Photo Shoot

Today consisted of hanging out with my good friend Justin Barr as we trekked around downtown Redlands, trying to hone in our photography skills. It has been so long since I've gone out shooting just for fun, and I had a lot of fun doing it. While we were on our shoot, we ran into some skater kids who were more than eager to have us take pictures of them riding. It was quite a wood-shedding experience for me, too! It's been a while since I've put my camera abilities to the test. And let's just say I have a long way to go before I can feel confident about calling myself a real photographer. But nonetheless, I'm happy that I have my little Canon Rebel. After today, though, I'm tempted to look into some more specialized equipment like a fixed lens...or a telephoto lens...or an external flash. Someday maybe? But for now, I can dream.

Fragmented Thoughts

So, it's been one week since I promised that I would start writing more. Looks like I'm off to a good start...but really, I do have things to say! It's just a matter of getting myself to say it. This dilemma actually kind of plays into what I've been struggling with in the past week. I feel like I've been experiencing an identity crisis of sorts. It's pretty simple: the person I am right now is not the person I necessarily want to be...or could be...or maybe should be. I wish I could be a better musician and photographer. I wish I could read quicker than I currently do. I wish I could be a better writer. The list goes on. And the most frustrating part is that I know that I'm capable of achieving those goals, but things just don't seem to "click" in my mind. I want to do so much more than what my mind and body is currently doing! I feel like I can't focus when I need to, or want to.

Kind of like how I'm feeling right now. I know that I have a point, but it just feels so extremely difficult to make it clear! I don't know what God is doing with me right now, but a lot of things aren't making sense to me right now. It's just so hard to come up with ideas...about anything. I feel like I'm at a time in my life where there are so many possibilities, it almost seems like there are too many to handle. I don't know where to begin, and I feel like I have a hard time following through on them. I see a lot people my age who are already accomplishing a lot of great things both for themselves and for the glory of God. And I wish I could offer something like that as well. There's just so much more I want to do with my life, but I don't know where to start!


But before finishing this blog, I would like to address a few things that have come to my attention: 1) I realize that I've rambled a lot; 2) I am thankful for the opportunities I've been given already; and 3) I realize that I've used the pronoun "I" way too much (which may be an insight into the reason for my current crisis).

when it comes down to it, being content with myself has proven to be a difficult task. I have a lot of growing to do. Please God help me.

A New Years Resolution

It's that time of the year again...well, the beginning of it actually. Everyone's out there making their new year's resolutions. Some are resolving to lose some of that extra weight they gained last year. Others are vowing to manage their time better so they Can enjoy life without having to deal with the stress and disappointment of letting it slip away from them. And for a few, this may be the year where they might find themselves being stretched by God, pushed to new limits, and brought to new heights they had never expected to experience.

I have never really been one to make resolutions for myself, but I guess trying to hold yourself accountable to something couldn't hurt, right? So, my simple resolution for this year is write more. That's the main reason why I started this blog. I've always had trouble putting my thoughts and experiences into words, but I would really like to. I always find it beautiful to read what's goes on in other people's minds whether their writing is polished or not. Especially in today's age of online communities, I've been finding that outlets like blogs, myspace, facebook, and even twitter bring a unique dynamic to our fellowship with each other. We get to see who we are in a different light (although it may not always be completely true).

So my new year's resolution is to make a better effort to be a part of that unique fellowship. We'll see what 2009 has in store.