Today's Joy: Getting There Just In Time.
While my family was out having a ball trail riding and driving at the local forest preserve all afternoon, I was unfortunately stuck at my weekend home decor job, Reader. I watched the clock and as soon as my shift was up, I beat-foot it home. But no one was back yet. So, I called Aunt and she said they were all still out having fun and I should come join them for a pie iron (a lovely camp dessert involving two pieces of white bread, slathered with butter and having all manner of deliciousness in between, sandwiched in a pocket-shaped pair of cast iron long-handled irons and baked on a bed of hot coals).

So I jumped back in the truck and headed over to find the usual suspects lounging around in the usual place. And while my pie iron was baking into toasty, bubbly goodness on the smokey joe, I got to meet the newest addition to our kooky cast, E, the Trail Aficionado. A friend of our Fearless Trail Leader, E seemed to really be enjoying his first outing with our set. I suspect he's also a man who knows how to tell a good story. (Just so you know, E, we are all ears!) Here's hoping he joins us for more adventures.

Though it was only for a bit, it was totally worth it to catch the tail end of today's festivities. And my pie iron was crazy delish!

A few of my original Orchid Notecard designs.

Today's Joy: My First Custom Order.

Finished my first custom card order for a customer today, Reader. Thank you cards for her friend's wedding. I'm very pleased with the way they came out. I hope the bride likes them as much as I do. With other photo orders coming in this week, I feel great. What a joy to be able to share this gift I have and make other people's lives better! How humbling that in these days of a tight economy, people are choosing to spend some of their hard-earned money on my work.

Gotta give the glory to God, for providing the talent and resources that got me to where I am now. If you'd told me 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago, that I would be a photographer in my spare time, I wouldn't have believed it. You never know what comes next in this amazing plan of God's. I feel more fulfilled than at any other time in my life. That is an incredible gift in itself! I can't wait to see what He has planned next!

What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God. ~Eleanor Powell

Quote courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Sunrise, Hampshire, IL, 2008.

Be pleasant until ten o'clock in the morning and the rest of the day will take care of itself. ~Elbert Hubbard

Today's Joy: Rise & Shine!

Lots going on this week, Reader. There always seem to be more pressing reasons to get out of bed early in the a.m. than to sleep in. So, despite the allure of my comfy pillow and cozy featherbed, and even despite the soft, rusty purring of my cantankerous orange tomcat beckoning me to snooze just a little longer, I must roll out of bed and find my glasses (no easy task) and get about my day.

Once I'm up and showered and wearing fab earrings, I'm rarin' to go. I put my best foot forward and say a prayer that I can make a difference in somebody's life that day and off I go. Thank you, Lord, for the stamina to get up early every single day with a smile on my face. And thank you for the upcoming 3-day holiday weekend with at least one morning where I can linger in bed as long as I want. Amen.

I'd like mornings better if they started later. ~Author Unknown

Quotes courtesy of The Quote Garden.

Statuary, Grapevine Botanical Garden, Grapevine, TX.

Today's Joy: Finding Out What Other Hearts Need.

Co-led our weekly church community group meeting with SH tonight, Reader. Our usual leader is on vacation this week. Though I was nervous, it turned out to be a smashing success. The readings went smoothly and each woman opened her heart and shared personal concerns with the group.

It was like a breakthrough, really. And as the group grows and evolves, I can see our needs changing too. Am also beginning to get a picture in my head of ways we can be flexible in the group while still meeting all of these needs, whether they be spiritual or fellowship-related. I will pray for guidance on what will be the right path for this group. Thank you, God, for providing me this place where I can come and share with other new believers.

Today's Joy: Honoring God...with Lasagna.
For four weeks now, Reader, we have been blessed at church with a series of video sermons by Andy Stanley, of North Point Community Church. I find Andy's messages to be very illuminating. This morning at church, I was sitting next to SH when Andy, preaching from the big screen on stage, asked us to consider our options when we make tough decisions (or even everyday ones) and ask ourselves which choice would be most honoring to God?

I love that. It's simple, eloquent and gets right to the heart of what makes a decision meaningful. It's something I try to keep in mind while making decisions that could potentially be important--except, when I'm thinking about it in my head, I call it doing the right thing. What is the right thing here? In pursuing this, am I doing the right thing? Is that the right thing for what I'm trying to accomplish or project? But at the heart of it, I am thinking about what would be most honoring to God. Andy just said it a lot better. I like Andy.

Now, you're probably wondering what all this has to do with lasagna. Well, it's mostly circumstantial. After that illuminating service, I visited Mom for a bit and then came home to turn beef and sausage and ricotta and fresh basil and noodles and fresh oregano and garlic and mozzarella and gobs of tomato sauce into that Italian food lover's dream: lasagna! Making dinner for my family, all of whom came over after working in the garden or being at the dressage show all afternoon, is something I really enjoy. To my way of thinking, making good food to nourish people I love absolutely honors God. And if you can do that while still enjoying all kinds of tomatoey, cheesy goodness, so much the better. God Bless Andy Stanley and lasagna!