diamonds on a dreary day

  
'Twas a rather dreary day - a day without even a sliver of sunlight peeking through the grey clouds and a drizzling rain which silently glazed everything in a layer of ice. The tiny droplets stuck to everything they came in contact with, creating miniature works of art that were just waiting to be discovered. Diamonds seemed to sparkle all around - caught in the tree branches and shining on blades of grass. Yes, winter is a chilly time of year which seems to be deprived of color and life, but it also has a certain beauty about it which can not be matched by any other season. The icicles which daintily dangle from fences and fenders, the frosty white snowflakes that dance through the air before getting caught in your eyelashes and hair, and the nippy temperatures that set you down in a cozy chair with a good book and perhaps a steaming mug of rich hot chocolate.

Ah, yes - 'tis a lovely season indeed. Don't you agree?

// rebekah //

Discovering why I do what I do

Why do I photograph? Why do I ride horses? Why do I blog? This may sound a bit crazy, but I've never really thought about it before. So I decided that is was high time to give an answer, because when I know and understand why I do something, it gives me the motivation to keep at it. This is especially true on those days when I wonder why in the world I'm doing it and I'm ready to give up. Ultimately, all should be done to glorify God...but I see that as a given. I've always said I did things because I enjoyed them, but it's quite interesting to dig into it a little deeper and remind myself of why I do what I do...


I PHOTOGRAPH:
To capture those moments which slip through my fingers like grains of sand and to challenge myself to keep improving. I love memories, and the lens of my camera catch them for me. Catching memories is kinda like catching fireflies in a jar. Except for the fact that fireflies die if you leave them in there too long...but thankfully it doesn't work that way with photos. Weeks, months, and years from now I want to be able to look back and be able to vividly visualize those precious moments that happened so long ago.


I RIDE:
I have loved horses for as long as I can remember, and riding just springs out of that love. I ride to feel the wind on my face, to delight in the satisfaction of working well as a team, to get away from the noise and soak up the tranquility of a cool autumn day, and to enjoy one of the most magnificent creatures in God's wonderful Creation.


I WRITE:
My pen meets the paper to articulate the thoughts which whirl through my mind. My goal in writing is to glorify the Lord and encourage others to follow after Him. It's also a way to record life's happenings, see growth over the years, and put to paper the thoughts that come to mind.


I BLOG:
I love photography and I love to write, so this little corner of the internet is my outlet for sharing those things with others. It's a place for me to share the things that the Lord is teaching me, the newest frames captured through the lens of my camera, and the memories that I don't ever want to loose. Every day is a treasure, and I don't want to forget that.


I LAUGH:
Because life is much too short to do without it. Simple as that.


I LOVE:
Because Christ first loved me - and without His love I would be a mess. I want to share that love with others, because it is truly a wonderful thing.


I READ:
Because there are a lot of people who are a lot smarter than I am, and then they write books which I can learn from. It's a way to learn, grow, and be inspired. It's also a way to learn more about the Lord and see examples of people who are living their lives totally for Him. Old books...there's just something about the rich wording and wholesome content that uplifts, challenges, and encourages me.


I PRAY:
I pray, because life is meaningless without Christ. He gives me strength for the day, and has never, ever failed me. Though I have failed Him countless times, He is always there for me.

So now it's your turn...why do YOU do what you do?

Competing in the Mile High City

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, to say the least.

It always surprises me at how many things I use in a week...and that all of those items can be squashed into a couple of bags if I try hard enough. Yep...on January 8th I left on a vacation to the mile high city (a.k.a. Denver, Colorado). I guess it wasn't really what most people would consider a vacation - to be exact it was a trip with my two amazing team mates (Alexandra and Jarret), our coach, and my mom to the Western National Roundup to compete in the Hippology contest. And by the way...Hippology is the study of horses...not of hippos.

To say that we had an amazing time would be an understatement...

Denver and the surrounding area are absolutely gorgeous. 

I think I could easily have filled up the week by just taking pictures of the scenery...and lots of them.

Alexandra and Jarret are pretty amazing team mates.

After hours of studying and lots of preparation to get there, the Lord blessed us by allowing us to place 7th overall out of 17 teams. We had a ton of fun, did our best, and left the results in God's hands! (Jarret did a great job putting up with four girls for the week!)

Even though parts of the contest we a little bit stressful, it was a joy-filled, relaxing week. To be honest, horse judging and team problems are not my strong points, but I thank God for calming my nerves and reminding me that my weaknesses are simply a chance for His strength to be revealed through me. My verse for the week was 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:

"But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

When you're in a place where over 30 states are represented, you meet a lot of new people!

We made some great friends - although it's sad to think that we may never get to see them again.

Alaska, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas...and even Iowa!

This is probably the biggest hotel that I've ever stayed in...

and to make it even better it had a cool glass elevator  :)

A huge highlight of the week was the Freestyle Reining competition at the Western National Stock Show. Quite impressive...

Did I mention that Starbucks coffee is essential for long trips?

And that I absolutely love the scenery in Denver?

Well, that about sums up the trip. I know that was a lot of photos and quite a few words...but thanks for sticking around :)

Now that my routine is getting back to normal, I hope to be a bit more active around here.

Hope you're having a lovely week!

new beginnings & a twenty-twelve recap

 >> january <<

>> february <<

>> march <<

>> april <<

>> may <<

>> june <<

>> july <<

>> august <<

 >> september <<

>> october <<

>> november <<

 >> december <<

Another year has come and gone - the last page of the final chapter of twenty-twelve has been completed. 

Now sits before us a new year, just waiting to be filled with memories and captured with photographs.

May God be glorified in the upcoming year, and your 2013 be a blessed one!

What is your favorite memory from the past year?