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This is a simple but yet beautiful and creative photography project. Get your camera and find something that inspires you. It could be a flower, snow, candle, fruit, or even a landscape picture like a beach, etc. Just something that you love. Take the image into any image software such as Photoshop and add your text. It could be a quote or just something you feel when looking at the image.
Another twist to this is when you take your vacation, take a picture like this from your vacation, and you will have a beautiful piece of art for your home.
These works of art can be used for prints for your home, note cards, Christmas cards, a calendar, or as a collection in an art book.
These make great framed gifts if you are not sending them out as Christmas cards!
Sigh. Projects like this just speak to my soul.
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You won’t understand.
But for all of the rest of you…
This is how it made me feel. Sigh.
Don’t laugh. It’s just starting. Everyone took pictures like this. It’s what we do in South Carolina when anything remotely resembling snow falls from the sky.
Same deck a few hours later. I really wondered if I should be happy that I had before pictures of the trees before the snow. I did not think they were going to stand up straight again. I mean look what it did to the oak tree in the front yard…
This was extremely scary sounding standing right by the front door when it fell. I almost didn’t want to open the door.
This was taken just before it happened. I think if we had been out just a few minutes longer there would have been some underwear changing involved.
I don’t think anything could have prepared me for what it looked like when the sun started to come up the next day, and I looked out my back door…
Stay tuned. In 10-20 years, I’ll have more snow pictures for you.
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How to Start a Family Nursing Home Ministry
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (Matthew 25:37-40)
If you are looking for an opportunity to teach your children to serve and to unselfishly give of themselves, a nursing home may be the perfect place. The needs are so great. Whatever your particular gift, you will find the opportunity to use with these dear people. When you see their faces literally light up with a smile or when someone finally warms up to you after months of earning their trust, or when they cry over some small gift you brought them, you will be the one who feels blessed.
Pray about this and seek God’s will for your family. There is probably no way to completely prepare you or your children for what you will see if you have never been in a nursing home. I can only say that it will get easier. Always remember to talk with your children about the things they see and hear. It may not be easy at first. In the beginning my children and I both wondered at times if this was the place for us, but we are glad now that we hung in there and met this new challenge. My children now know the blessing of serving. They have learned compassion and understanding for the elderly. They have also developed confidence in themselves for meeting this challenge and learning the skills needed to help.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. (Galations 6:9)
If you are interested in volunteering at a nursing home, I recommend contacting the Sonshine Society for a Free Power Packet. This includes a training guide, samples of large print materials, and information material on the Sonshine Society. This material would be helpful for you to read with your children before you get started. When we got started in this ministry, we did not know of this resource and knew absolutely nothing about nursing homes or the elderly. This is not the easiest way to start. Take advantage of this wonderful resource. The more prepared you are, the more you will enjoy this ministry.
After you look through your Free Power Packet from Sonshine Society, I would suggest contacting the activity director of a nursing home close to your home. Choosing a nursing home close to your home makes it easy to stop in often. Ask if you and your children can observe a few activities or assist with one before you fly solo. It is very helpful to watch someone with experience to see how they interact with the residents. Be creative. Think about how to use your particular gifts as you serve.
Here are a few suggestions on areas that you could serve at a nursing home:
(Some of these would be great for one on one activities, others would be great for group activities, and some would work well for both.)
- Games (e.g. checkers, tic-tac-toe, bingo, bean bag toss, etc.)
- Read to them – Many cannot read.
- Visit – Sometimes this means more than anything with them. Pray with them.
- Share the gospel
- Write letters for them
- Scripture reading
- Arts and crafts
- Nails – They love polished nails!
- Singing – This can be done with them or for them as a group activity. I have read that residents love this! This, however, is not my gift.
- Plays & skits performed for them
- Bingo
- Adopt a grandparent
- Pet therapy (check with the activity director first)
- Christmas gifts – This would be a great project for a homeschool group or church. Make up gift bags using colored lunch bags and fill them with little gifts. Remember, never give a resident any type of food or candy without first checking with a nurse or activity director.
- Ask for a list of residents who have little or no visitors, new residents, or birthdays for the month. If the activity director has time, ask if she will tell you a little about the resident before you visit. Use this list for the following ideas:
- Be the welcome wagon and welcome new residents with a visit and small gift. Remember, this is not an easy time for them.
- Birthday basket – Decorate a basket and fill it with items from a dollar store. (e.g. socks, stiffed animal or doll, Bibles, jewelry, perfume, deodorant, lotion, toys, etc.)
Always ask a nurse or the activity director before you give a resident anything to eat. Some have special treats they like while others may not have anything at all because of diet restrictions or health.
Stay tuned for more on how this experience changed our lives. You don’t want to miss part two.
I originally wrote this article over 10 years ago and had it on an old website. I had lost track of it and spent most of the day going through old floppy disks trying to find it when I remembered that someone had published it and sent me a copy of it! I am so glad they did because the stack of floppies setting on my disk is is pretty dang daunting. I will be continuing this soon with a part two sharing how much this changed our lives and how it affected us 10 years later and the lasting impression it made on our family.
Resources:
The Nursing Home Companion by Pauline Innis
Life Worth Living by William H. Thomas, M.D.
Reminiscence by Carmel Sheridan
With Faces to the Evening Sun by Richard L. Morgan
With God’s Oldest Friends
Pastoral Visiting in the Nursing Home by Henry C. Simmongs, Mark A. Peters
Websites:Faithful Friends Nursing Home Ministry
Sonshine Society
Call or write for your Free Power Packet (Special Note: The Sonshine Society has requested that when ordering your FREE Power Packet that you include that you found out about them through Tammy Cobb’s Nursing Home Ministry.
The Sonshine Society
Box 327
Lynnwood, Washington 98046-0327
(425)353-4732
32Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD. Lev. 19. 32
27Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.
it was interesting to see the different personalities after time and disease had ravaged their bodies and minds.
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Is it common knowledge about “select” oysters? Is this something that everyone but me knew? We were at Publix tonight, and I asked the guy in seafood if he had tried these and if they were good.
“They are select,” he said.
Oh. Ok. I wait.
Nothing.
 So I ask what that means. They are the best he tells me. I thought local oysters were supposed to be the best. Last I checked we lived off of the Atlantic coast not the Pacific. These say Pacific on them but yet farm grown. I don’t understand. No, I did not say that out loud. They scare me a little, and I wish to choose my battles more carefully than that. Plus I try not to make people handling my food angry. For some reason I don’t think they like me very much back there. I think they only like people who do what they say. I ask silly things of them like to get frozen seafood from the freezers so that it hasn’t been laying out on their counters thawing for however long. They will spend 20 minutes trying to convince me that I should take the seafood that is on the counter. Ok. Maybe not 20 minutes, but it sure feels like it. I’m still adding that time to the already undetermined amount of thawing time before I got there. That is a worthy battle to me.
I’m not sure if this means anything, but I watched an expert on lie detection this week, and she said that when someone doesn’t answer a yes or no question with a yes or no, it could mean that they are lying. Maybe they are the best oysters, but I don’t think he has ever tried them or he would have said yes. He could be allergic to oysters for all I know. But I digress.
I bought them. I will let you know how they taste after I cook them. Have I mentioned that I find the people in the seafood department at Publix iffy? Lacking certain basic social skills? Even if I can get past the toothpick hanging out the corner of the mouth, the social skills are just not there. I think the characters in the movie Grumpy Old Men may have been based off of some of these guys. Ok. I never saw that movie. I am just assuming it is about men who are grumpy and old. But I’m not going to hold that against the oysters.
All that being said I REALLY do like Publix and shop there just to keep them in business. You don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. But, oh, if they could do something about those guys in the seafood department it would be practically perfect. Practically.
Update 2/19/2010:
Considering I have had what appears to be food poisoning for over the last 24 hours, I’m going to give the “select” oysters a thumbs down.
I. kid. you. not.
I was so sick that my husband stayed home from work with me because he did not want to leave me alone. Even now, over 24 hours later, the stomach pain is awful.
When I originally wrote this, I just thought I would be saying if these were the best oysters or not after my conversation with the seafood department. I had no idea that I would be updating with this.
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 Who is this sassy, fun thing?
When I saw this picture for the first time in many years, I held it and studied it as if seeing it for the first time. I could not believe it was me. I felt much like Barbara Streisand’s character in the movie, The Mirror Has Two Faces, when she saw a picture she had never seen of herself when she was a little girl. I thought, “This is me? I was cute, fun, happy, loved and confident?”
As I looked at this picture, I couldn’t believe this was me. You see, like Barbara Streisand’s character, I had lost my way, too. I had forgotten who I was. It seemed everything I had been doing in my life for so many years was part of a journey to take me right back here – to being who I always was, this fun, happy, loved and confident person, much like what happened with Barbara Streisand’s character.
Quote from The Mirror Has Two Faces:
Mother: Do you know what I thought when you were a baby? That you looked just like your dad, and that Claire looked like me.
Rose: (looking at an old picture of little girl) What’s that? She was so pretty, even then. Look at those eyes. Those lips.
Mother: That’s not Claire, that’s you.
Rose: Me? I never saw this picture.
Mother: I found it when I was cleaning up.
Rose: This was me? I was pretty?
Mother: Your father adored you. But you know that. He never felt that way about Claire. Only you. I don’t think he ever held a baby until you came. He never wanted to let you go.
Rose: I’m glad you found this.
Mother: So am I.
Rose: She was very pretty.
Mother: You were very pretty. Remember that.
So, as I look at this picture of this fun, happy, loved and confident little girl, I am telling myself, “That’s me. Remember that.” That’s the real me. The me before the ugliness of the world. If ever I need to find myself, I need not look any further than this picture.
We all need one of these pictures. It does not matter the age you are in the picture. Just find at least one picture of yourself where you shine, not just shine on the outside, but shine on the inside, too – you at the top of your game, confident and happy. Put these pictures where you can see them every day. And, remember, you do not have to find yourself. You just have to remember who you are.
P.S. Please note the pose. This is why I cannot wear dresses to this day.
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if the world ever has to depend on us to grow enough food to feed the masses. Heck, we would be lucky to grow enough to feed one very tiny person for a light snack.
Remember, my little garden in which I was so proud of? Well it is the saddest thing ever, what is left of it that is.
This is embarrassing, but here you go. This is what is left of it.
Yeah, I know this is just grass. I promise you we planted spinach here.
Our cucumber plant.
These are tomato plants and have been growing for about 8-10 weeks. But we planted tomatoes in here about four months ago, too. I have no idea what happened to those. Either the ones I planted four months ago are very stunted or are missing.
I have high hopes for this one. Please tell me it is not a weed.
My guess is that it was a lack of consistent water, and what water we did have was pretty heavy and probably washed any nutrients away, and we didn’t add any additional fertilizer. Honestly, though, I am really not one of those people who loves to grow things. I love to eat them but not grow them. I do not really like getting diry, sweaty or eaten by bugs, and too much sun and heat will give me a migraine. Did I mention I live in the South? So, you see, I am not sure this is going to work for me. There has got to be a better way.
Oh, yeah, there is…it’s called a grocery store.
Thank goodness for backup plans.
Did I mention that I actually have the beginnings of a draft article entitled, “Grow Your Own Vegetables”? Well, I was an optimistic gal if nothing else, wasn’t I?
Do you want to see what I wrote? I was even curious myself, so let’s take a look (I laugh in the face of embarrassment and humiliation.):
“We planted our vegetable garden nine days ago…and look what we have now!”
That was it.
That wasn’t too bad. That was as far as I got. Thank goodness. At least I didn’t proceed to tell you how to grow beautiful, yummy, healthy vegetables because obviously I know NOTHING on the matter.
We thought we did.
But we didn’t.
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I’ve recently learned that not only is it important to take pictures, but it is also important to make a note of who is in the picture. You’ve heard the saying, “He has muscles in places that I do not have places?” Well, I have people in pictures that I do not know who is in them. period.
 My sons made my mom a “special box” years ago and gave it to her for a present, and she had placed a lot of old photos in there before her death. I almost typed “after her death”. Now that would have been weird, huh? But, no. She did this before her death. So, after she passed away I was given the box since the boys made it for her. I didn’t even look through it when I got it. I came home with the what turned out to be the worst migraine in the history of all migraines and went to bed right after I got home…after being very sick. When I awoke around 4:30 in the morning, the migraine had started to subside. I took that break from the horrible, wretched pain and nausea to make some tea and take more ibuprofen. While drinking my tea, I curled up on the sofa to look through some of the things that I had brought home with me the night before.
 So, I opened the box and was so excited to see old pictures. I. Love. Old. Pictures. It was like some secret and wonderful treasure had been bestowed upon me. It even had a few newspaper clippings which I love just as much as old pictures. My joy quickly turned to curiousity when I realized that of all the pictures my mom chose to put in this special box, these were pictures of people I did not know from Adam.
So I offer a few up in case anyone wants to trade with me for people I actually do know or at least tell me who these people are. I am sure they are very important – if I just knew who they were.
Oh, lookey here! Miss Myrtle Beach! I know we must be related. I am just positive that beauty and poise must run in the family (Did I mention I can barely get one foot in front of the other without tripping?).
Maybe one of the boys dated her?
I wonder if Myrtle Beach, South Carolina still has this for people to use for pictures? It sure beats the heck out of the fat, circus looking lady that is everywhere.
 
If anyone knows who these people are, please feel free to leave a comment and let me know.
But you know what? I love them even if I never know who they are. I remember seeing these pictures all my life. They are familiar and a treasure to me even if I never know who these people are.
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 Take pictures of the things that hold your memories, have sentimental value, remind you of a happy moment or have a story. Be creative and artistic in your crops. The creative crops, journaling (or at least museum type matting and labeling), subjects chosen and publishing is what sets this apart from an album or a scrapbook. It will truly be…your life as ART!
What kind of things would I take pictures of for this project?
There are so many little things that are special every day in our lives. It’s hard to say now what will set something apart to be one of those special memories that you will cherish for years to come. Just because an image is not used in this project does not mean that you cannot use it in your family album or scrapbook. I suggest taking the pictures, choose your favorites, and then give yourself the option of changing your mind on the final images until you are ready to publish. Time will make it more clear, and you have nothing to lose because you will always have the picture…even if it is not included in the final project.
swing, deck, slide, sandbox, basketball goal, doorway measurements, Christmas stockings, favorite stuffed animal, special piece of jewelry, a flower given to you, day trips, vacations, get togethers, etc.
You can take this project to the next level by journaling about what is in the picture.
How often? Is this like project 365 where I take a picture a day?
That is the great thing about this project. The schedule you set is up to you. If you want to take a picture a day and choose ones you want to include in your finished work, you can do that. If you want to set a schedule where you want one image a week or take one day a week to work on this, that will work, too.
How will I know when it is finished?
Well, depending on how you choose to publish it, this could be an ongoing project through your life. Things in our life do not stop being special to us, and you want to keep capturing life. You can just choose different ways to publish it or create different volumes if you choose to do this in a book or slideshow.
Ways to Publish Your Work:
- Calendar
- DVD Slideshow
- Collage
- Wall Screen
- Hardback Book (museum tagged [white border with a descriptive word or title underneath the image or words on one page with full bleed photograph on the next – it just depends on how much journaling you want to include in your book)
Starting and Organizing a Photography Project:
- Write out your idea on paper. This is where you will brainstorm and record your ideas.
- Setup a folder on your computer for this project. Include an area specifically for photographs.
- Begin taking your pictures.
- Process your pictures as you go or all at once depending on the project. I think setting aside a specific day or time of day to work on the project will help keep in the front of your mind and keep it from being too overwhelming with too much to do at once.
- When you want to include words and are at a loss, try including a poem or lyrics to a song if it is for personal use only.
My Personal “My Life As Art Photography Project”
I’m taking pictures of the things that hold our memories, have sentimental value, remind us of a happy moment or memory or have a story.
My children are grown now. I so wish I would have started this when they were little. Imagine all of the beautiful memories you would have over the period of all those years. Most of those things are long gone now for us. Some of those things we still have. I’m just going to have to look a little harder. I may find it in a Christmas tree ornament or stocking, an old toy we saved, or a special blanket. You will be surprised where you find your story – it may be in a small detail. It often is.
If your children are still young and at home, you are so blessed that you can do this now while everything is still so fresh in your mind. One day, it will not be so easy to recall.
When I am finished I will have it printed in a hardback book and make copies for my children. What a beautiful heirloom this will make! I can also make a calendar, collage, or dvd slideshow.
Join our flickr group and share YOUR pictures! We would love to hear your stories, too!
My Life As Art Photography Project – flickr Group
Or if you have them on a website, include a link to share and inspire others!
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 This is where I tell my husband that I live. I think he has even come to believe it himself. I live in a place where what I get is usually directly proportional to how badly I want it. He will measure something and say, “It won’t fit.” I will measure something and say, “It is so close, and I want it to fit here REALLY badly. Let’s measure again.” He used to think I was crazy, but now he has become a believer in my magical place…and my magical ruler. We have furniture in places where there should be no furniture to prove it.
It’s funny. I never really thought about this until being married to him. It was one of those things where you just assume everyone is like you. Yeah, I know. My Interpersonal Communication book said that we are supposed to be over that by about second grade. I’m 45 and still shocked that other people are so different from me. Go figure.
My husband could not be more opposite than me in this area. Of course, I think his accepting defeat by thinking things won’t work may be directly proportional to how badly he wants it, too. I mean how many times and places does he want to move something for me? Hmmm….maybe he would live in a magical place, too, if it were not for me and my magical place.
Some people might think this is positive thinking. But between you and me, I’m not entirely sure about that or at least that it is all positive thinking. What I really think it is is that I am just an incredibly stubborn tenacious person who believes winners never quit and quitters never win. More things are possible than most of us ever dreamed or imagined if we just keep trying.
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I NEED to be thinking about this. July is half way over. This seems to happen every year. It’s like we go from December to July, and then it’s December again. I am always at a loss for what happens to all of the other months.
Christmas cards take planning and time. There are outfits to coordinate, scheduling of everyone in the family, and you need to book with a photographer in time to get your pictures back for Christmas.
Many photographers now offer an option to purchase a digital file, so that you can design, print and send out your own Christmas cards. All you need is your own card template to use.
As someone who usually ends up sending out her Christmas cards on Christmas Eve, I speak from my heart when I say it is NEVER too early to start thinking of Christmas. Every year I say it will be different, but I don’t think I have EVER got them out early. But YOU can be different, and I will help you. Those who can’t, help those who can.
Christmas Card 0001
download: 4x6 Card Template 0001 PSD (6.09MB)
download: 4x6 Card Template 0001 JPG (929.50KB)
Christmas Card 0002
download: 4x6 Card Template 0002 PSD (4.42MB)
download: 4x6 Card Template 0002 JPG (714.51KB)
Christmas Card 0003
download: 4x6 Card Template 0003 PSD (4.40MB)
download: 4x6 Card Template 0003 JPG (678.75KB)
Feel free to use this for your own Christmas cards. Photographers feel free to use it for yourself or your clients. Just please do not share or sale the template by itself to anyone. If you would like to share it with your friends, please give them the link to this post.
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*NEW* Extraordinary Blog Network Project – Limited Space Avaiilable Extraordinary Blog Network Project is a private network for bloggers wanting to take their blogs to the next level.
We are looking for 10-20 serious up and coming bloggers for this innovative and forward thinking new project! All accepted members will be given access to a private forum for members only. read more
I’m an ordinary person dealing with what I like to believe are ordinary issues, but in all the ordinary days, I live an extraordinary life. We all do.
This blog is a collection of my photography, random thoughts, ponderings and what I learn along the way. I look forward to meeting you and getting to know you, too.
We have but one live to live. Make it an EXTRAORDINARY one!
Find your voice!
Be your own leading lady!
Live out loud!
The world is your stage!
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