Me,Kaitlyn, & a Stranger

First thing is first, I would like to apologize for my late blogging. My last blog post was faux. Meaning, it was true, at the time, but unfortunately the engagement has been cut off. Please pray over that entire situation within itself.

Second thing is last, recently, a new found friend and I went scourging about through beautiful, white churches, post, noticed areas, and small, quaint court yards. We were off on an adventure! An adventure all dedicated to me and my face.

Not only was this adventure filled with laughter, love, and new experiences. It was filled with tiny, buzzing carpenters, a misplaced, creepy gentleman, and blood thirsty crawlers.

But obviously in the end it was worth all the good and bad because we discovered fantastic light, gorgeous scenery, and things about ourselves and each other that equally made us glad.

Thankfully a picture isn’t just a picture, it’s a memory as well. Even if it’s staged there is something bound to be made precious out of it it. A fake laugh turns to a real one. A forced smile becomes a gateway to multiple stories. A frightened face takes notice of buzzing carpenters around. Moment after moment is pure and true.

I hope you enjoyed these pictures, as much as I do.

 

 

Amour éternel Day 2

We met at church she said, I asked to sniff her armpit he said. Between those few moments these two knew they were destined for one another. One of my secret’s is I love interracial couples, just because they’re different and rare. Just like these two gorgeous people.

Eating Chinese, with a custom cookie, that held a jewel, which would make her forever happy. I loved hanging out with the two of these folks, so funny and cute, constantly making jokes. Kaitlyn is one of the most fascinating people I have ever met.

Kaitlyn is so gentle, wild, and free. Her beauty illuminates simply so easily. Her smile makes your spirit inside glow all the way through. Kaitlyn is one of a kind. While there are so few.

Emmanuel is such a stud. Always acting fly as can be. However, he genuinely cares for his bride to be. He doesn’t let anything tear them apart, and if something ever would I could only imagine what damage would come from his heart.

Their love is tested, but always connected. Their affections everlasting, like the highest above. I pray through their obstacles, challenges, and fears, that their love remains just as is, if not stronger, throughout all of their together years.

Enjoy the rest of the photo’s below.

 

 

 

Amour éternel Day 1

Amour éternel, everlasting love. That’s exactly what I had the honor of capturing last Wednesday.

Kaitlyn and Emmanuel have been dating shy over a year now, within that year, there was a flame ready to expand into a deep, passionate fire. I was fortunate to get to spend two days time with them to view and experience what that passionate fire was.

On our first day together you couldn’t tell what was right from wrong. We headed out on our journey to find that our first road block hit, literally. So we journeyed through a different course to reach our beautiful, mud filled destination. Kaitlyn, feeling optimistic, urged us to try and fight mother nature and go ahead with the Engeekment Capturanza. (You have to love Kaitlyn’s optimism.)

Trudging out in the sprinkles that occasionally stopped, we finally stopped, not because the sprinkles diminished our spirits, but because the hurricane of rain trailing after the sprinkles did. Staring at one another in disbelief, we finally decided it may be best to remove ourselves from the rain and return to the vehicles, notice the plural.

As Emmanuel exited our lovely parking space, Kaitlyn couldn’t, she had parked in the mud. After tire turning, standing-in-the-rain thinking, human lunging, and mud shoveling, Emmanuel decided to push her vehicle with his own vehicle. Low and behold, Emmanuel was now, as well, stuck in the mud.

Luckily,  a man from afar saw us and called his Pastor and his muscle gang to come and pull us out. HOWEVER, the day wasn’t saved yet, as Emmanuel stood discussing what had just happened to the Pastor and his muscle gang, Kaitlyn noticed steam and transparent, green drippings coming from Emmanuel’s front.That my friends, was radiator fluid.

Once we were finally pulled out of the mud and arrived home, the sun decided to come out. What a lovely wasted day indeed. Be that as it may, there was at least one thing all of us benefited out of the day.

While Kaitlyn and Emmanuel basically had Couple’s Building the entire day, facing things to come in their married years, instead, in their engagement year. I was spoken to through Kaitlyn, not once did Kaitlyn ever frown or seem grim. Kaitlyn was filled with smiles and an unconditional joy. I had the privilege to witness an authentic love between the two, working together as opposed to arguing and wasting time. So was the day wasted? That’s for you to decide. :)

My encouragement for you today is don’t only not sweat the small stuff, but don’t sweat the big stuff either. Who needs all that mess?

Look forward to Day 2 after I get back from my New York Mission Trip—Happy Blogging :)

The love of My Life, other than Jesus.

Have you noticed that she constantly sour pouts her lips?

Today is a very special day, one of the most special of days. Today marks an extremely important time in History, that’s right, you didn’t guess it. Today is My Bestest, Best Friends Birthday.

You may be thinking, “So what?” Well today just isn’t any other numeral Birthday, today is her 18th Birthday. She now has the ability to waiter alcohol, this placing her in an environment where she could fall into temptation and take a couple of swigs while her boss isn’t looking. Including the temptation of buying cigarettes.

However, one of the many reason’s my Bestest, Best Friend is indeed titled that is because she is not of this world. Only once have I ever caught her in a time of peer pressure. I’ve never realized this until today, but Tiffany is an extremely independent, strong-willed person. Tiffany only stands up and talks about this necessary, rather going into a spew about nothing. Tiffany is confident in her words and in her walk with Christ.

Not only is my Bestest, Best friend that, but she’s an incredible, gorgeous, genuine role model!

So today my encouragement isn’t for you to be like Tiffany, but it is to be like Christ and Not of this world.

The God Trail

I’ll admit I’m a little slow on my college game, but that won’t stop me.

Recently, I have been pondering what God’s plan is for me, funny I know. You can’t think of or even fathom His plan for you, the only thing that can truly lead you is listening and prayer. Relying on His time, not your own. Ergo, one thing I’ve noticed about God is He can be early or right on time, but never late.

All my life I have been an OCD freak, constantly making check list, packing a week ahead, and planning on when one should plan.

However, for college I knew I couldn’t possibly do that, I had to let God lead me, let Him open the doors and close them.

So far I’ve looked at several schools and made multiple yes and no decisions, relying on God to appoint me to which decision is ultimately correct. As of last night I have only applied to two schools, VCU and Seton Hill.

My encouragement for you today is be patient and slow to anxiety, knowing that nothing is ever too little or too large when it comes to God’s plan.

>The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.<

Proverbs 16: 9

A little Brother in Dad’s Christmas sweater.

Monday I was having an urge to just click and go. The snow was melting and the grass was showing and I had to get a move on before the earth ran dry.

I bribed my Brother to put on my Father’s sweater and wear one of my handy-dandy, manly scarf’s. As he placed them on, we began to wander and I captured the beauty of it all.

With a stick in his hand and poses of the man within, my Brother and I created art.

What you wouldn’t suspect is that my Brother is epileptic, and while you shock and worry he still grows strong. So my encouragement for you on this Palm Sunday, is to treat the world as if today is your last and as if it has no chance to prolong, treat it with love and care and speak the story of God to have a chance for Him to save the lost.

 

 

Darling Diamond

This week was an adventure for me…

>I had a dream I was raped.

>A man who looked old enough to be my grandpa gruesomely flirted with me saying such words as “Are you for sale? And you can go home with me if you want.” (Glad to say I wasn’t for sale and I did not have the antonym of a pleasure to go home with him.)

>My Tuesday Engagement session was ruined due to Mother Nature and a piece of tin. (Look forward to hearing more about this soon.)

>I received kind hospitality from my best friends and their mothers.

>I made my first purchase at Family Christian.

>I had the pleasure to dine with Chinese cuisine, twice.

>Saturday Night Worship was Amazing!!!

>And I was granted photo access of my Best Friend, Diamond.

Recently I have taken up the practice of Photography, notice I say practice and not a career. I am not interested in paid photo arts because I feel as though that is such a scam. Photography is capturing moments that last a life time, the moments you create are free, so why shouldn’t the photos be? (Did you catch the rhyme scheme, not intended?)

The photos that you see before you are of a girl who speaks but is silent.

What I mean is she never wastes a breath of air, when she speaks her content is pure and true. This girl is beautiful inside and out, typical but meant more than others who have ever uttered such words. Diamond is fierce and determined. Authentic, and playful. Her heart glows throughout her smile, just look!

I’ve known Diamond since all of my High School years, not once has she ever fought with me, but a multitude of times she has lent her heart out to me. As most of us in High School we all go through phases, Diamond was always there for every phase. She even has admitted that at times it made her cry and she just wished she could give me the answer to what I was searching for.

Another thing about Diamond is she is willing to do whatever it takes. She never does anything half way, she either doesn’t start at all or once she starts she finishes. Diamond’s goal in life is to be a Veterinarian, where we’re from we barely have any schools that offer a Masters for that. However, Diamond is willing to step out of her comfort zone and go where she is leaded, sometimes for anyone a comfort zone is the only thing we have that ensures our happiness and good in are life. But Diamond is willing to throw away all the easy stuff to commit.

>I love you Diamond<

Link to my Photography Page —–> Once Upon a Happy Time Photography

God’s 7:30 AM Wake Up Call!

This morning I woke up @ 4:49 AM. Obviously being too early I rolled over and went back to sleep, but I never grew truly back to my dreams. I was still aware of my surroundings and could still feel my body in the bed. No air space in dream land.

I finally rolled out of bed and asked myself how could I possibly still be wide awake @ 7:30 AM.

Even better, why am I awake?

I then remembered last night,

Recently I haven’t been studying too much. As well as praying.

You think you can do these things but you just can’t…NEMO.

Without a good daily God time, your life could go to schmuck.

So as I laid in bed last night I thought of praying, I told God I would tomorrow.

He took me pretty seriously, once tomorrow hit there was no sign of sleeping. He knew I needed to pray and dig into His word.

Just think, My God yearns for us to have a relationship.

He is Jealous without our attention.

No matter what, He want’s to pour out His love.

How many people are like that?

And yet we ignore his affections for human affections,

we give things like Television, Music, Social Media and other things are attention, rather than His,

and we constantly fill the hole in our hearts with things like Alcohol, Drugs, Sex etc, in place of His love.

My encouragement for you today is in place of your worldly affections, attention, and love, devote that time into His time.

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

>1 John 2:15<

 

All about Him & NOT them

Ever since God appointed me to Worship I have been loaded with tons of Documents to construct.

1. Power points

2. Band portfolios and Mission statements

3. Chord Charts

4. Church Bulletins

5. Etc.

I enjoy being organized, some would say I’m extremely anal!

(Taha, I completely agree.)

However, sometimes in ministry I can get lost in what God leads me to do and conform to what the crowd want’s me to do.

My advice is, refrain from using I and Them and start using God.

Example:

I think we should…

They thought it would be better…

*WWJD?

Pretty simple? I do not think so. It’s easy to come up with a solution but it’s not easy to continuously place it into action, which is why with through all things you should pray.

Continuously pray for God to restore your thoughts and focus on the ultimate goal, to please Him, not them.

Today’s thought probably was an uber simple one, but sometimes simplicity is something we need. Especially when we make the meant to be simple unsimple.

Devote yourselves to prayer

Colossians 4:2

The Couveau Philosopher

Victoria Couveau is a near and dear person. When you meet her the first thing you’ll notice is how naturally beautiful she is, of course she’ll disagree with you.

The second thing that you’ll notice is her insightful perspective. I love how she can take the simplest question and turn it into a hour and thirty minute conversation, legitimately happened!

However, there are times when she can be as surprisingly simple as can be, but her answer alone holds so much passion and description. 

When asked what she wanted out of this life, her response was…

“To be happy“

This world, as we all know, has so many other things to offer. Regardless she chose a feeling, and not a thing. That’s why I love Victoria she cherishes the things that sometimes we forget we’re blessed to have, rather feel.

God is so great to design us with these feelings, amusement, bravery, calmness, cheerfulness, determination, encouragement, energy, enthusiasm, faithfulness, gentleness, happiness, love, thoughtfulness etc. 

So often we rely on Satan’s thoughts, always resulting in the negative. Which leads me to the third thing, Victoria always fixes her eyes on the good. Its abnormal for her to surround herself with negative connotations.

Victoria holds so many beautiful and strong attributions and aspires to do and be so many great things. My prayer for her is that she seeks out Gods plan for her and draws near to Christ as her Rock and Savior.

> I love you Victoria <