This Could Get Addicting!!!

Lately I've been interested in expanding my knowledge as a photographer and picture editor. I signed up to receive free, weekly tips about photography and I learned from one of these tips about a free photo editing program by Google. It's Picasa and it's a free download from the Google site.

Isaac is napping so I've been using the time to experiment and figure out how this program works. This is just one of the pics I messed around with. The first photo is the original and the second is the edited version. This program is so cool 'cause you can highlight certain areas to remain in color and of course change the whole color tone of the pictures; add a soft glow. The options are numerous! This could be dangerously addicting!!!

10 Months!

Isaac is 10 months old today!! This month it seems he has developed more than any other. In fact, just in this past week Isaac has started waving, clapping, pulling himself up to a standing position, signing "more" and I think, if I'm not mistaken, has added "all done" to his vocabulary. So much in so short a time! He has 3 teeth now and is crawling on his knees more and more. He has discovered the big stuffed animals in his room and likes to snuggle them and lay his head on their soft fur. I'm filled up with thankfulness for this little boy that has captured our hearts!!! I am so priviledged to be his Mommy!!!!

A Lightbulb Moment

I had one last night in conversation with a friend (wink: you know who you are!). We were talking about life and how important it is to keep God first and seek Him and how easily bitterness can creep up in our hearts when we're distant from Him. And that's when it happened...the lightbulb went on in my head. This.......

Jesus is the Living Water. Bitterness grows in a stagnant pool. To keep from becoming bitter (or resentful, etc) we must have the constant flow of His living water flowing within us. I was reminded of the Israelites and their exodus from Egypt. After traveling 3 days without water, they came upon a pool of water, only to find that the water was bitter. The Lord instructed Moses to throw in a particular piece of wood and the water turned sweet. (see Exodus 15 for the complete story.) Isaiah 12:3 says "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation." Jesus can take those bitter waters and make them sweet. He can take the water that has grown stagnant within us, that's not fit to drink, that would harm us, and make it sweet and life-giving.