Veronica Ponce Photography & Design

The Winds of Change

In everyone's life there are inevitable changes. The more time passes, the more we realize how true this is. I have said this before but every day I feel stronger that our planning is sometimes pointless. Every relationship in your life will undergo some kind of evolution. Every situation you encounter will transform itself into its ultimate truth.

So what do we do? We wake up each morning, determined to live life as normal as possible. We go about our routines, deal with the same people, and ultimately end up believing that we are justified in everything we do because at the end of the day, our world really does revolve around us. Or does it?

How do we control the outcome of situations that seem so out of our grasp? Is there any way to really "get a grip?" Each day we will meet new people, be presented with new situations/opportunities...and ultimately we will go to bed at night justified in our futile deeds...believing that somehow our circumstance is different from everyone else's. But when you lay your head on the pillow at night -- do you really believe that? Do you really think that somehow you have complete control over anything?

For so many years of my life, I did. I thought that I was the ultimate decision-maker and that every outcome was controllable. I believed that everything was a direct consequence of some previous choice that I made and that I could determine the end result in any given situation.

But oh what a lesson I've learned. What I think or do doesn't really matter most of the time. People react in individual bubbles to individual circumstances at individual times for individual outcomes. So what I do can only affect me. Ultimately this is probably the only way to operate. We live to serve God. I really do believe that. Yet I fail at it almost everyday. Why?

Why do I believe that I can make a difference or that I am even different for that matter? Yes, I am unique. Yes, God made me for a reason. Yes, I believe His plan will ultimately succeed no matter what I do, think, say or feel. But just like you, I wake up each morning thinking that in some way I can control or change reality. And in little everyday ways, I do.

Yet, there is an unmistakable truth about the evolution of relationships. Every single one of them. Be it a parent/child, husband/wife, friend/friend or any extension of any of these. Each person you encounter will draw his or her own conclusions and make his or her own choices no matter what you tell them or advise them or teach them. We live individual moments and although we know there is one ultimate truth, we struggle with the reality of our sin and our humanity in the simple tasks of our monotonous days.

I don't care how much money you have or how exciting your life is. If you have come face to face with another human being, you have been a part of the inevitable transition of the world and in some way, the transitions are shaping you. You will ultimately become who you are supposed to be even if the process is painful and rooted in the very things you most despise. It doesn't matter.

With today's growing fears about the economy, politics, religion and God knows what else...we are all just seedlings in creation's ultimate finality. And what that means is as illusive to you as it is to me.

We will be born. We will grow up in different families. Many of us will fall in (and even out) of love. We will procreate. We will go about our days with an inconclusive and unfulfilled desire to be different. We will somehow believe that we are different. We will love, we will lose, we will cry, we will laugh, and we will fool ourselves into believing that we have control. But any control that we hold on to will only serve to further separate us from our Creator who, ultimately, wants to live in us and mold our lives according to His plan. It is this constant struggle within our being that forms the basis for our choices. When your spirit guides you one way, your soul another, and your flesh another...which way do you turn? What voice do you listen to?

I have been such a control freak for so long. But I have learned, in such a painful way, that we are all vulnerable to our humanity. Our pain is not unique, our situations aren't unique, so throwing a pity party will only get you so far. Depression, sadness, anger, hurt, frustration and even love are all emotions that have been experienced by generations before us. There is no unique moment...it has all been lived before. The sooner we recognize this, the easier life becomes.

Dealing with emotions is one of the hardest challenges we will face on this earth because our hearts and our flesh will constantly seek to damage and essentially destroy the beings we were created to be. But listen to me...don't let it happen. Fight the changes. It won't be easy. You will struggle and you will fail and you will try to pick yourself up again time and time again. But relish those moments. Take them for what they are-- learning experiences. Each step in this seemingly endless walk will take you one step closer to your ultimate reality which is to live alongside, and experience the ultimate thrill, of being in the presence of God.

I do not claim or boast about any intricate knowledge of the divine. I simply use my resources as a guide. In the past few years I have seen such an evolution within the very relationships I value, that I cannot help but wonder how much control I even have in all of this? There comes a point in your life where you tend to think that life begins "today." But that "today" will keep getting pushed further and further away to the point where you won't remember where it begins and how you got there.

It is unmistakable and it is the most human thing about us. Losing control...it's not always a bad thing. Allow yourself to feel things. Delight in your experiences. Rely on God...even when temptation overcomes you and you feel the shadow of sin looming...don't let go. Let God take you through. Love unconditionally. Give all you can to everyone you encounter so that when you are gone, each life you have crossed paths with will have a semblance of you. Remember that each person that passes through will remember you in some way so make sure you present yourself honestly and realistically. Be beautiful. Be ugly. Be true. Fight for the light within you and hold it firmly in front. Let it guide you and if/when you detour...don't waver. Come back to the original plan and surround yourself by people who understand this. Your choices may not change the world and they may not even change your life. But they are yours and no one, no matter what they do or don't do, think or don't think, say or don't say... will ever be able to make those choices for you. It is your life and your experience.

We only get one chance, my friends. That's it. So live fully and dive into every experience. Put your heart on the line because even if it breaks, it's worth it. Am I speaking with some divine knowledge or experience? Probably not. But I have learned in a very short time and in a very hard way, that your feelings, heart, or emotions will deceive you and lead you down very self-centered paths but your devotion to God is what will make you thrive and grow, even in those moments when you feel you have let Him down or that you are not worthy or that you somehow have to "hide" yourself because you aren't "feeling" it with Him. Don't worry. He already knows that.

Believe me...you will fail...many times -- especially when you let your heart guide you. Struggle and fight for the ultimate truth. It exists. And when you go through those dark periods...when you wallow in self-pity...seek those beacons of light that are drawing your attention. Try your hardest to run from the shadows that threaten to overtake you. But if you don't -- if you end up giving in -- don't despair. Don't lose hope. The absence of your hope does not eliminate its existence.

In simple terms...love with all your heart. Do as as Jesus commanded. If you are lucky and you find a partner -- that's great. Cherish it. Give it your all so that if one day the other lets you down you can live with no regrets knowing that you could not have changed the ultimate circumstance. It will happen reciprocally -- but be strong in your doubts. Allow yourself to feel things thoroughly and freely so that you can learn patience, empathy and compassion. These are life lessons that most people must experience to fully understand. Perhaps the greatest lesson of all is forgiveness. That doesn't mean reconciliation but it does mean to let go of the anger/sadness/or hate that pervasively dominate your psyche. Lean on love. Delight in it. It is a gift that is sometimes taken away much too early. But its absence doesn't diminish its power.

Every relationship will change.

Some will grow...some will stagnate.

But they all exist for a reason so pray to God that you find clarity and enlightenment and that you learn to love and to GIVE love as if every day were your wedding day so that if the other lover fails you, you can walk away strong and proud that you served your cause well. You will be rewarded in the long run. The intricacies of life may overcome you...you may feel that you are a failure but fret not. God knows what you're going through and He will get you through it...just sometimes not in the way that you think or hope. Be open to change. Be receptive to new people and relationships. Hold on to your inner core and develop your God-given gifts. Through the pain of life, you will find your way but you must learn patience and perseverance and to have a calm spirit.

I am still learning this so I am far from preaching the perfection of this philosophy. But even when I cannot see it. Even when I cannot feel it. Even when I have strayed or broken it... I believe it and I hope you do, too.

The Plans We Make...

Engagements and weddings always make me nostalgic and melancholic. I look at young couples with these beautiful bright plans ahead of them and I wish they could foresee the twists and turns that their road together will take. Everyone will say they know this to be true, but like all things in life, it is not until we have walked along those roads that we can really feel or understand how harsh and unexpected or difficult life can turn out to be.

When we first get engaged, or married, or pregnant, or become parents, we somehow believe that our lives will be different than everyone else's and that we will prove everyone wrong by how perfect and "right" we are going to do things. Well, maybe not everyone believes this. But many of us go into these beginning stages of life with fantastical idealisms that, when they fall short of our expectations, leave us feeling empty and bewildered. There is no need for that. Life is not what we want it to be. It just is what it is.

There comes a point where we all realize that no matter how well we think out our actions, plan our futures or decide our destinies, life doesn't always cooperate. If any of you remember the movie "City of Angels" you might remember a particular scene in which Meg Ryan begins to question her role in any of the medical procedures she performs after a patient dies on her operating table. In the movie, her character (Maggie) says, "And after all this time, and after all this work...I suddenly have this feeling that......none of this is in my hands. Nothing. And if it isn't...what do I do with that?" She is speaking with Nicolas Cage's character, Seth, and she tells him, "I couldn't fix him and I did everything right." She begins to wonder if there is a greater force out there steering life and death away from her skilled surgeon's hands. And she begins to feel that somehow in the end, no matter what she does right or wrong, the ultimate decider of life and death is not her. I love that because it's true.

That may just be dialogue in a movie but it is pretty fitting, wouldn't you say? In life, our plans don't mean nearly as much as we think they do. We can't plan for everything, even though we think we can. We pat ourselves on the back when we make "right" decisions and we are ignorantly confident in our finite abilities. But the truth is, things will always happen the way they're supposed to happen no matter what we do or don't do. That doesn't mean that we should sit back idly and wait for things to fall in our lap. I am not suggesting that. We should still pursue our dreams and plan our futures and make our decisions. The bigger picture, however, is that if we try to pursue and accomplish these things on our own, we are more likely to be discouraged when things don't turn out according to our plans. The truth is, our plans and decisions are just our aversions to the things we fear or dislike for our future. But we never really have full control because there are biological, physiological, spiritual and chemical elements that all play a part in every aspect of existence. Before you give yourself too much credit, or come down too hard on yourself, remember Elizabeth Barrett Browning's famous words, "God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame."

Every situation we encounter is in some way a gift from God. It may not seem like it at the time and if we are not keenly in tune with this principle, we may never realize it and the greater picture may pass us by. Like a swift wind or a sudden surge of adrenaline and emotion that escapes any reason or understanding we can be overwhelmed or bombarded by reality in the blink of an eye when we least expect it. We can succumb to misery, pity and depression if we believe that somehow life has been unfair to us despite our careful planning and deliberate decision-making skills. Too often we fail to understand that there is joy in everything and if we are deliberate in seeking it out, but more importantly, in believing this principle, we will experience the same situations but see them from a different perspective. I am not saying this of my own self-centered accord or from some twisted idealism that I have concocted. This comes straight from God's word. Specifically, it can be found in James 1:2-12 which states:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does. The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

This may sound like simplistic theology but in truth it is about the most complicated reality to adhere to in the Christian walk. All too often we succumb to trials as if they were persecutions and we mope about our days believing that somehow we are victims of our circumstances and that we don't "deserve" the things that come to us. But we aren't victims and we don't "deserve" anything -- good or bad. Trials and struggles are also gifts even if we don't think so when we're experiencing them. Yes, some things are true whether or not we believe them. But the world will tell us that it is unfair and we need to seek our happiness and not be martyrs to our surroundings. And that sounds good to us. So often in our most vulnerable state we grab hold of this perverted, distorted and internalized philosophy because it makes us feel justified in our misery. But do not be fooled. When you are most troubled and struggling, that is when God's presence is most strongly felt. "The more we depend on God, the more dependable we find He is" (Cliff Richard). There is no ignorance or shame in sticking with this positive outlook.

It is important that when we are going through any beginning, or metamorphosis, or ending...that we hold fast to God's word. You will find judgment from others, you will encounter persecution and criticism from those around you who may not understand your peace and consider it to be apathy or denial, but remain steadfast and convicted. Don't be ashamed to feel okay or to get better. Don't look so far into the future for the resolution, stick to the present. Live in the moment and experience every opportunity to see God's hand triumph. Because He is there. He always is. Even when we may not want to. Even when we may not feel it in our hearts. God's love doesn't need our approval to be present. It just is. It is potent enough to battle your biggest demons and to carry you through your darkest hours. It holds your hand when you need to be pulled along to make it through the storm, and it holds you up when you are falling. And it will do so each and every time you just have to recognize it. It's not a matter of belief. Some things are true whether or not we believe them. It's a matter of recognizing this truth for what it is. And that is what joy really is. In the end...it has nothing to do with our plans and everything to do with our perspective.

Joy. Pure joy...

Live And Learn

Actually, Jessica here hasn't even scratched the surface. She looks much older in these shots, but she just turned 15. She hasn't even begun to live the life that will be hers one day. She really has no idea how it will turn out. At 15 you have the freedom to live one day at a time and just take each thing on as it comes your way. It's actually quite beautiful to live this way before pressures and circumstances guide you and your choices.

At 15 the world is like the open end of a funnel. Your possibilities are endless. You feel you can be or do anything you want to. There are no limits on your opportunities. But as you get older, the choices narrow down and you start to see the things in front of you through the small end of the funnel. You limit yourself and you learn to gauge experiences accordingly.

Don't get me wrong...I have no desire to be 15 again. I loved my teenage years but they are difficult times. We are being shaped aggressively during these years. In my case, I was so sensitive on the inside and yet so tough on the outside. I tried to have it all together but life kept throwing me curves and without emotional maturity to confront or address situations, I absorbed all of the emotions. I suffered from ulcer pains a lot during these years. Every time something would happen to affect my nervous system, I would have a physical reaction to it. I didn't know how to process things so I internalized everything and that was very unhealthy.

It's an amazing thing -- life. In this gradual progression of our internal and external beings we travel through this seemingly endless journey of growth, knowledge and change. We evolve and we adapt and along the way, we somehow fool ourselves into believing we have all the time in the world to do "great things." And we misinterpret greatness because we begin by giving all of its merit to the external qualities we see.

That is the world of a 15-year-old. It's like being blinded to the things that are right in front of you. You're in the same place but you don't see things the same. When we were teenagers we we sure that we would not repeat the same mistakes as our parents and that we knew "better" or "more" than they ever did. Surely they were not people just like us going through the exact same things. No...things are different now and our parents could never understand.

That's what we believed, right? But then we grow up and we have kids and we realize that the cycle will continue and we are now part of the other side of the spectrum. And the view is so different from over here -- much more so than it was when I was 15-years-old and ready to change the world. And just like we did, Jessica, and all the other teens we encounter, will learn this. But they will have to learn it their way, in their time. Just like we all did.

And one day, before, we even realize we're doing it, we find ourselves saying things like "I was young once, too," or "I've already gone through the things you're going through now," or "One day you'll understand," and we see those same glares of disbelief that we used to give our moms staring right back at us. Funny, huh?

Yep...we live and learn every single day.

I Will Reluctantly Concede...

Okay...you know that expression "never say never." I use it all the time but I REALLY mean it this time.

I just got this little bad boy here and it has literally changed my life! :)

Sometimes You Just Need Someone To Hold Your Hand

When we face life's trials and tribulations, it is often our natural response to turn to those closest to us for support and/or comfort. Often these people will immediately begin by giving advice or suggestions on how to handle the situation. But really, no matter what they tell us, how they tell us or when they tell us, sometimes all we need is someone to be there to listen and hold us. Invariably we will end up doing things our own way because, as unwise as it can be, we are all sort of predisposed to relying on our own experiences as our greatest teachers.

Are You Living The Life You Thought You Would Be?

Have you ever looked at your life and wondered how you ended up where you are today?

I'll bet many of us could look back on the plans of our childhood and see that not every dream we had necessarily came true. For some of us the changes were voluntary, but many of us found ourselves in situations that took control of our path somehow. Maybe it was something in your childhood, or maybe it happened in adulthood. But at some point, we diverged and we didn't even notice.

Or maybe you've reached a point in your life where you've decided it's time to change your path...or your personality...or your choices...or your relationships...or your career...or your religion...or your location. It happens. Well, aren't you lucky that you get to make that choice?

I Guess It's A Good Sign When...

...you enjoy each photo session more than the last. I swear, each time I finish one I think, "This one is my favorite." But then another one comes along and it becomes my favorite and so on... So that means I still love what I do which is soooo important!

I've come to realize that I really enjoy photographing all sorts of different things...from people to objects to still life...with the exception of studio work. But there is something about photographing a child...I can't explain it...but it's still something that thrills me...especially when I see the end result.

It is truly my pleasure to be able to capture these little moments in their lives...and that's not a sales pitch -- I mean it. I feel so honored that they trust ME because these years will fly by and they will always look back and remember this time based on the pictures I took. I think that's a big deal!

So, thank you to everyone who has given me the opportunity to share a little piece of your lives. I hope you realize how seriously I take the responsibility and how much I love doing it!!!!

I hope the end result shows how much joy I get from my job. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! :) :) :)

A Reason, A Season or a Lifetime...

On Friday I was hired to cover a "Gallery Night" event. Many artists had their work on display (and for sale). I was given the task of photographing some of the artwork in addition to the guests at the event. The challenge for me was finding unique and interesting angles on the pieces and capturing what each one was meant to represent according to the artists' original vision. That seems like a large task...and it was. In fact, it was even a bit daunting.

You see, as many of you probably realize, no matter what anyone says, art is completely subjective.

I don't know if I'm the one who is completely ignorant or if others just pretend to know. It reminds me of the story of "The Emperor's New Coat." Nobody wanted to be the one to say that they couldn't "see it" so they all made fools out of themselves and the emperor. To me, art is like that. Everyone likes different pieces for different reasons and although there is a general consensus about certain types of art, you truly have to have a special eye to appreciate what the artist's original vision may have been. I think the same can be said about wine and even about relationships.

Yes, for some reason, Friday night I got to thinking about relationships.

Whether we're talking about platonic friendships, or romantic encounters, I believe that in some way we are attracted to people that represent something within the inner fluctuations of our own personalities. As life evolves, and we grow and learn about ourselves and the inner workings of our soul, people step in that fill some kind of need at that particular moment. I think we can all remember friends we once loved but no longer keep in touch with. Or that one person that we thought was "the one." The fact that these relationships may have ended, doesn't negate their importance. It just means that they represented a part of you that may or may not exist anymore.

What attracts people to each other, both physically and emotionally, is often completely unexplainable. That's part of the beauty of allowing yourself to feel the emotion. Sometimes it just happens and you have no idea why or how. But it happens and inevitably people end up falling for people, or becoming best friends, for no logical reason...except for the feeling they get and the energy that flows between them.

It can be confusing...

It can even be disturbing.

But it happens.

If any of you have been in this situation, you know what I'm talking about.

Can we explain every relationship we've ever had? The only logical explanation would probably be to analyze what that person represented at a particular time. Of course, there are some relationships that endure but I'm talking about those people who have stepped in and out of your life. Can you always explain why? When going through it, you probably can't. But in hindsight...you can see it clearer.

A long time ago, I received the following essay via email. I'll admit that when I first read it, I didn't completely understand it. But as time has passed, I have seen it come to fruition in my own experiences. I'm not sure who the original author is so please forgive me for not giving proper credit. But I felt compelled to share it tonight. I hope you enjoy it and appreciate its message...

***

A Reason, Season or a Lifetime

People always come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed outwardly or inwardly. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, or to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally, or even spiritually. They may seem like a godsend to you, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrong doing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they just walk away. Sometimes they act up or out and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and it is now time to move on.

When people come into your life for a SEASON, it is because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They may bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it! It is real! But, only for a season. And like Spring turns to Summer and Summer to Fall, the season eventually ends.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; those things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person/people (anyway); and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas in your life.

***

I think this essay is bittersweet. Understanding and accepting its message means letting go of some relationship that we may be clinging to. Or it may mean accepting something new that we never knew we even wanted or needed.

Whatever you gather from it, I hope it helps you, as it has helped me, understand some of the people who have walked in on my life and my heart and some of the people who have left, and even some of the people who have come back after a period of absence. They are all somehow completely related to who I am and who I will become and I am thankful for every experience I've shared with them...even the painful ones.

Everybody Wants To Be Loved

The other day I was at the gym and in between sets I sat back and did some people watching.

I do that a lot.

I don't know if it's a bad habit...I hope people don't notice me staring. But I like to imagine what's going on in people's minds and lives sometimes. I find people fascinating and that's probably why I like photography so much.

Getting a glimpse into someone's mind is so interesting to me -- what makes them tick and why the behave the way they do -- well it's just amazing. I consider myself to be a "pretty" good judge of character. I thank God for one gift he has given me...and that is, seeing what someone can be and not always what they are at that moment. It's almost like I can see someone's potential and what they are capable of becoming and I love that! Sometimes (and please bear with me on this one), but sometimes I actually feel that I can see a person's heart. I love when that happens -- when I notice something that has escaped someone else. It's difficult to explain but I'm sure many of you have had the same experience. The sad part is when you see more potential in a person than they see in themself. How do you get them to see it? Is that even possible?

It's so easy for us to pass judgment sometimes on the things we deem as "right" or "wrong." But ultimately, even people who are doing the "wrong thing" often have good reasons for it. Desolation. Desparation. Pain. These things can drive anyone to do things that are out of character. But mostly we do these things for love...or rather -- to be loved.

Sometimes we find love in unexpected places or in unexpected people and we fight it because it's not necessarily "right" but it just feels right to us. I've learned to be compassionate to the pain people feel in this regard because so many people in this life are hurting -- or have been hurt -- who are we to say anything about them? What gives us the right to even have an opinion?

Ultimately, I believe, we are all seeking the same thing. Isn't that our ultimate quest at some point in our lives? For some people it comes sooner, for others later, but even people who never plan to get married are seeking some sort of validation and gratification, even if it's temporary. There is nothing quite like "feeling" loved by someone. Romantic love is special -- that's for sure. It is so deep and uncontrollable. And more often than not, the vulnerability takes over us. We can't always explain it. Sometimes it's chemical. Sometimes it's emotional. Sometimes it's both or more. And sometimes we're wrong because we are blinded by the good feeling we get. But the bottom line is, love feels good and that's why we are so weak to it.

As I sat there, I tried seeing everyone with different eyes. I envisioned people the way they wanted to be seen; the way they wanted to be treated. And looking around at every person in the room I realized that every single one of them, in one way or another, was after the same thing...love.

So what I'm saying I guess is this. Don't try to understand love. It's probably impossible. It means different things to different people. Everyone has different criteria, things they're looking for, things they can live with and can't live with, things they want and don't want. But when it's fresh and new, it should feel fresh and new. Enjoy it. Relish it. Live the moment and take it for what it's worth. Because it is something special and beautiful to behold and to experience.

These two -- Becky and Marty -- are getting married in one week. I've been married for almost 12 years now and because I got married so young, I never got the full "depth" of the commitment. It's just always been this way for me. But now, seeing it through different eyes (meaning now that I'm in my thirties) , I "appreciate" what love is more than ever. I've seen so many people, love and lose and then love again.

I won't pretend to have answers or even advice for people going through a rough time relationally. But I do want to say one thing...if you love someone...give your love away to them. Give it away freely. Don't hold back because you don't know what will happen tomorrow. Be good to that person. Give all of yourself without losing yourself. Stand up for what's important to you but don't be too proud to do what's important for someone else. Recognize that love brings pain as well as joy. But most of all...cherish the "beginning," because life will get back to normal and it will try to get in the way of what you feel right now.

Seeing people about to get married is awesome on so many levels. There is so much hope in them. Two open hearts giving and loving and wanting the same thing. For some people it changes, unfortunately. They lose each other in the road of life. I pray that never happens to either one of these two...and that they always look at each other, the way they do today because Becky and Marty...

...well...

they just deserve to have a "Happily Ever After."

It's a Slow Fade...

There's a song by the Casting Crowns with this title. Every time I hear it, I get very emotional. The lyrics say what I would like for my kids -- and all kids -- to realize about life and about growing up.

It's getting harder and harder to keep our kids safe -- danger and exposure are so accessible nowadays. I pray that Alejandra is able to retain the inner beauty of her childhood as she makes her way through life. Already I see a maturity in her eyes that I did not have when I was 10 years old. She will see things that I never had to and she will live in a world that will battle to destroy her essence every day. I pray that she is able to remain strong and steadfast.

Today I want to dedicate this song and say a special prayer for all of the parents out there who are "swimming against the current."

You can't say it much clearer than this:

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Be careful little eyes what you see,
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made,
A price will be paid when you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, It's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises leave broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made,
A price will be paid when you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, It's a slow fade

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made,
A price will be paid when you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh be careful little eyes what you see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

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The video below I found on You Tube. It's not the "official" video for the song but it has some pretty powerful photos to go along with the song. If you're viewing this blog via your iphone, click here to see the video.