In the Words of Lyle Lovett....

...."If I had a boat, I'd go out on the ocean"

Ladies and gentleman, we have ourselves a boat. A big one. And tomorrow I'm going out on the ocean...with Lyle himself. :)


Amy and I are setting sail tomorrow from Miami, with Lyle and about 35 other promised musicians (although I have a feeling there will be MUCH more musical talent on that ship). The Cayamo Cruise is basically a floating musical festival...they're calling it "A Journey Through Song". I couldn't be any more excited about the line-up (well, unless Will Hoge was also in floating attendance...ha)--Lyle Lovett, Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin, Brandi Carlile, Marc Broussard, Shawn Mullins, Kathleen Edwards, Edie Carey, Emerson Hart, The Greencards, Indigo Girls--and this is just the start!! Songwriting has to be one of the things I love most...and these are seriously some of my own personal favorites when it comes to songwriting. So talented. Going out on a 7-day cruise with them...being serenaded in their music day and night....I just can't explain to you how giddy I am right now. :)





Anyway, we just landed in Miami. Great flight and feeling good on little sleep. Grabbed our bags and then the most important thing....coffee. Upon preparing my coffee just the way I like it, I saw this...confirming the start of a wonderful 8 days.... ha ha :)

This girl is happy :)


Hope to have some inspirational pictures of musicians and islands to you soon! Be good til then.

Lovely Accents

I'm always honored and excited when photographers like Amy Nave ask me to assist. First of all, Amy is fun and always a joy to work with. Secondly, she is talented and I always learn something. Third, she always manages to land the dearest clients. And this particular day proved no exception.

It was a gorgeous morning, the wedding nestled alongside the beaches of Ventura. The flowers accented the cake, the clouds of a fresh rain accented the sky, and the wind accented the bride's veil. But none of this compared to the accent of the groom as he delivered the sweetest vowels to his bride. Bjarne is from Denmark and met the lovely Jamie while on a cruise. They've been anchored in love ever since...

Jamie & Bjarne....best of love to you. May your marriage be as beautiful as the day on which it was created. Cheers! :)

And The Greatest of These is Love....

Valentine's Day has passed--red roses are coming down, green clovers are going up--and this heart remains still. Last week I shared words and images from our weekend at the Dream Center. If you missed it, please take the time to go back and be informed. While there is so much to be shared, and a part of me wants to get a running start with words entailing all details, a part of me is still so silenced by what I witnessed. Concern. Service. Love. And the greatest of these is love. I can't begin to put into words the feeling that came over me when I saw the children from these neighborhoods turning corners and running full force into the arms of the volunteers. It was hard to keep back tears, seeing the relationships that have been formed. And then to realize the invitation by many of them, trusting me to be a part of it. They talked, they played, they laughed...and they loved. These pure and genuine acts of love....may it encourage you to love all the more.



















The one thing that stands out the most to me is their ease in loving. The volunteers AND the children. They each loved so easily. I can't help but notice that many of those volunteers are living in God, and teaching these children to do the same.

"And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect." 1 John 4:17

Friday Photo Fun!

I'm thinking Friday might be a good day to share random and strange photographs that I would, otherwise, probably do nothing with. Fridays are always nice for some distracting fun, right?!

WHALE, here's a good one. This is kind of made me laugh the other day. I was in the midst of preparing another fine, gourmet, home-cooked meal (a.k.a frozen chicken) and suddenly found myself highly amused. Is it just me, or does my piece of chicken look like Shamu?

Acts, and You Will Receive....

It was an early morning start. We loaded up the car with camera gear and tired eyes and headed towards coffee. Just a few weeks prior my roommate and dear friend, Amy, contacted the Dream Center in L.A. inquiring as to any need they may have for photography. They immediately responded with gratitude and excitement, expressing their desire and need for our service.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with The Dream Center, it is a non-profit outreach program dedicated to helping people within the inner-cities. They provide food, clothing, shelter, life rehabilitation, education and job training, Biblical training and much more through 273 ministries and outreaches. They reach thousands of hurting and needy children, families and adults across all races and cultures each week. Each weekend they host an event called "Adopt A Block". Volunteers load up in buses and travel to different areas in L.A. and spend the day distributing goods, services, and love to the people within these areas. They then invite the youth, ages 12 and up, back to The Dream Center for food, fun, games, and fellowship. It is truly something beautiful to witness, and I am blessed that I was able to. My favorite part is that they do it for the glory of the Lord...and it's all too evident in the lives that have been changed.

Amy, Janey, and I are consumed everyday with thankfulness in being able to do something we love--and we each felt the desire and the opportunity to use our gifts in photography to capture the outreach they have going there. It was with the intent to serve that we first set out on that early morning drive towards the Dream Center. And those others who volunteer weekly at the Dream Center...it's obvious they act with the intent to serve. Somewhere along the way, we all end up realizing that our acts are being openly received and appreciated. And, without intent, we also end up receiving.

Consider this part 1 of 2....this post will focus on the acts of SERVICE that I witnessed during the first part of my visit to the Dream Center. The loading up of trucks, distribution of goods, and just a few of those who received.