engagement...

shoots are probably one of my most favorite things to shoot as a photographer. I haven't done an engagement or a wedding since last summer and lately i've kind of been itching to do one. I geta rush taking photographs of people who are just madly in love and not afraid to show the world (obviously in an appropriate manner). Click the link to see what inspired me to want to do more engagement shoots. hope you all have a blessed weekend!

ps. if you know anyone that needs engagement or wedding photo, let me know :)

today is history!

todays meditation

“If we want to be spiritual, then, let us first of all live our lives. Let us not fear the responsibilities and the inevitable distractions of the work appointed for us by the will of God. Let us embrace reality and thus find ourselves immersed in the life-giving will and wisdom of God which surrounds us everywhere. “ - from Thoughts in Solitude 

I'm at work watching phil wickham blog videos (it's dead). 

Tomorrow I start my new job, tutoring foster kids (it goes much deeper). 

God is good, so good. 

over & out

WAY+

An excerpt from Rob Bell’s Velvet Elvis

WAY +

As a Christian, I am simply trying to orient myself around living a particular kind of way, the kind of way that Jesus taught is possible. And I think that the way of Jesus is the best possible way to live.

This isn’t irrational or primitive or blind faith. It is merely being honest that we all are living a “way”.

I’m convinced being generous is a better way to live.

I’m convinced forgiving people and carrying around bitterness is a better way to live.

I’m convinced having compassion is a better way to live.

I’m convinced pursuing peace in every situation is a better way to live.

I’m convinced listening to the wisdom of others is a better way to live.

I’m convinced being honest with people is a better way to live.

This way of thinking isn’t weird or strange; it is simply acknowledging that everybody follows somebody, and I’m trying to follow Jesus.

Over time when you purposefully try to live the way of Jesus, you start noticing something deeper going on. You begin realizing the reason that is the best way to live is that it is rooted in profound truths about how the world is. You find yourself living more and more in tune with ultimate reality. You are more and more in sync with how the universe is at its deepest levels.

Jesus’ intention was, and is, to call people to live in tune with reality. He said at one point that if you had seen him, you had “seen the Father”. He claimed to be showing us what God is like. In his compassion, peace, truth, telling, and generosity, he was showing us God.

And God is the Ultimate reality. There is nothing more beyond God.

Jesus at one point claimed to be “the way, the truth, and the life”. Jesus was not making claims about one religion being better than all other religions. That completely misses the point, the depth and the truth. Rather, he was telling those who were following him that his way to the depth of reality. This kind of life Jesus was living, perfectly and completely in connection and cooperation with God, is the best possibly way for a person to live. It is how things are.

Jesus exposes us to reality at its rawest.

So the way Jesus is not about religion; it’s about reality.

It’s about lining yourself up with how things are.

Perhaps a better question than who’s right, is who’s living reality? 

Love it!!!

today...

was a day, but an enjoyable day. it started out with a phone call from my buddy, chris. 

me: hello?

chris: hey man! you still sleeping? it's like 10am!

me: i couldn't sleep lastnight. too much on my mind. 

Chris: bummer man. 

me: (laughing to myself)

Chris: well hey, i'm going to buy a camera. 

me: what kind?

chris: canon 30D! it's like $550 used on bh! 

me: wow! great deal. go for it! 

chris: Sweet! i'm buying it! talk later. get some sleep.

click!

needless to say, chris bought the camera. he's pumped. 

i got out of bed, showered, listened to some tunes, read, then headed off to school to turn-in some papers and take care of some business. i left school, grabbed some lunch then made my up to prospect park to eat lunch, read, and do some reflecting/quite time. after i finished all my stuff, i went to RHS to do tutoring, which turned out it was cancelled until next week. i went back home got my tennis gear and played some tennis with myself (i hit a ball up against a wall for an hour). i came back home cleaned-up then got a phone call from a classmate saying class had been cancelled tonight. regardless of class being cancelled i still had lots of homework to do. i spent about 4 hours in the lab developing a new lesson plan for my presentation on thursday; it's on archetypes. all is done and i'm ready to get some sleep tonight so i can get up at 5 something a.m. to work tomorrow morning. 

have a blessed week!

southern beauty...

comes in the form of this. 

i took this shot a few weeks back just outside the south side of joshua tree. hope you enjoy

ps. click the shot for full size. 

LA-n' it up!

last night i went out to visit my friends jordan and brandon in LA. it felt so good to get away and play in the city for the night. first, we made our way to the grove where we met-up with adrian and his wife sarah. it was so good seeing them. we then took off to senor fish where we had killer burritos. after that we walked around little tokyo and did a little window shopping. we soon left little tokyo and made our way to this little arcade that brandon spotted a few weeks back. the arcade ended-up being amazing! every other game was either 25 cents to 50 cents. we took our own photo-booth photos with our iphones which turned out amazing! to wrap the night up we went over to a friends house and played phase 10. i sucked at the beginning, but ended up winning like 4 phases in a row. it got pretty late so we had to cut the game short. all-in-all the night was tons of fun. i have such great friends!    

The Butterfly King

voted #1 game of the year by roxi. 

The Butterfly King

Journey across majestic Celtic ruins as you create potions and harness magic in this match-game of enchantment. Help Monarch, the Butterfly King, rescue his friends from the clutches of a mysterious wizard bent on freezing his kingdom in magical amber. Explore mystical glades on 150 levels, and download more levels online, playing in either Relaxed or Action play modes. Astonishing visuals and fantastical fun await those ready to answer the call…of adventure!