It’s a Small World

Lucy

My wife is apparently preparing something in the kitchen and it has Lucy’s full attention. She doesn’t really beg for food, but if something falls off of the counter it will barely hit the floor before Lucy has her nose on the fallen object and checking to see if it smells good enough to eat.

Mini-Studio

Since we have all been sheltering in place for the past three months, I have been playing with a few ideas for my photography. Several weeks ago I posted images of some collectable model pick-up trucks that were from a Thomas Kincade collection that was released in the mid-80’s or early 90’s. After watching a few videos about photographing smaller objects I decided to construct a sort of mini-studio.

This image was captured using some simple props that I acquired. The gray base is a 2’x2′ piece of painted plywood and the blue background is a plastic tablecloth from Walmart clamped to a frame built out of 1/2″ PVC pipe that I bought at Lowe’s. I used an LED work light for the main light and then supplemented with on-camera flash. This was my first effort and it was hot in the garage, so I didn’t spend a great deal of time refining the techniques.

In this image I used a warmer gray base and a black background of the same painted plywood. In post processing I decided to give it a retro feel.

So…what does this state of the art mini-studio look like you ask.

No expense was spared in the corner of the garage to create these images. Of course I have to set it all up when I want to photograph something and break it all back down when we need to put the wife’s car in the garage, but it is a mini-studio on a budget and the possibilities are endless.

Monday’s Music Moves Me

It’s the first week of June and summer has come to Northwest Arkansas. As I write this post, the outside temperature in over 90 degrees and the heat index is pushing 100! It may be a long, hot summer in the Ozarks. Enough about the weather, the theme this week at 4M is songs that begin with the letter “J”. One’s first thought might be that there are no great songs that start with this tenth letter of the alphabet but then, “Jolene” pops into my head, followed by “Johnny B. Goode” and “Jail House Rock”. After considering those songs, I thought that everyone would be posting them so I would go find some music that might be new to you and me.

The first song is not new to me. It is an old country classic from the 50’s or early 60’s that my dad liked to listen to.

I was a child of the 60’s so everything from The Beach Boys to Jefferson Airplane falls into my wheelhouse of musical favorites. The 70’s brought us knit suits, stacked heel shoes for guys, and Disco. The undisputed kings of disco were the Bee Gees and that is no “Jive Talkin”.

This next song is new to me. The water tower in the background is from Blake’s hometown of Ada, Oklahoma. My great-aunt lived just north of Ada and I visited her farm many times as a youngster and an adult. Aunt Elva was my dad’s favorite aunt and an extraordinary woman. For those of us born and raised in Oklahoma, we will always consider our home state to be located “Just South of Heaven”.

Closing out the playlist this week will be a song of inspiration, and Lord knows, we could all use a little inspiration these days. People are trying to solve the worlds problems with worldly thinking and it isn’t working. The answer to solving the tension, unrest, and discord that abounds today is not more demonstrations, curfews, or national guard. The answer is found in changing the hearts of men and that happens one heart at a time. All of the pain, anger, and rebellion has to be replaced with “Jesus, Messiah”. Have a blessed week.

Spring Fling

Lucy – The House Princess

(American Cocker Spaniel)

Aww Mondays

Lucy, our house princess, has several designated places around the house to lay down and catch a nap.  There is a bed by the fireplace in the living room, and another in the den.  Then there are the alternate places that she has chosen for herself.  There is a throw on top of the couch in the living room that allows her to see everything that happens in the back yard and there is my wife’s chair in the den that allows the guard princess to see everything that happens in the front yard.  The image above is from the location by the fireplace. After a walk around the neighborhood or some frisbee fetch time in the back yard, Lucy is ready for a little down time.

Class of 2020

Saturday was supposed to be the day for commencement exercises of the graduating class of 2020.  That has been postponed until July, but most families had some sort of home celebration.  We had a taco bar, a few friends dropped by, and gifts for the graduate.  Proud parents and grandparents were in attendance.

Papa (that’s me) puts together a photo montage of images that he has captured over the past 18 years.

One traditional and special gift from Nana, a t-shirt memory quilt made from t-shirts and athletic jerseys that carry special memories.  These shirts have been collected and saved for over 10 years of soccer, track, church camp, vacation bible school etc.  Nana designs and pieces the quilt together then sends it to someone to do the final quilting.  It is truly the gift that will keep on giving.

Monday’s Music Moves Me

This week is a free choice week so I get to pick whatever music I like to share.  In this day and age of electronics, social media etc., have you noticed how many folks are still not good communicators? I mean when a friend sends you a text, you answer it and follow up with a question….no follow up answer.  It’s like their phone went dead.  A relative calls and invites you to dinner.  Where are we going, you ask.  They reply that they will call  you right back with the answer….nothing.  It’s like they forgot to pay their bill and service has been cut off.  You call back to verify the location and no one answers.  It’s enough to give one a nervous breakdown.

One thing is certain. With the demise of the landline phone looming in the not to distant future, the lack of communication won’t be the fault of the Wichita Lineman.

Maybe the answer to the lack of communication is just blowin’ in the wind.

Have a blessed week.

46 Years of Awesome!

 

So….What’s the Secret?

Today, May 11, 2020, my wife and I celebrate our forty-sixth wedding anniversary.  It has been the most exciting, rewarding, and fulfilling journey of my life.  In a world where everything seems to be devalued, especially love and commitment, some might ask, how have you stayed married so long?  I first penned the following words eleven years ago and I believe them to still be true today.  The good Lord willing they will still be true in four years when we celebrate our 50th.

So what’s the secret to being married for thirty-five years and looking forward to celebrating number fifty one day? All I can tell you is that our marriage is centered around our faith and that the message from God’s Word is critical to the happiness that each of us enjoys.

First of all, God loves us and everything He does for us is for our benefit. He created the institution of marriage to be enjoyed by a man and a woman and to bring each of them happiness. The Bible tells us that God loved us so much that He gave His Son to die on a cross for us so that we might, through faith, have eternal live. Christ tells the husband that he is to love his wife with the same love that Christ loves the church and gave himself for that church (Ephesians 5:25). If I love my wife with that kind of love, then everything I do, I do because I love her and I want her to be happy. I want her to be pleased with this relationship. I want my Lord to be pleased with me as a man who loves his wife and realizes that his wife is a gift from God created especially for me and for my happiness.
Secondly, marriage is a partnership. Like any relationship, it takes work to maintain that relationship in peak condition. A happy marriage doesn’t “just happen”. Both of us are committed to the relationship and to each other because we love one another and it is our desire that our partner be happy in this relationship. No major decision in this relationship is made without prayer and conversation. God is not the author of confusion, therefore He will not give my wife a different answer to an issue than the one that He gives me. Again, God created the institution of marriage for our benefit, not for our demise.
Finally, I married a woman far better than I deserve. I thank my Lord and Savior for her every day. My wife is the most thoughtful, caring and giving person that I know. Proverbs 31:10-12 says, “An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” I have found that woman. Proverbs 31:25-30 further states, Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, and teaching of kindness is on her toungue. She looks well to the ways of her houselold, and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; her husband also, and he praises her, saying: Many daughters have done nobly, but you excel them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” I married such a woman.
So, back to the original question, “What’s the Secret?” The answer is, you have to give yourself to the marriage. You have to give yourself to your spouse. Whatever you have within you, you have to “Give it Away.”