The Wind

(photo borrowed from usps.org)

Earlier today my sister called me to chat a bit and while on the phone, she came across a card that had the following message.  We all go through tough times in our life, and this outlook made me smile.

One of the things that surprised me about sailing is that the same wind can take the boat in all directions.  It depended on where I steered with the rudder and how I set my sail.  I’m trying to apply this principle to the rest of my life.  I can’t control the winds that blow, but with God’s help I can set sails accordingly.  I can look for the beauty in people who treat me unfairly. I can try to counter criticism with affirmation.  Even contrary winds can be used by God to teach me something new.

Sometimes when you are in the midst of turmoil, it is difficult to surrender without feeling like you are giving up.  However when you reach this point this is the time to stop and drop to your knees and pray, because without God’s help there is no idea where you will end up.  More than likely, you will end up in the same situation at a different time with a different person  going through the same thing.  Unless you look to God, many of us don’t learn the lesson that is in front of us, staring us in the face.

Not to be completely thought-fragmented but this card has encouraged me to have a giveaway.

There is a book that I read recently and I value the lesson in this book.  It was originally written as a business book… a book for management and employees, but it applies to many different relationships in life (parent/child, husband/wife, management/employee).

So I will be giving away this book next Friday, November 6th.  (I can’t believe it is 2 days away from November.  It feels like it was January just yesterday).

To enter:

1.  Comment below about your Halloween plans. 

2.  Tweet about this awesome contest. :-) Come back and leave a comment and a link to your tweet.

3.  Become a follower on this blog.

* Please leave separate comments for each entry

Oh!  Stay tuned.  I will be having a scrapbooking related giveaway VERRRRY SOOOON.

I Now Know…

… where Alabama (I’m in a hurry – and I don’t know why) is coming from!  I feel like rushing around is all that I have been doing recently.  I need an assistant or a partner that wants to help.  Wait!  Isn’t that what a partner does… there may be a few arrangements out there where one person does all the work, but that isn’t what I’m looking for.  I want the real deal baby. 

Lately, I am beginning to wonder if the Earth truly is flat and I have fallen off the side. 

(photo borrowed from www.icis.com)

I hope that I am able to find the time to return soon.  I have missed my friends!  I have missed sharing and connecting with my amazing peeps. 

During the last few months I have learned how valuable it is to have a good support system.  I don’t know what I would do if it wasn’t for my sister-in-law and my mother-in-law!  They have both stepped up and helped out with my kids many times so that I could help my dad and help take him to doctor appointments.  I am so thankful to them both, but that’s another blog post for later.

I have to go, but I will leave you with a promise (or threat… it all depends on how you look at it).

I’ll be back.  (Spoken with my best Arnold Schwarzenegger accent)

Until Then,

Jess

Have I mentioned I love gadgets?

Oklahoma Sunsets

Recently I took a photography class and I can’t express how much that I have learned from it.  This is homework from a class covering “flash”. 

This is a subject where I have needed a lot of help.  I can’t count the number of pictures that I have taken at family gatherings and cookouts that have turned out like this one below. 

The background is black and the subject is blinded from the flash going off directly in their face.  It doesn’t even have to  be technically dark outside for the background to be black.   

Well this particle session of the class has changed my mamarazzi days forever.  I learned how to capture the beautiful Oklahoma sunsets in the background while still being able to capture everyone’s faces.

 

It sounds easy enough… and now it is. 

However, it wasn’t that long ago that when I tried to take a picture with the sun setting in the background and the picture above was the result of my feeble attempt.

Now I get to rejoice and capture shots with color like this one. 

Isn’t God an absolutely amazing artist!!!  Fall sunsets are one of the most brilliant works of art.  Absolute perfection.

Now that I have this new found knowledge I can’t wait to take a million pictures of my kids and husband during sunsets.  Guess what kids, you now have a later bedtime!  Yes, for real.  You can thank Mommy’s photography teacher for that. 

Just in case anyone was wondering, I took my classes at Aperature Photo in Tulsa.  I highly recommend anyone who owns a digital SLR camera and lives in the Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, or Arkansas area to take this class.  My instructor, Zane, is pictured above and if you do decided to take one of his classes, please tell him that Jessica Stubbs sent you. 

He may not remember me by name, he does have quite a few students.  However, if you tell him what camera that I use he just might remember.

Thought for the post:

If he knew that I was going to post my homework on my blog, I wonder if he would have volunteered to model while teaching class?

Until Next Time.

Jess

Watch out Emeril

When I think about the differences between boys and girls, it is really quite funny.  Normally if I was to hand Lauren a teacup, she will go to the table and begin to have a tea party.  On the other hand, if I give that same teacup to Evan it becomes a rocket launcher, machine gun, or a spaceship and he will run around the kitchen pretending that the spaceship is flying through the sky.

However, when it comes to anything culinary.  My son excitedly steps up to the plate.  He loves to help me cook.  Personally I think it’s because he just flat out enjoys eating and he always samples the food here & there.

Recently, during a trip to Grandma’s house he held the proud position of Assistant Chef and he was truly beside himself.

He’s a lucky grandson to have such a brave grandma.  I can’t believe that she let him have the knife.  It’s obvious who will be the best supporter of this love of his.

 

When he asks me if he can help me cut up the vegetables, my answer is always…

“Of course, honey, when you are thirty!”

HEY!  I never said that I WASN’T overprotective.

Just sitting back taking pictures was a HUGE step for me.  And yes, I did break out into a nervous sweat.  Can you blame me?  Just look at that knife!!

Seriously, I have to admit how proud I was of my little boy.  He was so focused that he wasn’t even aware of the mamarazzi flashes that were lighting up grandma’s kitchen.  He was very safe, calculated, and serious.  Just look at that concentration on that face. 

Looking at these pictures just makes me want to wake him up from his nap and kiss him all over his cheeks.

(Sigh).  I love that boy.

What Makes You Smile

Thank you DAD! 

My father is one of those men that is not only my father, but also my best friend.  It speaks pretty loudly to the kind of man that he is because I am not his only child to call him their best friend.  Actually, six of us do!

He is an amazing man that encourages us all to continue growing stronger and learning in all areas of our lives.  After all, God didn’t put us here to become stagnant.  And despite what Lauren thinks, no one knows EVERYTHING.

We’ve all experienced not-so-enjoyable moments and stressful situations in life.  It’s almost inevitable, but it’s how we respond to those situations that define the kind of person that you are.  These are all situations that we can learn from and our responses should get better each time and hopefully grow more mature as we learn.

One of the best bits of advise that he’s given me is to be kind, be strong, and always forgive.

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. – Ephesians 4:32

Although, we are human!  It’s not always as easy as it sounds, right?  Well wrong.  We are in control of our thoughts.  We are capable of choosing to go walking around pissed off, with a chip on our shoulder, or feeling like a victim.  Then again we are also capable of taking control of our outlook on life and choosing to be positive.

My dad shared this knowledge by telling me one of his college stories. 

No it’s not that kind of college stories… Goodness, what did you do in college?

He conducted an experiment.  He would take his subject talk to them about something that really upset them.  Sometimes, it would take a bit… but, soon he would find their button and the subject would open up and share about whatever it was that upset them, it be their job, school, professor, husband/wife, boyfriend/ girlfriend, kids, or parents.

After he encouraged them to talk about the negative subject, only re-upsetting themselves as they retold the stories.  He would wait until they were apparently upset and then hand them a piece of paper and pencil and then ask them to list things that made them happy.  As he handed them the paper, he would begin timing just how long it took for them to change their mindset and begin to think of things of a positive nature. 

As he explained this to me, he made me realize that we all have a switch and that we are in control over that switch. 

Can you instantly begin thinking of things that make you happy?  How long does it take you to be positive after focusing on negative thoughts?

Some people may take seconds, minutes, hours, days, and some may not be able to begin thinking of “happy thoughts”.  As we mature and gain control of our mindset then it is much easier to truly be kind to even the person that is creating those negative emotions.  I always try to remember that God created them too, and that He made us all.  Who are we to chose to be rude to one of His creations?  We are ALL human.  We ALL make mistakes.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. - Colossians 3:13

Baseball Retraction

In my last post, Baseball Forever, I misstated how long my nephew actually slept.  I was in no way trying to lie, or misrepresent the amount of time that he slept.

I received this cute email that made me smile, and laugh, and smile a bit more.  I think that it is absolutely adorable.  The email was titled Since the 1st Inning and it contained the cute photo. 

Later I was told that little Jett woke up during the 6th inning, but I guess I wasn’t paying attention.  So I guess this is actually TWO apologies.  I’m sorry for for not paying attention and realizing that he woke up in the 6th inning AND I’m sorry for misleading everyone and causing them to believe that he slept through the entire game.

Please forgive me.

:-)