Steps To Having More Joy In Your Life (Part2)

"Negativity only sees uncertainty and hardships; Positivity only sees opportunity and blessings."

-Pamela B.

Last time, in part 1 of this series, I shared how focus can play of a big role in having more joy in your life. Today, I'm going to talk about perspective. Which is to me one of the main reasons why even the smallest of things can suck the joy of our days. The word "perspective" has two meanings, but the one I'm going for is, a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something.

Here are two types of situations in my life where perspective was everything.

Situation 1:

When we were living in Wilmington there came a point in time where we had to find another place to live or else we'd be living in our car. The soccer (football) team my husband played for provided housing, but once the season ended we had to move out. The only problem was that we had no place to go. On top of that, it was hard finding an apartment because we didn't actually know when the season would officially end. It all depended on if they made it to the playoffs or not. But mostly we didn't want to sign a lease anywhere because we didn't know how much longer we were going to live in Wilmington. There were just too many unknown variables for us to decide on anything. 

Now any normal human being would have been freaking out not knowing where they were going to live, or how long these uncertain times would last. They probably would freak out knowing they will never have any answers until they randomly show up one day. Even some of our friends told us how crazy, worried they would be if they were in our shoes.

Situation 2:

Not too long ago I was at a point in my life where I felt like I was drowning. Everybody around me was working hard to pursue their dreams and looking pretty successful. And I have to admit, I just really wanted to throw a pity party. I was living with my (hard working) parents when my husband was hard at work pursing his dream and looking for a place for us to live. Meanwhile, I was watching Netflix everyday, I hardly had any clients and therefore thought I had nothing to do with my life. And let's not forget to mention I barely went out of the house because most of my friends had moved away or were still in college.

I felt like a huge bum with no job and no sense of purpose or reason...

Can you just feel the dark cloud of negativity??

And I honestly could have kept that horrible perspective of my life and I did for a while.

BUT in reality....

1. I'm a newly wed
2. A lot of change happened in a short amount of time causing me to put my career on hold
3. I was only in business for 3 months before all the change happened
4. Most businesses don't take off until well after the second year
5. I actually have things I could be doing, that will help me gain clients
6. Not having as many clients helps me get my business plan organized
7. Not having as many clients helps me to create concrete business procedures
8. If I was too busy I would still be doing things randomly and unorganized 
9. If I was too busy I wouldn't have as much time to spend with my husband 

Situations might not change, but our perspectives can!

All that stuff that was going on in my life didn't change right away...I'm still in, what I like to call "client limbo" but I now have this unexplainable, joy and peace in my heart. Despite my circumstances I'm still laughing, smiling, and enjoying my days. And it's all because of my perspective.

I'm normally the type of person who looks on the bright side of things, with an occasional negative view. But one perspective God always brings me back to is, "it's just another way for Him to get glory". It's just Him making or allowing things to look soooo crazy and then at the right moment, show off with all His power, wisdom, and goodness. It's quite exciting actually, because you never know what He's going to choose to do, but you know it's gonna be good so you don't have to worry.

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."

-Romans 8:28

Ever since I got a real understanding of this verse...I never let it go.

I just can't help but see everything as good (even if it looks bad at the moment)

Because God called me and I love Him, He will always take the good stuff and the"not so good stuff" and make them both work out to benefit me in the end. And the messier, crazier, and more chaotic it looks, the more glory He'll receive. Plus I'll have more stories I can tell to shock people....which in turn gives God all the glory.

Ultimately the way you look at your life and circumstances, whether positive or negative, is completely up to you. You have to make that choice.

What do you find yourself doing more?

I Probably Wouldn't be Married if it Wasn't for These Women

Feature Friday

Okay so today I wanted to introduce to you my sisters.

But first off, for those of you who know me but don't know about my sisters are probably like..."What?? I thought she was the only girl". Well you're right. I am the only girl, and I'm the youngest at that (yup...I'm basically the favorite...I know this because I still get the perks, even at 23 years of age)

While I don't have any sisters where we share the same parents, I do have sisters who share the same Heavenly Father. So if you think about it...technically we are sisters by blood...just not our blood, but Jesus's blood. But that's besides the point. I met these women (and many others that I don't have photos of yet) during my first semester at Liberty University through "Bridging The Gap Urban Ministries" BTG for short. And I can't say all of our relationships started out solid, but they surely ended up that way. I can honestly say, that if it wasn't for  God putting them in my life, I would have transferred from Liberty after that first semester. And then I have no idea what my life would have been like. But I do know that had I transferred schools I wouldn't be married to the sweetest, sexiest, cutest, man alive. 

My sisters played a HUGE role in my college years and helped me develop into the woman I am today. They, and many others, taught me so much about God, the bible and what Jesus' sacrifice truly meant for my life. I love them so much and I wouldn't trade them for anything. Like I said before, I'm the only girl in my family and I honesty believe that they are the sisters that I used to ask God for when I was younger. And now I have more than I can even count. Now-a-days we're miles apart now,  but if I ever need them, I know they would always be there for me.

These are a few photos I took from my last visit. We had an impromptu photo shoot. It was so much fun! I'm looking forward to my next visit. Hopefully, then, I'll be able to see more of my sisters.

 

For all the ladies who wax at home...you should read this!

Happy Monday!

I hope your day wasn't too bad! If it was...well let's hope this story, written by a woman named Emma White, will put a smile on your face and get you laughing.

It's a tragically hilarious story about self-waxing...

I know all the ladies out there have had at least one embarrassing/painful experience with venturing into the world of waxing at home. I'm a victim too...and trust me it wasn't pretty.

But this woman's waxing experience takes the cake! Here's what she wrote:

"My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner, and play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: ‘Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet.' 

So I headed to the site of my demise: the bathroom. It was one of those ‘cold wax’ kits. No melting a clump of hot wax, you just rub the strips together in your hand, they get warm and you peel them apart and press them to your leg (or wherever else) and you pull the hair right off.

No mess, no fuss.

How hard can it be?

I mean, I’m not a genius, but I am mechanically inclined enough to figure this out. (YA THINK!?!)

So I pull one of the thin strips out. Its two strips facing each other stuck together. Instead of rubbing them together, my genius kicks in so I get out the hair dryer and heat it to 1000 degrees. (‘Cold wax,’ yeah…right!)

I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull.

It works!

OK, so it wasn’t the best feeling, but it wasn’t too bad. I can do this! Hair removal no longer eludes me!

I am She-rah, fighter of all wayward body hair and maker of smooth skin extraordinaire.

With my next wax strip I move north after checking on the kids, I sneak back into the bathroom, for the ultimate hair fighting championship.

I drop my panties and place one foot on the toilet.

Using the same procedure, I apply the wax strip across the right side of my bikini line, covering the right half of my hoo-ha and stretching down to the inside of my butt cheek (it was a long strip) ..

I inhale deeply and brace myself…RRRRIIIPPP!!!!

I’m blind!!! Blinded from pain!!!!….OH MY GAWD!!!!!!!!!

Vision returning, I notice that I’ve only managed to pull off half the strip.

CRAP!

Another deep breath and RIPP!

Everything is spinning and spotted.

I think I may pass out…must stay conscious…must stay conscious.

Do I hear crashing drums???

Breathe, breathe…OK, back to normal. 

I want to see my trophy – a wax covered strip, the one that has caused me so much pain, with my hairy pelt sticking to it. I want to revel in the glory that is my triumph over body hair. I hold up the strip!

There’s no hair on it.

Where is the hair???

WHERE IS THE WAX???

Slowly I ease my head down, foot still perched on the toilet. I see the hair. The hair that should be on the strip…it’s not! I touch. .. I am touching wax!!

I run my fingers over the most sensitive part of my body, which is now covered in cold wax and matted hair. Then I make the next BIG mistake…remember my foot is still propped upon the toilet? I know I need to do something. So I put my foot down.

Sealed shut! My butt is sealed shut. Sealed shut!

I penguin walk around the bathroom trying to figure out what to do and think to myself ‘Please don’t let me get the urge to poop. My head may pop off!’

What can I do to melt the wax?

Hot water!! Hot water melts wax!!

I’ll run the hottest water I can stand into the bathtub, get in, immerse the wax-covered bits and the wax should melt and I can gently wipe it off, right???

*WRONG!!!!!!!*

I get in the tub – the water is slightly hotter than that used to torture prisoners of war or sterilize surgical equipment – I sit.

Now, the only thing worse than having your nether regions glued together, is having them glued together and then glued to the bottom of the tub…in scalding hot water.

Which, by the way, doesn’t melt cold wax.

So, now I’m stuck to the bottom of the tub as though I had cemented myself to the porcelain!! God bless the man who had convinced me a few months ago to have a phone put in the bathroom!!!!!

I call my friend, thinking surely she has waxed before and has some secret of how to get me undone. It’s a very good conversation starter ‘So, my butt and hoo-ha are glued together to the bottom of the tub!’

There is a slight pause.

She doesn’t know any secret tricks for removal but she does try to hide her laughter from me. She wants to know exactly where the wax is located, ‘Are we talking cheeks or hole or hoo-ha?’

She’s laughing out loud by now…I can hear her. I give her the rundown and she suggests I call the number on the side of the box.

YEAH!!!!! Right!! I should be the joke of someone else’s night.

While we go through various solutions, I resort to trying to scrape the wax off with a razor. Nothing feels better than to have your girlie goodies covered in hot wax, glued shut, stuck to the tub in super hot water and then dry-shaving the sticky wax off!!

By now the brain is not working, dignity has taken a major hike and I’m pretty sure I’m going to need Post-Traumatic Stress counseling for this event.

My friend is still talking with me when I finally see my saving grace….the lotion they give you to remove the excess wax.

What do I really have to lose at this point? I rub some on and … OH MY GAWD!!!!!!! The scream probably woke the kids and scared the dickens out of my friend.

Its sooo painful, but I really don’t care.

‘IT WORKS!!

It works!!’ I get a hearty congratulation from my friend and she hangs up. I successfully remove the remainder of the wax and then notice to my grief and despair…?

THE HAIR IS STILL HERE…….ALL OF IT!

So I recklessly shave it off.

Heck, I’m numb by now.

Nothing hurts.

I could have amputated my own leg at this point.

Next week I’m going to try hair color……"

I can't even imagine what she might do to her hair. But there's a lesson to be learned here...just get a professional to do it. And if you can't afford it, then I guess you better stick to shaving. That or can use  Veet's "ready to use wax strips" I've used those myself and I didn't have any problems. Plus they actually work! It's still painful...but it works. You can get them anywhere, from Walmart to Walgreens. 

A Phenomenal Woman Indeed: Dr. Maya Angelou

It's definitely sad to hear that a wonderful, kind, and wise woman like this is no longer with us. But her words will forever live on. And let me just say, that I have always loved her amazing and unique speaking/reading voice. That's definitely one thing I'm sure her family will miss. May God bless them with peace and comfort. 

The Reason Having an Unpredictable Life is Exciting

My life is really unpredictable. Mainly because of my husband's career, but also with my photography. I honestly have no idea where we'll end up— it could be somewhere in Europe, some other state in the U.S., or even back in Uriah's native country, Trinidad— and for me, I'm not sure how many clients I'll have each month. I sincerely have no solid answers for my future. 

For most people uncertainty can be scary and frustrating. But for me (now)...it's exciting! It leaves our lives wide open for God to do whatever He wants to do. I know the journey might be challenging but the destination will definitely be worth it.

It's awesome being a child of God! Not only am I guaranteed to be with Him in heaven (which nothing could ever compare) but I'm also promised an abundant/fulfilling life here on earth. How's that for a pick-me-up!?

Things and people will come and go but God is constant and will NEVER leave us. If we truly put all our trust and faith in Him our lives would be much more enjoyable.

How well do you handle uncertainty?

Confession: Tough Times in Marriage

Happy Pick-Me-Up Monday!

I know it's a little weird to start off like that considering this is supposed to be a confession, but it is still "pick-me-up Monday" here on the blog so I'm sort of doing two in one today. But I honestly have to say that I sure could use a BIG pick-me-up myself! I had a long and intense week/weekend. That's why I only wrote once last week! So as a part of the confession 

let me share with you my story...

My husband was recently signed to a new team in North Carolina and with that we were on the move again. It's the fourth move we've done within our first year of marriage! And since March of this year, Uriah was staying by our friend's while I was staying with my parents in Virginia...just until our living situation was figured out. We were hoping this new team would provide a place for us just like the team he played for previously. However, things didn't work out that way and we had to find an apartment. I have to admit trying to find a place live that works with our unpredictable situation is very difficult. 

After a month had passed Uriah and I were finally reunited, but the search continued. A few weeks later, our friends told us that their family was coming for their son's graduation so they needed all the rooms. That only left us with about a week and a half to find a place. On the bright side, thanks to The Lord, we finally found a real potential place. So on 

Saturday the 3rd we turned in the application and they said they would process it on Monday, which was perfect. However, each time we called they kept telling us "tomorrow". It was taking much longer than we expected...longer than we had.

Which brings me to last Wednesday (our deadline).

So there we were...our last day at our friend's house with no where to go (Not to mention all the hotels were booked because of graduation). It was seriously looking as if we were going to be sleeping in our over stuffed car until our application was approved. BUT God came through, like always, and we were able to stay at one of Uriah's teammate's apartment for a couple of nights! Plus our application was approved and we finally got to move in this past weekend! There was a lot more drama just trying to even sign the lease...but that's a story for another time! 

I have to be honest with you...last week was one of the toughest weeks my husband and I have had individually and as a married couple. Tears were shed and frustration was fully present. We were tested and we failed in a lot of areas, yet God never left us and He never stopped working on our behalf! 

We're still getting settled and we don't have internet yet, so I'm using my phone and I don't know how to embed a video with it. So for your "pick-me-up Monday" part, I hope you will settle for the fact that the hubby and I finally have a place to live for the time being and that we are still filled with joy and very much in love! 

*Awwww*

While the hubby looks great, this is not the best picture of me. But hey...I had a tough week so I get a pass! Haha

I want to know how your week went. Was it full of chaos like mine or was it smooth sailing?

Does Anyone Else Miss That HOUR?

Pick-Me-Up Mondays!

Happy Monday guys!

I know I'm super late. It's been a looooong day! But I wanted to share a video titled "Does Anyone Else Miss That Hour" by Comedienne Lady Kee. Even though we all probably have gotten into the swing of things by now, I know you still miss that extra hour of rest. I do!

I hope you had a great Monday! God bless!

3 Easy Tips to Kick Procrastination in the Face!

Confession time

My Name Is Pamela And I am WAS A Procrastinator
Okay guys it’s confession time again. Yes. I struggled with procrastination. And let me tell you something...that it is a hard habit to kick! And to add to that, I am…was…am…was…a perfectionist when it comes to certain things, which is a double whammy (I’m still working on it). But not only did I take forever to start tasks, but when I (finally) did, I would take forever to FINISH them because I’m trying to perfect it. If that doesn’t kill a business, I don’t know what does. (I know you don't know this but I've already gone back several times and fixed super minute errors in this post that I bet you didn't even notice)

This is why, again, I am grateful for the bootcamp I’m doing. Next week is the final week, and I have gained so much knowledge and wisdom on how to not only organize my photography business, but even how to organize my life in general.

So, I have three quick tips, that I’ve learned from the bootcamp that I want to share with you today.

Act Right Away
This is a fairly simple task. Instead of putting it off until tomorrow...do it right then! Especially if it won’t even take long to do...I know for me, the longer I wait to do something I will forget and then it won’t get done. It’s either that, or what was supposed to be a simple/short task now becomes a big/drawn out task. Things like doing the dishes, or organizing the files on my computer. If I do them right as they come, then I won’t have such a big mess that will take hours instead of minutes to clean up later. You see how that works? So I highly suggest that if you ever get that feeling of just waiting until tomorrow, for something that can be taken care of today, don't give in! Just do it right now and it'll be done!

Use Themes
This one is my favorite because you can apply it to just about anything and it makes things a little more enjoyable. For example, chores...we all love it when they're done, but hate to do the work. Well if you each chore a designate day, then by the end of the week all of your chores will be done! For example Laundry day, bathroom day, bedroom day, kitchen day, grocery day. You can do the same thing with your meals!

This works for business owners too! Market mondays, work it wednesdays for editing, photo shoot fridays (these days can be anything you need them to be. The bootcamp is just geared towards photographers)

All in all the work still has to be done, but it’s a little more structured and get’s your mind organized so you don’t get overwhelmed. Procrastination is at it’s all time high for me when I feel overwhelmed.

Schedule EVERYTHING
This last one really helps me with being super productive! If I’m not on a schedule, I can get stuck doing one thing all day (the perfectionist in me). So I’ve been scheduling EVERYTHING.

With scheduling you can get as detailed or vague as you want, but I know the more detailed I am the smoother my day goes. So I suggest having two types calendars-- a business calendar and a personal calendar-- and writing things down! Everything that can, should have a date and a time. So your schedule could include monthly to weekly, to even daily planning.

Here are some things you can add to your business calendar:

• sales appointments 

• order placements 

• editing days

• marketing

And here are some things you can add to your personal calendar:

• meal planning

• appointments

• chores

• vacations

Now I wish I could say that I’ve perfected all these, but I haven’t. I am a work-in-progress, but I am getting better! And the more and more I put these into practice the less overwhelmed and ultimately the less I procrastinate!


What are some other strategies that have helped you get things done? I’d love to hear some more ideas!

Pick-Me-Up Mondays!

Happy Monday guys!

So I've got something for you all!

It's a brand new...

...tradition for this blog. (you probably thought it was some kind of prize. Well sorry to burst your bubble!)

Okay so the new tradition is called "Pick-Me-Up Mondays" (as if you couldn't tell from the title). It's a pretty simple concept, but here me out. If you're a normal person, which I'm sure you are, you probably dislike Mondays. You wish your weekend could have been just a bit longer. You could sleep-in, get more done that you couldn't do during the week, clean (maybe?), etc. Sleeping-in would definitely be on my list!

I wish I could help you and all of mankind by actually making Mondays a part of the weekend,

but I can't...

I can, however, give you a little pick-me-up (well at least I can try!). I may not be able to permanently cure those Monday blues, but I can make you laugh or smile to take your mind off of the day for a few minutes.

This video made me laugh so much! And unless I'm weird(which I'm not), you'll love it too. So enjoy!

7 Ways to Practice Peace

God has blessed me with the capability to enjoy life so much more than I used to. And so my new goal in life is to help whoever I can to experience that same joy. And I believe a big part of joy is peace. Just think about it...If you don't have peace you most likely you aren't enjoying life very much. That just no bueno, my friends.

So I want to share with you a devotional I came across today. I copied it into my phone's notes a couple years ago. It lists 7 ways to practice peace. It's funny because I may have copied this down years ago, but I realized that God has me practicing them now through the BootCamp I'm doing, which is why I'm even more grateful that God lead me to it (You can read about it here).

 Here's what the devotional says --   

"Living in God's peace is vital to enjoying life. I believe that one of the keys to living with peace in your life is taking small steps toward peace every day. Here are a few tips you can use to develop a more peaceful lifestyle.  

1. Be selective with how you spend your time. You may be trying to do too many things and end up doing none of them well. Hurrying is the flesh trying to do more than the Holy Spirit is leading you to do. Be led by the Spirit.    
2. Be prepared to say "no" nicely. Sometimes we take on things we shouldn't because we're uncomfortable saying no. Ask God to give you the words to say no when you need to. 
3. Resist the spirit of procrastination. God's Word tells us to exercise self-discipline. Do what you know you need to do now so you can fully enjoy your times of rest. 
4. Eliminate key distractions. If you know you are prone to certain distractions, such as watching TV, set some guidelines for yourself. 
5. Set appropriate boundaries for interruptions. Life is full of interruptions, but you can learn to set boundaries that help you manage them in healthy ways, such as scheduling times when you are "off limits." Schedule time to give yourself a break. 
6. Modify your life. Ask God to show you out-of-the-box ways to save time and trouble. For instance, when I don't have time to do the dishes, I use paper plates! 
7. Pray and listen. If you can see that your plan is not producing peace, go back to God, pray for peace in the now, and for the wisdom to make changes that will benefit your life. 

The bottom line is to make peace a priority, take practical steps toward it, and let God lead you every day into His perfect peace that passes all understanding.  

Prayer Starter: God, lead me into Your peace that passes all understanding. Show me the daily steps I can take to walk in Your peace for me."

There's an amazing and unexplainable peace that only God can give us, if we let Him. But in addition to that, these are simple, tangible tasks for us to do in order keep us from causing our own chaos and sucking the peace and joy out of our lives. So let's puts these words into action and start practicing peace. And don't forget the more we practice the better we get. So don't get frustrated if you don't have perfect peace right away. Just take it one day at a time!


Here's a passage of scripture that the devotional included: 

Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5-7 NLT)

Steps to Having More Joy in Your Life (Part 1)

Joy, noun

The passion or emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of good; that excitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by success, good fortune, the gratification of desire or some good possessed, or by a rational prospect of possessing what we love or desire; gladness; exultation; exhilaration of spirits. 

I like to consider myself as a positive and joyful person. In fact all throughout my life, I've been the go to person for my friends when they're feeling down. But there was a point in my life when I was filled with depression, hurt and sadness. And It wasn't until I went to college when I finally found a way to be joyful in EVERY situation.

There a few steps to having more joy in your life. Each one may take some time fully accomplish. It all depends on your heart, and mindset. So for right now, I’m only going to cover Step 1. But first, I want to ask you a few questions... 

1. How much time do you spend focusing on your circumstances?
2. How much time do you spend focusing on people and their opinions/mistakes?
3. How much time do you spend focusing on your job, money, education, or other things?

To help, these questions can be answered in the following way:

• All throughout the day 
• Often 
• Every once in awhile
• Never 

Go ahead. Take a minute or two, and answer those question’s honestly. I’ll be here when you finish....

 ....................................................................

I came across a quote by Dale Carnegie the other day, and this is what it says (I substituted a few words to fit the theme) 

“It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that gives you joy…It’s what you focus on.”

It’s all in what you focus on and the perspective you have on things. If what you choose to think about, and dwell on, is how good (or bad) your circumstances are, or how much money you have (or don’t have), then your joy, and even your peace, will be shaky at best. There’s no stability in people, things, or money, because they can be here today, but gone tomorrow. And then where does that leave you? What we all really want in life, is joy that will NEVER go away.

I don’t know if any of you watch HGTV, but I love it! It is honestly, one of my favorite channels to watch. Recently, they awarded this woman the HGTV dream house, along with a new car, and a cash prize. Now don't laugh at me, but I entered in that sweepstakes too. Everyday, twice a day and I was convinced that God was going to give me this house. 

Let me tell you why… 

Since last year, before I knew about the dream house, Uriah and I have been praying for an actually home of our own. One that is big enough to host lots of family members for holidays; sort of like a vacation home. We'll still be traveling because of his career, but for the off season months, we’d like to have a place to stay (instead of lugging our stuff back to my parents house once his contract is up). But mostly, we want to bless others with this house the same way we’ve been blessed by others. 

So here's the story.

We've been praying about a home for a while, and randomly one day I came across the HGTV dream house on the Internet. I started reading about it, and it had almost everything we had been praying for in a home; the space, the kitchen, the outdoors area, etc. So I got it in my mind that this is what God wanted for us! Even the car they were giving away was the one that I’ve been wanting since High School. With all those variables in mind…I prayed, I fasted, I had scriptures lined up, and I constantly gave myself a pep talk. I was so excited and focused on that dream home. I just knew I was going to get it…

BUUUT…I didn’t.

I was disappointed and it actually hurt me, at first, to see that woman receive what was supposed to be mine! 

Do you see what happened there? My joy was only temporary because I was so focused on a temporary thing. Without realizing it I started to allow that house, the very thing I wanted God to bless me with, to be my main source of joy. It started to become the one thing, each day, I had to look forward too. I was even borderline, obsessed with it. And let me tell you something guys...that is a dangerous place to be. When you want a thing/person more than you want God you put yourself at risk of losing the very thing you were focusing on waaayy too much. 

It’s not that Uriah and I won’t get the house we’ve been praying for, because I honestly believe that God will bless us with it, whenever He decides to. It’s just the fact that I shifted my focus, my hope, and my joy from God (which is where they belong), and moved them towards receiving the HGTV Dream Home.

Now just to be clear…

There is nothing wrong with getting excited and enjoying the things/people God blesses us with. The problem lies with making them your only source of joy. God is constant, He will never change, and He will never be an unstable source of joy. Focusing on Him is THE best and guaranteed way to having more consistent and unwavering joy in your life. 

So here’s my last question for you. How much time do you spend focusing on God?

Happy Anniversary!!

- VANESSA & JUSTIN -

Today is Vanessa and Justin's FIRST Anniversary! 

Woo!! Congratulations guys! I can't believe it's been a whole year already. A year ago today, I had the privilege of capturing Vanessa and Justin's becoming one. It was a beautiful and fun-filled wedding on what turned out to be a beautiful Saturday afternoon/evening. I even got some inspiration for my own wedding. But instead of me yammering on about it here's a little recap of their awesome day!

Happy Anniversary to Mr. and Mrs. Bobbitt! I hope you two have many many more joy-filled years! 

Getting Your Time Organized

Happy Monday guys!

Well...at least it's a happy monday for me. Is it for you?

If it's not, we'll work on it as time progresses. It's all about what we focus on, and today I'm focusing on the fact that it's a new day and I'm alive! Unfortunately, not everyone can say that. So for us, let's be happy for what we do have, which, at the very least, is air in our lungs! I know...it seems a little corny to say, but we gotta learn to look at the bright side of things no matter how big or small it seems (and think about it...without air in your lungs you'd be dead right now...)

 - PAUSE - 

...and think a little longer on that last thought....

You're good now.

So! On to the real reason for this blog entry. As you may or may not know (depending on if you've read any of my other posts) I'm doing a bootcamp. And I'm supposed to share something each week about it, which is why every week, for about 4 weeks, you'll be reading at least one post concerning the bootcamp.

Here We Go!

Last week, was really good for me. We had to make a "work-from-home schedule", which, basically, outlines our whole day and week. First by filling out the spaces with mandatory things (for me that's spending time with God, eating, working out, sleeping, spending time with Uriah), and then filling out the rest of the empty spaces with work hours. After I filled out the mandatory, I was looking at A LOT of empty space. Seriously guys...I had so much time on my hands it was ridiculous and I didn't even realize it nor was I doing much with it. The sad part is, I probably could have been much further along in my business had I utilized my time more wisely. BUT that's the past, and I'm moving forward with what I have today! I now know that have roughly 33 hours per week to utilize, I have a new detailed schedule, and most importantly I have God on my side leading me and showing me the way!

This detailed hourly/weekly schedule is a great tool that's helped me feel way more organized and accomplished, especially when I finish a day's work. Plus, I know what I'm going to do for each day, so I'm not leisurely going through the day trying to figure out what to do; 1, I'm way less productive if i don't and 2, it wastes so much time!

One last, but really important thing I've learned about scheduling everything, is that sometimes life happens and you have to be flexible. Leaving some wiggle room is crucial so we don't freak out (guilty) and/or have a nervous break down (guilty) when things don't always go according to plan. And let's face it, one thing I believe God likes to do is test us to see if we truly grasp what we're learning. Are we going to have faith in Him, keep the peace He's given to us, and act like He would...or are we going to throw a tantrum, explode into millions of pieces, and act ridiculously?

Now I confess...I've had ridiculous tantrums in the past because things didn't happen exactly how I had planned, but God's working on me and my grades are getting a little better with each test. But if you're anything like me, scheduling (with wiggle room) will really help you mentally, physically with work, and even spiritually if you make God mandatory. Not that He's a task on our checklist for the day, but making sure, because He's a priority, we make time to spend with Him like you would with your spouse or significant other.

Here's a screen shot of my completed assignment

You can make your schedule however you want. The picture is an example of my ideal schedule. Although, I wasn't really on schedule today because of my super tiredness. Plus I needed to spend time with the hubby (there goes that flexibility thing!).

Why is good photography expensive?

I read this quick blog entry from Jon Acuff and I truly appreciate what he wrote...Plus the pictures at the end were hilarious! Here's what he wrote:

"If you’ve ever worked with a good photographer, then you’ve learned that good photography is expensive. 

Why is it? 

Because good photography is not easy.

The photographer might make it look so. They might not seem stressed or even like they are having fun, but don’t confuse expertise with ease. They are not the same thing. 

And the truth is, bad photography is more expensive than good photography. 

Bad photography wastes time, money and memories. Whether you’re getting pictures of your baby or your wedding, imagine the cost of trying to do that again if you don’t like the photos. You might be able to have another perfectly peaceful moment with your baby but no one in the history of mankind has spent money redoing their wedding because their photography was lame. 

Good stuff is expensive. 

It should be. This principle applies to web design, writing, and almost every other field or industry on the planet. 

If you don’t believe me, go take your own photos first."

(The top photo is from Jennifer Lea Photography and the second is from Corinne McCombs Photography a few years before she became a photographer!)

Now, I like to look at myself as reasonable, because I completely understand that there are people who are on a super tight budget! But come on people...this is my ONLY job...I gots-ta make a living too! So, sorry guys. No more freebies from this chica! We can do a fair exchange of services...I'll accept that, but it has to be legit. 

Here's a link to my website, BenPark Studios. I'm still currently updating it! But you can still have a look-see

Click these links to see more examples of bad photography and good photography (the second link also has some tips for lifestyle photographers)

Why Photography?

Why Photography?

So the other day, I told you guys I was doing a BootCamp. It’s only been a week and I have learned so much already. The most important thing for me to have learned is my “why” for my photography. This is basically my voice or my mission statement. I’ve kind of been coasting for the past year and a half, just doing sessions here and there to earn some income (I’m so glad the hubby’s a pro soccer player where he’s guaranteed money once he signs a contract). However, I’ve never actually sat down and asked myself the question, why am I doing this? 

I’ve always known that I had a passion in my heart for photography; it’s fun for me and I like being around people. But what's my purpose...my mission in this crazy world of photography? I could do it just to do it and be all artsy or I could do it to make a difference in people’s lives. You know...give rather than receive? I don't only want to "receive" the satisfaction of doing photography. I want to ultimately bring glory to God, but I also want to make an impact on people’s live. My problem is, "how". How in the world do I glorify God and impact peoples’ lives through photography? It’s not like being a doctor or counselor, where you can physically see the impact. 

Photography is more like a memory keeper that people appreciate years and years later when they decide to look back on those pictures for whatever reason. And that’s just the point. Pictures are just about the only things we have to remember the good times, because lets face it, we never want to remember the dark times in life. We as humans only want to have and remember the best days and people in our lives. We want to remember joy not despair! We want to remember laughter not tears (unless it's from uncontrollable laughter!). Once those days and people are gone, the photos we took waaaayy back when, are the only things we have to remember them by. That’s what I want to give. That’s my "why". I do photography because I want to tell the story of peoples’ joy-filled and happy moments in life. Yes we all may experience some “not-so-good” times (some more than others, and some worse than others), and we may have been treated badly or we received something that was less than what we thought we deserved, but let’s learn to focus more on the good things in our lives. I honestly believe that life would be so much more enjoyable if we would intentionally focus on the positive in life, rather than the negative.

What’s your #1 happiest moment that you can remember? Write in the comments below. You might need to look back at some pictures to help jog your memory ;)

Confession Time

Confession Time

Hello world! For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Pamela and I’m a photographer/graphic designer. Although these days I’ve been leaning more towards photographer, and using my graphic design skills to help out a few friends and brand my business. For a while now, I have felt like I’ve been stuck in neutral, I haven’t had as many clients as I had hoped since I took leap and started my business back in September 2012. And honestly, it’s really it’s my fault. In the past I’ve had lack of organization, focus, and discipline and the worst part is, when I didn’t know what to do, I would just do nothing! That is a VERY bad habit that I’ve tried over and over to kick. However, a couple of weeks ago, while listening to a Joyce Meyer sermon, it finally hit me…no matter how hard I try, I can’t change myself. Jesus is the one who has to do the changing inside of me. All I can do, is the tasks that He puts in front of me, but changing my inside is not one of them. That is a task that is better left to the only one who has the power to change me; Jesus. Only then will I, be a well-oiled, organized, focused and disciplined machine! Now I realize all this doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a gradual change, but I’m starting to feel and see the difference. The fact that I’m writing this blog entry is proof enough for me. I just have to continue doing my part, and God will certainly do His.

A few months ago, I stumbled upon a site for women photographers called “Chic Critique Forum”. They have a TON of great tools and advice that can help me become a better businesswoman and photographer. And this week, I started a 6-week bootcamp, called “BonjOrganization BootCamp”, and it is exactly what I need to get me focused and organized! They have us in groups of 5 and we keep each other accountable. There are also assignments that I need to complete each week. So you’ll probably see a lot of topics regarding this bootcamp. You know, it’s amazing how God puts people and things in our lives, just at the right time!