Valentine's Heart for Charity

Ok! Another effort to raise money for the fundraising I am doing for Charity: Water. Here is my fundraising site: Rio's Water. I am offering Valentine's studio sessions next Saturday, February 6th, for $50 and you may choose one of the following free prints: 1 8x10, 2 5x7s, or 4 4x6s. Please email me at jholub@capturingcreations.com to schedule your session! All proceeds go towards the Charity: water foundation to provide clean water for the less fortunate! Please feel free to bring any Valentines props you find! I have some too, just email me for ideas! Thanks!

My Charity Fundraiser

Hi everyone! Just wanted to deliver my promise of more information on the fundraiser I am doing for charitywater.org that I posted on my facebook page. My fundraiser website is http://mycharitywater.org/rioswater. I named it that because my daughter's name is Rio, and well...it means river...river, water..I don't know, it goes...right?

Most importantly, I have been challenging myself this year to do more heart and less "work". I am studying and finding ways to help others in need and Charity Water has a great mission--to simply provide clean water for those who need it. The fundraiser I am doing for Charity Water has a goal of $5000. $5,000 can build a freshwater well in a village and provide 250+ people with clean drinking water. Please take the time to look at the website , watch the video (its extremely encouraging!), and last but not least, donate! I've never done anything like this before, so it feels weird to type that, but I'm not asking for me! The Charity: water website is www.charitywater.org.
Here's a picture from their twitter update today, it was the photograph of the day:


I am also going to try to raise money by taking pictures! Who would have thought? I am offering outdoor mini sessions for half price ($75). All session fees and proceeds will be donated to Rio's Water.

Mini sessions will be held Sunday, February 21st at a park/outdoor venue TBA. Please email me at jholub@capturingcreations.com to secure yourself a spot! These will be incredibly special sessions, and the theme will be "balloons". I can't wait!!

January Natural Light

I looove the light that streams into the windows in January. Everything is so much brighter and I love the sun! Weekends are great because I am home to witness the phenomenon; and even though I'd rather be outside, it the below-freezing temperatures Houston had this weekend, I was glad to be inside. We are so blessed!
I always grab a few pictures during this time of the year in our bedroom of my daughter, and now my son is around to get some in too. Here's one of them each--it was hard to choose. Surprise, surprise, she's smiling in this one; the rest of her images were serious for the most part. I had to tell her I was coming after her in order to capture that smile! He seems to be following in her footsteps with the serious faces. Maybe he will start smiling once he understands english!

New Year = New Beginnings

We are His portion and He is our prize!

Happy New Year! I am writing with a heavy and grateful heart as we start this new year. I am ready for a new year, and to make resolutions that will resonate within me for the rest of my life. Sometimes I think there just comes a time for each of us. As I write, I'm pouring inspirational songs into my head, and it really effects my outlook, so watch out!

A new year--new beginnings...it seems so simple to think you can start all over again. I remember feeling this way back when, and I now realize how difficult it was each year. Why is it so difficult? Because each year, you still have memories of your past, and whether deliberate or not, there are people around you that may make it difficult for you to forget. Thank God He isn't that way at all!

I don't want to simply rattle off some resolutions and get it over with; like I've mentioned, I am writing with a heavy and grateful heart. My resolutions have been inspired by many songs recently, one in particular by David Crowder. It is called How He Loves and I would like for you to hear it!

How He Loves by David Crowder
Play song from Lala.com Church Music - 2009 - 5:19

Here are the lyrics so you can follow along as it plays:

He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves.

We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And Heaven meets earth like an unforseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

Well, I can't say enough how this song speaks my heart and some of the realizations I'm coming to in this new year! I hope you enjoyed it.

As I look at the new year, with new promises and blessings sure to come, I turn my back on the year past, but never to its blessings. I have come across the most amazing people, amazing love, and the most amazing instruments of God. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt He placed these people in my path and has blessed me in tremendous ways through them. He is shaping me through their love, diligence, sacrifices, and examples. I would be a fool to ignore their significance. These beautiful people have marked my life for the better. Thank you; if you're reading this, you know who you are.

A pause for another song that speaks my heart.

Your Hands by JJ Heller
Listen on: Lala Painted Red - 2008 - 3:36

Lyrics:

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn’t there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That you would take my pain away
You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crooked lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking, heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave your hands

When you walked upon the earth
You healed the broken, lost and hurt
I know you hate to see me cry
One day you will set all things right
Yeah, one day you will set all things right

When my world is shaking, heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave your hands
Your hands that shaped the world
Are holding me
They hold me still

Obviously, another way to look at how the past is the past. One day He will set all things right, and when my world shook, Heaven stood. When my heart broke, I never left His hands.

Now, for my resolutions. I resolve to firstly pursue God with a passion and force. I want to sprint to my God this year and seek to know Him as if I'm being chased, because I am! I am running to my better life, and I'm being pursued by the dark forces of negativity, hopelessness, selfishness, and regret. It all seems so reversed; like living in Him should feel like I'm chained, but I can feel how it is freeing--even more --confident, fulfilling, and peaceful, yet humble, at the same time. I'm tired of belonging only to me; the rewards I have in store for myself aren't very grand, nor do they last very long. No, the challenge will be living for others. There, the rewards are full and great, and last forever. How could I ignore the examples He's sent for me to see? What shall I do when I see them in heaven? "Sorry, I know what you did, but I couldn't do the same." No, I'll rejoice with them and our rewards shall be great. I will study His word and learn the lessons He has in store for me this year. I will grow. I leave my guilt, regrets, and forgiven sins in 2009; I won't carry them into 2010. As David Crowder put it, "I don’t have time to maintain these regrets, when I think about, the way..." He loves me.

Secondly, I resolve to do less business and pour more heart into what I do. I love what I do--both in trade and in work--and I haven't had a problem being passionate for it. Sometimes it can become just business and work, though. I don't want to live that way; I will renew my soul often, hopefully daily, for the good of the people I work for and with.

Thirdly, I resolve to be passionate about my relationships in my family. Immediate or not, I don't care. Just because they know me the best doesn't mean I can't be an example and a light for them. I want to live for them more than I live for me. I want to give them grace like Jesus has given me. My work and interests are important to me, but my God and my family is more. I want my kids and husband to have a Jesus example in their own home and to live a happy and full life of laughter and love. I know I can directly effect that by who I am around them and how much grace I show them.

Lastly, I resolve to take care of my body. I feel better when I'm in shape and eating well. Our health as a family is in large part subject to what I cook (if I do!) every night. Time has been so scarce that I've put exercise and eating right on the back burner. I resolve to study and find creative solutions for our family's health.

I never said my resolutions were going to be easy. I know they will be tough--some more than others. I give myself permission to shoot for the stars and hit the moon. If Jesus doesn't come first, and I've lived to see the end the year, then knowing more about my God and walking with Jesus is my success. That's another great reward--not fearing death. If I die, then God just wanted to show me His world and my reward. It would be my greatest pleasure, my greatest honor, to see it!

As for this world, and speaking of pouring heart into this passion of mine, here's a glorious new heart for you! This little boy is just so precious!! My heart bursts for this mother who gets to care for this little one!

Merry Christmas!!

I can't believe how fast 2009 flew by! It seems like yesterday we were having Christmas in this house, but now I will be having it with two little ones tomorrow, not just one! I don't know how I'll capture every little moment for my little newbie! It's going to be a great day. I have so many fun gifts to give this year--much work involved, but it's all going to be worth it. I've been trying as much as I can to stay focused on helping others and finding joy in the Lord this season, and I'll be honest and say the busyness surrounding the holiday can really be distracting! My minister challenged us in picturing and planning or worship, and I'm so glad he did. I've found that I do things a bit differently when Christ is at the forefront of my Christmas--all the way down to the gifts I make or buy for the people I care for. Our giving doesn't stop at our family, and I am so glad to give back to a community that raised me.

The stores were crazy, the traffic was worse, and I think for the first time, I would have really rather been home! I found joy in finding perfect gifts and getting ideas for the future, and now it will all culminate tomorrow. My worship will be ongoing and I want to continue for the rest of my life, really.
I saw a great idea recently that I am going to implement next year, and I will pass it on to you. I saw a Christmas tree decorated in bright colors with tool, ribbons, and gift boxes that had a sign on the front that read "Happy Birthday, Jesus!" What a fantastic idea!! I'll be decorating our tree very differently next year, and I'll probably be wrapping the Christmas presents as birthday presents. I love a nicely wrapped birthday present! Now, explaining Santa's birthday wrap to my 5 year old next year may be a challenge, but I'm sure I'll come up with something since Santa works for Jesus...haha!

Have an incredibly awesome Christmas tomorrow with your loved ones! Remember the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ and what that means for us...our salvation! My minister also mentioned this (which makes me cry every time I think about it while looking at my son)... Jesus was that small once! He came into the world just like us even though he could have just appeared. My God, how Awesome You are to have chosen such a lowly birth and a raw existence. Learn to walk like we do, talk like we do, everything. He probably got hurt, skinned his knee, everything we experience with our own little ones. Mary, I'm sure, was SO proud of her baby boy. I can't even imagine what treasures she must have held in her heart throughout her life for that little boy, Jesus. What an amazing story and what amazing faith she had to be more than okay with it all!

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Heavenly Angels

I love photography because I get to capture heavenly angels...













...and the angels shine before me!

Happy Thanksgiving, a little early!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It was so good to be home this past weekend and spend some time with my family. I had a great time with my brothers and sisters watching football Saturday night, then again on Sunday. Best of all, I got to see my brother and his family from D.C., whom I haven't seen in over a year and a half! I enjoyed reconnecting with them!

This year has been such a life-changing, faith-growing year for me. I've learned more than ever to trust and love God, and He has blessed me and fills my cup daily. I have learned that He is ultimately all I will ever need, and He is the one who provides. There are many lessons I'm sure to struggle with for many years to come, but I'm off to a great start, and it always starts with a broken soul. Thank goodness for broken souls. Without them, so many of us would never realize how much we really do need God; someone more than this earth can provide. I have so much to be thankful for.

My babies are healthy and beautiful. They were going through spurts of sicknesses the past few months and now are pretty healthy, except for the occasional breathing treatments for them both. I'm thankful that I don't have to go to or stay at the hospital to visit my children. I pray for those that do.

I have a wonderful mother who loves me very much. She and I seem to grow closer every year, and every year she seems more interested in me and my family. She's had an excuse--she's been raising her kids for over 50 years now! She's now 70 years old and a mother of 12. I am number 11, and needless to say, she was always cooking or cleaning every time I turned around as a young girl and even now when I visit the house. Her hardworking and giving heart is such and incredible example for me and I'm thankful for her.

I have a wonderful husband who loves me with an amazing love. His hard work this year in grad school and as a father have made me realize how precious time can be. I am glad he is an awesome support to our family and has loved us without bounds. He is striving to dream with me. I am thankful for him.

I have an incredible new job with people that are comfortable being themselves. What a difference that can make in your life! I thoroughly enjoy what I do and the people I partner with. I can see friendships established, relationships, and history being built, and I'm so glad to be a part of it. I am thankful for my co-workers and their positive attitudes.

My God has blessed my dreams with more dreams; my goals with more goals; my passions with more passions. He has heard me ask Him to break me and mold me, and He has taken upon that task. He is blessing me with knowledge, wisdom, and a craving for learning that I can't explain except for that it comes from Him. He teaches me several new things every day. He sings songs over me and I rejoice in Him. I am thankful to have a God that loves me and keeps part of Himself unknown. I yearn to get to know Him, especially when this life is done! How much there is to look forward to! I am thankful I don't know fully what it is!! Haha!

I am thankful for my beautiful niece! Here are her gorgeous pictures--gorgeous because they are of her, God's own perfect creation! Enjoy!