Chasing The Light

Chased the shifting natural sunlight around the foyer

of my church for an hour and a half

yesterday afternoon

photographing thirty people.

Here's four of them.

I was quick AND good.

That's right.

Yes I was.

And so were they.

:-)

p.s. naturally, natural light is FABulous!

What Dreams May Come

Last night, 

a former home
unrecognizable,
unnavigable
and no longer necessary.

Then a mall,
deserted and grey
Though lost
I navigate
an anxious dear one
to an exit.

Finally,
yesterday,
a train travels swiftly
and smoothly
out of control
over a cliff

That's just fine.


Change is in the wind.

Release.


Again.

International Ballroom Festival 2011

Here we have  Iveta and Gherman
who are two time world professional ten dance champions.

They were here for the International Ballroom Festival 

a couple of weeks ago.

They are fantastic, of course,

and quite kind, too.

A great show
and
a good time!

--------------------------------

I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance

~Friedrich Nietzche

I'm A Juror

Gonna have to brush up on

the Principles Of Art

since I'm a juror

for the next art exhibit 

at Infinity Art Gallery.

Meanwhile, I've entered

the photo above

and a few others

in an exhibit

over at Light Space Time Gallery.

Easter

What a lovely weekend.

Spur of the moment Friday fun,

with Courtney Sanchez and Sway

Sexy Salsa Saturday
(with the fabulous Cienfuegos!)

and...

Today on Easter Sunday,

I spent a holiday with 

both sides of my family.

I wasn't older than ten

last time I did that.

Church family,

Dad's family,

Mom's family.

Ahhh... to see the sun set on such a weekend.

Love in the heart of family is so sweet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you look deeply into the palm of your hand

you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors.

All of them are alive in this moment.

Each is present in your body.

You are the continuation of each of these people.

~Thich Naht Hanh

Salsa Central 2011

Simply one of 

the most fun and sexy

events I get to photograph

in the spring each year.

Love. It.

Good Friday

I'm reflecting this morning on

those times when I've walked through the metaphorical desert;

been at the depths of loss, grief, pain,

tragedy, or betrayal,

and the meaning and importance

in the transformative power

of thought, perception, and faith.

EVERYthing changes.

Those things

we label 

"good"

and those things 

we label

"bad."

They all change.

 Who are we as we face of them?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We give thanks for all those times 

we have arisen from the depths

or simply taken a tiny step toward something new. 

May we be empowered 

by extraordinary second chances. 

And as we enter the world anew, 

let us turn 

the tides of despair 

into endless waves of hope.”

~Molly Fumia

Happily Ever After

It is only possible to live happily ever after on a day-to-day basis.

~Margaret Bonnano

Grace

What is grace?

"There but for the grace of God go I"

"God's grace saved me"

etc, etc...

Webster's says grace is, among other things :

a : unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification  

b : a virtue coming from God  

c : a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine grace

Eric Butterworth says grace is...

"God's desire to express in you and through you (and is)

... so great that you never completely reap the harvest of error

and you always reap more good than you sow."

He further states:

"Living in a state of grace can mean nothing more nor less than

than living in a disciplined awareness of the divine flow."

Lately,

I've noticed grace.

I see it in the friend who recently

had quadruple bypass surgery and is healing.

I see it in the friend who texts me

with a rather weighty cancer scare

that turned out to be

a very simple, treatable condition.

I see it in the lives of friends of friends,

in my own family,

in my own life.

They have my prayers

and the prayers of others,

but more importantly,

We all have God's grace,

everyone,

no matter our stature or standing,

circumstance or condition,

and we cannot be separated from it.

Remaining in the divine flow, 

through our own loving consciousness and the loving consciousness of others

(which is one way to pray)

aligns us more closely with the good that we can sow.

And that can create miracles...

or... if you're praying for one...

an answered prayer.

I'm grateful for the good news that 

friends are whole and healing.

But "grace" knew about them 

that they were whole and well,

complete and perfect,

all along.

Highest and Best

Thinking strong 

and feeling love 

deep in my heart 

for a friend today.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pause. 

Allow God to experience YOU. 

~ Vanessa Stone

People Skills

Quite possibly the funniest statement I've heard all year, but it's only April.

~Joni

Terrifying Evaporation Crisis

As a photographer

every once in awhile

I gotta get a shot 

of what the elementary school kids

have been up to 

when they're not 

with Miss Joni, the actor.

Notice the CNN/Fox News crisis tone!

WHAT IF THERE WAS NO EVAPORATION????

(News at 11)

Ok, these guys  love making use of

the international red circle with a line through it symbol for NO!

NO! NO! NO!

PLEASE click on the picture to see the real deal...

Ok here's what it says:

IF THERE WERE NO! EVAPORATION!

What if water did NOT EVAPORATE? 

(further emphasized by picture of evaporation 

with the international red circle with a line through it symbol for NO!)

There would not be ANY rain

(further emphasized by picture of rain

with the international red circle with a line through it symbol for NO!)

The lakes, rivers and stremes will overflow

(Hm... three green circles with Picasso like blue pictures
of a lake, river, and, *ahem* a streme)

If Water did not Evaporate thare would Not Be

Any Rain and If Thare Won't be any rain all the Plant's will die.

(Further emphasized by picture of a plant

with the international red circle with a line through it symbol for NO!

AND a plant with a green circle around it.  Now, I'm lost.
Is it all the plants except this one?)

And If All The Plant's will die We could not Breath

(further emphasized by an unidentifiable something with the international 

red circle with a line through it symbol for NO! - a windpipe maybe?...

Further emphasized by the same unidentifiable something

with a green circle around it.)

And If we can't Breath we will die.

That IS what will hapend. 

Nicolay, Ethan M., Ethan S.

(Further emphasized by a stick figure

with the international red circle with a line through it symbol for NO! 

AND  a stick figure with a green circle around it)

Which one is Ethan M, Nicolay, and Ethan S.?

Is Nicolay 

the stick figure with the international red circle 

with a line through it symbol for NO!?

Was he absent that day and Ethan and Ethan had to do this project without him?

Did one of the Ethan's totally reject the idea for a self portrait because he 

couldn't create an international symbol for "Maybe"?

These guys may (uhhh, don't) know their grammar,

but they totally know EVAPORATION!

and...

how to tell a story so viewers will watch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is NOT as good as the two kids at a show:

First kid: Why is everyone getting up?

Second kid: Because it's ammunition.

I'm just sorry I missed that one.

Passion and Peace

If we operate inside the myth 

that we must squelch, kill off, lock up, and hide 

all of the qualities that make us interesting and unique, 

we forsake our right 

to experience passion and peace. 

~Debbie Ford

In The World

“You have to be in the world

to understand what the spiritual is about, 

and you have to be in the spiritual 

in order to truly be able to accept 

what the world is about.” 

Mary Oliver

He Abides In Us

 

"If we look for Christ only in the saints, we shall miss Him. 
If we look for Him only in those people who seem to have the
sort of character we personally consider to be Christian, that 
which we call our 'idea,' we shall miss the whole meaning of 
His abiding in us." 

  

--Caryll Houselander, The Reed of God (via)