It's gonna be ok....

Been brewing my thoughts and reflections on the art fest last weekend. My thoughts are really all over the place.

Turns out....I'm my own toughest critic.

I know....shocker.

It started out a little rough. The wind was pretty strong so all my best laid plans on how things should be set up went out the window. What's that you say? God snickers at our fleshy plans? His ways are better than ours? I know, I know.

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On a side note....I do get a kick out of imagining how God sees me. I imagine He has a fabulous sense of humor and that He really does laugh with me on a daily basis. I imagine that I entertain Him with my quirky-ness and random thoughts and funky dance moves whenever the mood strikes me. I imagine that He does shake His head at me when I doubt Him or the abilities that He has given me. I imagine that I make Him happy and I make Him mad. But ya know....we're cool. He's my homeboy and all.....

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Find the lesson, Bec....was my mantra of the day.

Mark and Alli both were very encouraging telling me the "booth" looked fine. I was frustrated and needed to walk away.

Ya see.....I'm ornery. And a very visual person. What is in my mind is "correct" and often times getting things to look and be as they are in my mind is totally not a realistic expectation. I know that.

So walk away I did. Took a breather and remembered perfection is not possible. I was there for a reason....to find the lesson.

So I did. Find the lesson, I mean:

1) Thank God for a beautiful day. It could not have been nicer out, even though it was windy.

2) Thank God for Mark, Alli, Sarah, Taylor, Carli, Michaela and Grant....all there to help, support, encourage. (All there for the killer shaved ice we got to enjoy for FREE....I'm just sayin').

3) While I do not know God's full intention for me or my photography, the desire, the drive and the talent is something that He placed in ME. Photography is something that I enjoy. The selling? Not so much. The seeing God in the little things behind the lens? Very much. Follow His lead. Believe what He has told me. Close my eyes and listen. It's there. He is talking and leading me. All I need to do is listen and follow.

and most important....

4) As people flip through the matted photos, listen to the comments. Watch their faces. Some will like, some will not. Some will comment, some will not. Some will buy, some will not. But ALL will see GOD....even if they don't know it.

Will I do it again? I don't know. I did sell 4 photos....one to a fellow photographer (a pretty nice compliment, I'd say, since we are all very fond of our own photos and, well, could take it ourselves if we wanted!). It was a successful day. Just not sure about next steps.

And as my sweet Mark would say..."It's all gonna be ok."

My "booth"....

Basket of matted photos....

The Art Fest was actually very fun and family friendly. Many blow up rides for the kids, a chalk drawing contest, food, kids got to tye die, paint and play with clay. Westwinds Church did a great job showing the community a good time (and making sure God was in there). This is Alli's chalk drawing.

Sarah is having issues with the end of the summer being here already. :0)

Grant's chalk drawing....a very talented artist, I'd say.

This is Taylor working over a hunk of clay. When I took it I thought of how God is the potter and we are the clay. Pretty sure He has even used the sharp end of that tool to mold me into His creation.

The outcome of all that workin' and pokin' and moldin'. A "beautiful" creation. We don't see ourselves as beautiful at all, but like God, Taylor thought her creation was AWESOME.

' "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." ' ~Isaiah 55:8-9