6.25.2015

Wearable Worth



Me in my favorite blue granny dress posing in front of the climbing roses.
I was about five years old, and might be a little hard to see ... but I'm glowing. 
dress proud
I couldn't find a definition - maybe it's a Kentucky phrase? 
But I'll bet I you know what I'm talking about. 
That particular feeling when you slip that special garment over your head. 
When you look in the mirror and know for sure - you're awesome!

I saw my own boys do the same - not with dresses, of course.
But they each had a piece of clothing which they prized over every other.
 A favorite shirt that was softer than any other,  
a hat, cocked just so, which gave an extra shot of cool,
and the jump-higher, run-faster shorts that saved the day.

How easily we are satisfied with outward garments when
 the worth we have in God's eyes is infinitely greater!
His view of our value is long lasting
wearable in every hour,
no matter what we have on our bodies.

Proof verses here.
Post them, tuck them, savor them.
Carry them, whisper them, shout them.

Wear your true worth wherever you go!


* Many thanks to my My Wonderful Aunt for sending these photos via email.
Thank God for the history-keeping aunts among us!


6.08.2015

Fairies and Photography

Last fall, I took a leaf photo that I loved. You know how good can be born from 
the very painful things in life? Well, that's exactly what happened.

My returning RA made it much too painful to get low enough to capture the light 
beaming through fall leaves scattered across our patio. So I fiddled with settings and 
took the photos 'blind' by placing the camera on the ground and pressing the shutter release.
 Every photo was a surprise, since I had nothing to do with the
 framing or focusing of the shot.

It occurred to me that photos taken from this vantage point  display what a fairy might see.
Guess I read a few too many books about woodland fairies in my childhood 
because it sure stuck with me!

 And now that spring is swelling into summer, I find myself  wondering what those
 fairies 
might see IF they wandered through my flowerbeds -
 Oriental poppies from below - quite an impressive sight!

 Painted ferns would make a colorful overhead display.

Lily of the valley blooms could replace church bells on any clear morning!
***
This would be a fun photo project for children this summer.  Any point and shoot camera, 
a DSLR with an 'auto' setting, or an iphone camera will do the job. Be ready 
to delete many photos that focus incorrectly, come out blurred or poorly lit. 
But wait for it ...

... they will be thrilled when they get a photo that perfectly portrays the everyday 
viewpoint of  the common garden fairy. And you have a chance to talk with them 
about seeing things from another person's perspective,
 and the effort and payoffs that are involved in that sometimes difficult  task.

Just a thought.

Link to more kid photography ideas here.