Iheartfaces- Photo Challenge | Sun Flare

I'm entering this photo in the Iheartfaces photo challenge. I'll let you all know how it goes! :)

Sunshiney Stuff | Regurgitated Vocab | 52 Challenge & Other Stuff

Sunshiney Stuff |
I spent the morning downloading and arranging a selection of  happy songs to my play list. Not just "happy" but SUNSHINE songs. ;) My sunshiney playlist consists of songs that have a sunshiney tempo, light (as in sun), light (as in mood) and happy feeling to them. My list includes some of the following:

Here Comes The Sun
This Little Light of Mine
Big Rock Candy Mountain
Keep On The Sunny Side
Sweet By & By
Soak Up The Sun
Lover's Lane
Shine, Jesus, Shine
You Are My Sunshine
In My Own Backyard
Let's Go Fly A Kite
and many, many more. :)

Speaking of sunshine: The temps this weekend will be spiking to the high 70's!!!! Wowzers! :) I plan on spending a lot of time in the sun this weekend on a photo escapade.

Regurgitation |
So, I realize "regurgitation" isn't the nicest lead-in....but I'm sticking with it. :) We had a special minister from Emmaus Bible College  on Sunday morning. He spoke about the tempering of the Holy Ghost. He spoke about stress and burdens.Then, he did one of my favorite things- he broke down the etymology of a word. He told the backstory of in the days of the roman empire how the farmers would take the wheels off of carts and put sharp stones, glass and rocks on the bottom of a cart and drag it over a wheat field. The process of doing this was called tribulare.  The act of dragging this cart was like a threshing sledge to the wheat -exposing the seed and allowing the wind to blow the chaff away. Tribulare means "to press". We get the word tribulation from the roman word tribulare.  Are you "pressing" yourself into the Kingdom of God?
Let this really sink in: The wheat wasn't being "punished". The process of  using the tribulare wasn't to work AGAINST the wheat- it was to cultivate and harvest the potential of the wheat. Like I said, let it really sink in. The minister then used the examples of tempering steel and refining gold. I don't know if I ever really walk away with the concept that the ministers intend to stick with the congregation- but these little nuggets came somersaulting into my heart like and I feel compelled to share ( or regurgitate?)  them. :)

52 Challenge | After church on Sunday I had the wonderful opportunity of visiting a horse farm. The lighting was phenomenal. The horses were beautiful. The girls that lived on the farm were great little assistants and models...the bummer is that only HALF of my pictures will transfer from my camera. :( I don't know what to do! I can see the pictures on there but when I go to transfer them it says the file is corrupted. (all join me for a moment of silence, please.)
I love doing silohuettes.

Other Stuff |

• My son is going to a Christian homeschooler's summer camp this May. He's over the top excited.
• I have signed 2 separate freelance SEO contracts. SEO work has proven a great way to make extra money and I'm slowly growing my business by references and word of mouth
• Zumba is my new love <3
• I know I say this EVERY year but the time change just REALLY goofs me up.
• If you're into photography and love to learn new stuff you REALLY need to check out Photovision
• Anybody want to buy some Abeka homeschool books?? Please let me know! :) I ship!

Shine All Your Light,
Cass

Hodge Podge of Stuff & Week 8 of 52 Challenge

I am positive that I will look back at last Saturday morning and be glad that I did it....at some point. I know there's truth in "No pain- No Gain" and I know that "joy comes in the morning".....but let me tell ya- however joyful the morning was...there were tears during the night!
The cause?

My first kickboxing class. AKA: Bootcamp from Hell.

I discovered a couple of things Saturday morning:
1. I totally get the heeber-jeebers putting my hands in boxing gloves that were worn by others. I mean-like, yuck!
2. My friend Sabrina totally exxagerates. She used the word "FUN" referring to Kickboxing. Gee, maybe I'll get her a gift certificate for a free root canal for her birthday!
3. Fifteen push-ups can cause serious pain right away and excruciating pain 12 hours later.
4. Lifting my right arm the next morning to put on deodroant was virtually impossible

On Saturday night I went to see the Celtic Women: Songs From The Heart in concert. I liked it much more than I anticipated liking it. I'm not big into showmanshippy type of performances....I'm more of a nuts and bolts kind of girl....but, even with that being said- the spastic violin player was entertaining. My favorite part was the bagpipe player's rendition of Amazing Grace. My second fave part was Chloe singing "There Will Be Miracles*" from the Prince of Egype soundtrack. (*may not be the actual title of the song)

Something was said during church on Sunday morning that really resounded within me. Our minister pointed out that next week is Transfiguration Sunday. He spoke briefly about the disciples who beheld Christ in his glory on the mountain- and although he's preaching on it next Sunday- he asked us to search our hearts and ask if we are prepared to see Christ in his glory. It was a very, very brief statement- nothing that he elaborated on- but it got me to thinking. When I got home I looked up some scriptures- and came across 2 Corinthians 3:18.  Amazing. The scripture said to me- don't just be prepared to see it and experience it- partake of it....."put it on" BECOME the glory of Christ! To be changed INTO the same image. Wow. Let that one sink in.
I think I would have got more out of Sunday's service had I not been soooo sore- and not sitting there thinking about the fact that I only had deodorant on my left arm and not my right! Ha! Strong enough for a man....but made for a woman....I wish I had SPRAY deodorant yesterday! I was being a girl. *lol*


52 Challenge:
I am challenging myself to shoot in only manual mode. I know for you seasoned photographers it's a no-brainer...but I'm trying to "get there". Here are a few photos for this weeks 52 Challenge. I shot this tulip poplar pod in my friend's yard. I edited the hues and saturation with Topaz Adjust (my fave PS plug-in!) It had rained the night before- so I love the way that Topaz accentuated the colors of the wet picnic table wood and let it "pop" in the picture. By the way- necessity is the mother of invention....I was using jumper cable terminals to clamp the seed pods to the table top. :)

For those of you who follow me on FB- regarding the picture below: this was the picture that made me squeal.

Last Friday my Kiddles and I did a Taylor Swifty-ish photoshoot.

Quip From The Family Scrapbook:
When my 2nd daughter was about four I was admonishing her for saying something mean about someone at our church. I was really trying to drive the point home and said, "Sarah, if you can't say something nice yooooouuuuu....." and I paused waiting her to finish the statement. She piped up just as serious as could be and said, "....just say it real quiet!?!" 

And where would  people get the silly notion that she's a spitting image of me?


Well, I meant to post this blog on Sunday- but as usual I'm playing catch-up. My week has been good...I can finally lift my arm and put deodorant on.... and my kiddos will be with me this upcoming weekend. I've been listening to a lot of online sermons online lately. This morning I listened to one regarding The Light within- the daystar of God's word and how it shines from us. Of course, this thought greatly encourages me because I think of how many of you have been a great light to me...some of you have been a candle of encouragement in a dark time- or a sweet glow of mercy through tribulations and a warm place to reconcile my heart and life to the spirit of the Lord.

May your days be bright as you Shine All Your Light....
Cass