone was going out to sled though, so I told my pouty face that it might as well just stay inside by itself. The worst that would happen if I went outside is that I might have some fun... Haha! (I'm telling you, I REALLY did not want to go outside at all!)

Sigh :) 

Well, that was a good turning point for my day :)

Just a few snapshots for fun... 

Then adorable little Victor joined me making donuts in the evening... <3

He didn't do half bad... only a few spills that we laughed at. Btw - it was hilarious watching him crack the eggs. I only had to pick out two pieces of eggshells (besides the whole egg shells that he would just drop in there... ;P)

Hehe... yummy ;)

Then he played with water for the next thirty minutes ;D

-MarLeahJoy