Sometimes our journey is much like The Never Ending Story...

For those of you kindred spirits out there who feel like we've been in the trenches of life for years around the clock and have been tempted sometimes to give up hope and let the enemy steal, kill, and destroy life itself...May we find renewed hope, renewed passion, renewed vision, and renewed perspective even if it means staying in the trenches!!

Watch this scene below in this collection of clips from one of my favorite movies...The Never Ending Story. (Which also somewhat reminds me of the Pilgrims Progress)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxdL0IhRYWI

For moments such as these....

Today, during a wedding photo-shoot I was drawn to a girl about the age of 12 who dressed in her own style, w/braided pig-tails, big eyes, & a smile that probably makes her the target of bullying. I snapped a shot when she wasn't looking then showed it to her at which she bashfully hid behind her chair....I said "YOU are photogenic! Not everyone can be so naturally beautiful!!" 

As I walked away her mother caught my eye & lipped a heart-felt thankyou.

THIS is why I love being a photographer...for moments such as these!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Zbn7Khv8zM

Parents MIA

At what point does the community stop making excuses for the parent and start advocating for the kid first? I am sure parenting is damn hard. I won't pretend to know. But I do know that a child is supposed to be the priority of the parent, but yet that seems to be a rarity for myself and SO many other kids past/present. 

I feel my tiny face pressed up against the apt window at age 5 bawling as my mom went out to party with friends, deeply terrified she was never coming back. Always wondering why dad always cancels visits at the last minute due to some lame excuse, and refuses to pay child support because he has payments to make on his new convertible and house. I look into the mirror and look directly into the eyes of the child wondering why they are alone late at night to watch over their siblings, trying to pass the vacant time with whatever's handy. I hear the child asking where mommy is and when will she be back, not sure whether her words or her tone or her eyes carry the heavier ache. I feel the cold skin of the child locked outside in the snow while the adults argue inside, or run errands to the store and simply leave said-child behind to carve caves in the snow banks. I hear the foot kick down the door in a drug-induced power-trip, feel the hand grab the limbs in emotional-rage, hear the screaming of the alcoholic debate into the wee hours of the morn, cry beside the child who lost their parent to an overdose, and see those kids wake the next day and pretend to be normal, pretend to be happy, pretend to understand, pretend not to be disappointed, pretend to be a kid. 

Adults are great at excuses. Kids have sadly become for many a sexy commodity like a new phone or purse. But the eyes of the child haunt me...I know them.

Check under the rug...

Its always risky to poke our heads under the bead or behind the couch...

What size dust-bunny or mousy belly-up friend might we find?! We'd rather just not look. 

BUT, sometimes...we find a treasure...an old sentimental something we'd forgotten, or money we didn't even miss, or while digging through an attic we open a box that reveals a world of mystery, love, stories, and a feeling of surprise. 

And sometimes in life...we find people...beautiful discarded, forgotten, written-off, underestimated, pre-condemned people....who are aching to be discovered, remembered, treasured, and hoped in. Was reminded of that yet again today....

While teaching 2 sessions for Family & Children Services, we uncovered 17 beautiful potential-packed kids!

Sweaty, passionate, couch-surfer...Jesus.

Photo-opp Easter-fans are no better than those who said: "Hey, Jesus, let's just forget that 3 days ago I denied I knew you & kept my trap shut even though I saw you do some crazy-ass s%&*. Cause hey, it appears you really are who you said you were!" FACT: Jesus' BFF's were hiding trying to think of a Plan B to save their asses. While Mary M (the town 'pro') was sitting outside His tomb waiting for Him.

Sorry, would just love to hear someone preach the WHOLE story...How crazy is a Love that can be hated, rejected, abandoned, back-stabbed, & used...yet still refuse to call the Powers of Heaven to his aid, & willingly lay down his life, experience ultimate physical/emotional/mental pain & the absence of God (insane) to pay a debt for those who were at the moment INCREDIBLY unappreciative.Once mobbed by adoring crowds & 12 'committed' friends...at the cross, He could probably count on both hands those who remained. So THAT is crazy perspective, crazy passion, crazy purpose, crazy selflessness, & unbeatable crazy LOVE.

So in my opinion, Jesus isn't the nicely groomed soft-spoken guy. He is sweaty, exhausted, emotional, sleep-deprived, passionate, stubborn, homeless, penniless LOVER who sought justice, extended grace/hope and although frequently heartbroken for those who refused to truly LIVE, he was still able to create beauty from broken moments & rejoice over the 1 as if they alone were enough to make the journey for.