As the Ruin Falls: Photos

Showing posts with label Photos. Show all posts

12.25.2015

Advent Week 4

Advent Week 4

Love (Day 20)

For Christ loved us too much to leave us in darkness.

Wonder (Day 21)

I often wonder what the Lord is doing in my life. But how often do I look at him with wonder and awe?

Community (Day 22)

There have been many influential communities in my life and these represent a few of the many.

Gift (Day 23)

If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! - Matthew‬ ‭7:11

Birth (Day 24)

We wait. We wait for the birth of a savior. Of Immanuel. Of light. We wait for the birth of something new.

Light (Day 25)

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. -John‬ ‭1:4-5‬ ‭

12.20.2015

Advent Week 3

Advent Week 3

Joy (Day 13)

I have loved this season ever since I was a child. Christmas is magic to me. It fills me with a deep sense of joy. The lights. The decorations. The cookies.

Ponder (Day 14)

Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. - Psalm‬ ‭111:2

Sign (Day 15)

This sign took us to some amazing adventures in Yosemite.

Praise (Day 16)

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Release (Day 17)

Yes I did an advent day about Star Wars because it is the release of the Force Awakens and Jesus does care about our loves and passions.

Promise (Day 18)

He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations - Psalm‬ ‭105:8‬

Faith (Day 19)

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" - Mark‬ ‭4:40‬

12.13.2015

“Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Isaiah‬ ‭9:7‬

Listen (Day 7)

Stop to rest and listen to the Holy Spirt. Be still and hear the voice of the Lord.

Free (Day 8)

The place in the world I feel the most free is here in Yosemite. To be at full peace and full freedom sitting in this meadow watching the sun set.

Justice (Day 9)

But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! - Amos‬ ‭5:24

Awake (Day 10)

Awake my soul. Rise up and see the son being born

Mystery (Day 11)

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. - Colossians‬ ‭2:2-3‬ ‭

Grace (Day 12)

I wish grace and healing were more abracadabra kind of things. Also, that delicate silver bells would ring to announce grace's arrival. But no, it's clog and slog and scootch, on the floor, in the silence, in the dark. - Anne Lamott

12.06.2015

Advent: Week 1

Wait (Day 1)

Lord we wait for you. We wait for you to come and bring light to a dark world. We wait with expectation. Hopeful expectation.

Journey (Day 2)

"Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.” Ruth‬ ‭1:16‬. We journey together to seek the Lord in advent. He journeyed from heaven to us and we goes with us.

Open (Day 3)

"Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.” Psalm‬ ‭51:15

Comfort (Day 4)

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew‬ ‭5:4‬

Wisdom (Day 5)

We hiked to a wisdom tree once. I wonder if it made us wiser.

11.28.2015

Small Business Saturday (30 Days of Gratitude)

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 28

One of my favorite traditions of the crazy holiday season is Small Business Saturday. It's a great time to invest in local business and communities and to hear first hand the dreams of business owners. For many of them this is their dream becoming a reality and it's great to partake in their dreams alongside them, even when I'm not local to a place.

And we even made it into the Fresno Bee! You can check out the article here.

So thank you to all the the local business who dream big and invite us to share in that with you. For your commitment to your community and to your customers, and for hope you inspire in us to also dream big.

Here are the places Sol and I visited during the day:

1) Raizana Tea

2) Misc.

3) Dear Danger

4) HIVE Clovis

5) On the Edge

6) Pho 75 # 2

7) Goldsteins Mortuary & Delicatessen

11.27.2015

#OptOutside (30 Days of Gratitude)

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 27

Instead of going shopping for Black Friday, we got to spend the day outside for REI's new thing called #OptOutside. Even though we were a little too tired to go hiking, Sol and I spent the day being outside - both reading in the Park, walking through Downtown Kingsburg (for their Julgransfest and Christmas Tree lighting). It was a great joy to spend the day not engaging in consumerism and being outside in the fresh (albeit exceptionally cold) air.

(November in Fresno)

(resting while at Oso de Oro Park)

(enjoying the Christmas tree lighting in Kingsburg. Included a Swedish Queen, Christmas carols, and dancing around the tree).

11.26.2015

Happy Thanksgiving! (30 Days of Gratitude)

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 26

Happy Thanksgiving! Here are some things I am thankful for on this day:

Being able to wake up early (even though it's not my favorite)
Awesome mugs
Running on a beautiful day
Being outside
New socks!
Warm jackets
Delicious and plentiful food
Time with the best friend
Pie
Dr. Pepper
Hilarious conversations and inside jokes
Watching movies
Star Wars!
Hot water
Being able to sit down
Texts from friends
Sleeping

11.22.2015

Musicals (30 Days of Gratitude)

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 22

I love musicals. I think my first musical as a kid was The Lion King. I was a little terrified hen the giant elephants came walking down the aisle for the opening number but as a kid I had an immediate connection with the way musicals told stories through songs and dance. I loved Disney movies as the more accessible musicals I could see. I loved going to the theater and seeing a live show - seeing the music, the costumes, the lightening, the sets, and the actors portraying these amazing characters.

I love the way they bond people together. Seeing a show together is an amazing experience that is hard to rival. It's greater than seeing a movie because there's something about what you see at this particular show you can only see once. No show is ever really the same because small things are different each night.

Musicals have a way of taking me out of the world today and into a new imaginative world. I can fly on a magic carpet in Agrabah, I can fight in the French Revolution, I can sing of love won and love lost, I can dance at the Ozfest or alongside forks, plates, and napkins. I can be transported into new worlds and new lives. Whether in the theater or in my car, they take me to new places.

11.11.2015

Puppies (30 Days of Gratitude)

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 11

I don't know what it is about dogs and puppies that make you feel instantly calm and relaxed. It could be their unassuming and unconditional love for you, their excitement, their fuzziness, or their willingness to cuddle. Perhaps they just don't demand as much from you as people sometimes do - just that you scratch their butt and throw them a ball sometimes. But sometimes the best therapy comes from spending quality time with a dog and letting them love you and loving them in return.

Thank you to the dogs I've gotten to be with over the past several days, maybe someday soon I'll get one of my own.

11.08.2015

Psalm 40 (30 Days of Gratitude)

30 Days of Gratitude: Day 8

I have been trying to read through all the bible in a year. It won't be a year by the time I finish but currently I'm reading through the psalms. In many ways this season has felt tiring and exhausting, and I find comfort in the psalmists ability to both cry out to Jesus and praise Jesus in one breath. Today's reading, Psalm 40 came up and it's my all time favorite psalm.

I waited patiently for the Lord;

he turned to me and heard my cry.

He lifted me out of the slimy pit,

out of the mud and mire;

he set my feet on a rock

and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many declare.
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire -
but my ears you have opened -
burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
Then I said, "Here I am, I have come -
it is written about me in the scroll.
I desire to do your will, my God;
your law is within my heart."
I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, Lord,
as you know.
I do not hide your righteousness in my heart;
I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.
I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness
from the great assembly.
Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
may your love and faithfulness always protect me.
For troubles without number surround me;
my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see.
They are more than the hairs of my head,
and my heart fails within me.
Be pleased to save me, Lord;
come quickly, Lord, to help me.
May all who want to take my life
be put to shame and confusion;
may all who desire my ruin
be turned back in disgrace.
May those who say to me, "Aha! Aha!"
be appalled their own shame.
But may all who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you;
may those who long for your saving help always say,
"The Lord is great!"
But as for me, I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are me help and my deliverer;
you are my God, do not delay."

10.31.2015

Halloween

I'm not a big fan of Halloween, but this year some of my students and I decided to dress up as characters from Star Wars. We got $3 Chipotle Burritos, had kids in my apartment complex compliment us, and even some teenagers said we "slayed her night!" We then proceeded to watch the first Star Wars movie.