Thanksgiving

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 4:6

Thanksgiving, in the language of the letter Paul wrote while in chains way back then, was the word ‘Eucharistia’ – which is ‘the grateful language that we give to God as an act of worship’. Thought you might find that interesting today.

Happy worshipping today. :)

Dan

Fall Has Caught Fire

We can always try to guess when winter is coming. Around here it can be as early as October or as late as the New Year.
But there is no greater confirmation of the ushering out of Fall than hearing thousands of Canadian Geese honking and swishing the wind beneath their wings just overhead. This time of year, in the busy-ness of Christmas orders, these guys are my release. When I want to unwind, I try sneaking up on them, and they always put me in my place. I think they know I'm there before even I do.
I keep thinking some year they are going to get really tired of me disturbing their evening dip in the pond, and they'll all dive bomb me in this massive, well-coordinated assault. I wince every time a couple hundred of them fly by, wondering about the odds of them using me for target practice, but their graciousness never fails. They always put up with me snapping away into the fiery sunset, and I'm reminded by their presence that time is fleeting.

Pillow Fight!

Here's a few fun shots from a pillow fight session we had a few days ago. At first it was all sweet and still, flurry slippers and soft smiles...awwww...





Yeah, that didn't last long. Jamie, Chad and Caitlyn got waaaaay out of control, but I have to admit, it was alot of fun. :)





Even Jamie's sister Kelly's little girl got to hop in for some of the fun, and I'm fairly certain from the snow angel imprint in my shooting room that everyone had a good time.

The Busy Season

With the politics and the time of year, I realized this morning that I've been neglecting the blog of actual client images. I apologize. I looked back and realized I had more than half a dozen weddings and four times as many sessions that I wanted to post on here for you all to see, but I just never got around to it. One thing about my mind, I can get wonderfully sidetracked.
Well, today, my talented assistant Melissa and I will be getting caught up with the workload (just 1 session behind! Yay!), so now I can focus a bit on the particulars.

I wanted to post some favorites from a very recent family shoot first.
We first met Chelsea when she moved in next door to my mother-in-law a couple of years ago. Almost immediately, my son and her daughter hit it off, and there were some days you'd think they were glued at the hip. Chelsea has watched our kids no less than a couple of dozen times ever since. She has a great little daycare she runs out of her home.



Jordan is the spitting image of her mom in my opinion, right down to the cutest noses I think I've ever seen.


Chelsea's husband Mike is the reserved, laid back type of guy that would go a mile out of his way for you any time.


It's interesting because their little boy Isaac can look at me and instantly convey the need for speed, just from the flare in his eyes. I think in reality there's a good helping of each personality in both dad and son, the only difference is that dad is an adult and therefore he's obligated to act like one (a feeling I understand), and Isaac? Well shoot, he's just a kid, and at that age, might as well burn as much rubber as the law will allow, right? ;)

Available You.

Sometimes words just come, and I think they may as well be posted here.

Available You
He wants your eyes so you can see.
He wants your ears so you can hear.
He wants your hands so you can hold onto
The one who can take away all your fears.

He’s everything you’ve ever craved
He’s the only one by which you’re saved.

You’re in the perfect storm,
And he’s holding out his arms.
The waves are crashing down.
But with Him you can’t be harmed.

Take the peace that He is giving,
Throw the rest away.
Walk upon the water with Him.
Start a brand new day…now,

He needs your feet so you can walk the earth.
He needs your mind so you can bless.
He needs for you to put Him first,
He needs your willingness.

He’ll take your voice if you’ll just lend it.
He’ll make your words gentle and true.
He’ll pour the love that He’s the source of
Into the available you.

And wrath will be turned away,
When you let His light shine through.
When you tell them what HE did they’ll say
I can see Jesus… in You.

~Dan Elliott 11.9.08