free photo session

Copied from another photographer:  (see below photo for my information)

My heart is broken over the recent tragedy in CT. I can't do much, but I'd like to do what I can....

The Olivia Act, named after one of the children killed in Newtown, was started by a photographer who wishes to be anonymous. Olivia’s family had family pictures taken a short time before she was killed. Those pictures are precious and now priceless to them. Upon hearing this, this photographer was moved to give away a 30 minute family photo shoot and has challenged other photographers to do the same. We go about our daily lives and sometimes we don’t take the time or have the resources to have family photos taken.

I will be taking nominations for a family who you think would appreciate this gift. The session will take place sometime after the New Year here is NE Ohio and will be completely FREE to the family being nominated (including high-res digital images). Please inbox or e-mail their name, contact information and a brief summary of why you chose them to angie@thearthurclan.com and put "THE OLIVIA ACT NOMINATION" in the subject line. Please do not post their information here. I will take nominations until December 31, 2012. The winner will be chosen and contacted in early January 2013. I'd be grateful if you could please share this status with other families as well.

Thank you. ♥

I am planning to give away a free photo session.

For nominations, please either send me a private message on facebook

 or email me at deannalynn06@gmail.com.

Please send me a name, contact information,

 and a brief summary of why you chose them.

You may nominate your own personal family, 

someone else you know, etc.

The photo session will take place sometime after the New Year -

either locally in SC/NC or somewhere else

depending if it fits any of my travel plans.

The session will be completely FREE, including a release of the images on a disc.

I will take nominations until January 5, 2013 and the winner

will be chosen and contacted in early January 2013.

christmas eve

Merry Christmas Eve!!!

I am so behind on photos, but added a few recent ones to my website...

including the one above.

Gotta love Christmas light bokeh (the blurred dots.)

Now, I have got to get busy and have a productive day.

May you have the best Christmas ever!

the reason

Source: images.search.yahoo.com via Deanna on Pinterest

right will prevail

Source: boston.sbnation.com via Deanna on Pinterest

And in despair I bowed my head:

"There is no peace on earth," I said,

"For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

With peace on earth, good will to men."

excerpt from:

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), 1867)

While practicing for the Christmas program at church,

these lyrics rang true in light of Friday's news.

Such a heartbreaking day in America 

when a school shooting took so many lives, 

especially the 20 little children.

Somebody said "evil visited that town."

How true.

Lord, please have mercy on our country!

But despite the evil -

God is not dead.

He doesn't sleep!

The wrong will fail and right shall prevail!

Jesus is going to win in the end! 

my memories / aunt judy

sweet rest has come for my precious aunt Judy

a few memories I want to remember:

she and my mama sang "I want to stroll over heaven with you"

arms wrapped around each other
(per the conversation I had with my Aunt Jan after 4 am -
after a long, through the night, driving trip)

she prayed and asked for the Lord to "please take me home"

around Thanksgiving - she wasn't really eating food anymore

said she wanted a piece of pie -

but she wanted to eat this pie with Jesus at His table.

told my aunts/uncles that she was glad that she was their sister

my daddy was praying -
the Lord told him that he was going to take my Aunt Judy
to a place where all things were new

she told of the angel that would come to the corner of her room,
around the time she went to sleep,
so thankful for the comfort she received in her last days.

she mentioned that she was always afraid  water -
but that she thought it would be easy to make that last crossing,
to cross what we refer to as the "chilly Jordan river."

my mama fixed her hair, she looked so pretty,
yet different when we saw her at the funeral home

a photo I took graced the cover of the funeral program

an honorable tribute as the ladies of her church conference
lined up to give an earthly farewell near the cemetery

So many details of her life reminded of the song "She loved" by Jeff & Sheri Easter.
It looks like her heart and soul were wrapped up in love for her family.
She cherished family photos,
she forgave much,
she gave a lot.
She was faithful -
to her family, to her church, to her conference.
She worked hard.
I looked back over photos I took from family gatherings -
she is in the middle of the prep and clean up for dinners.

A big chunk of pain fills my heart -
what a comfort to have her sweet testimony though.

These memories remind me of my Granny S so much.

She knew it was her time too.

Physical suffering for both - breaks my heart to see the toll of the dreaded C-word.

But Jesus definitely gave more grace for both.

All I can think about it is "strong, not afraid."

How I want my end to be like that.

Numbers 23:10 

Who can count the dust of Jacob, 

and the number of the fourth part of Israel? 

Let me die the death of the righteous, 

and let my last end be like his!

be the one

Source: sugartotdesigns.blogspot.com via Deanna on Pinterest

thinking about the dash,

the line between the two,

the beginning and the end of my life...

losing someone does that for me

go rest high

obituary link

Judy Brady

• Print
• Leave a Condolence!

Honea Path – Judy “JuJu” Ann McClain Brady, 64, widow of Allen Owen Brady, of 365 Brock Road, died Monday, December 10, 2012 at her home.

Born in Abbeville County, she was a daughter of Exie McCall McClain of Honea Path and the late Alfred McClain. She was a member of Savannah Fire Baptized Pentecostal Holiness Church of Iva and was retired from Wamusetta. She enjoyed keeping children in her home.

Surviving are her mother of Honea Path, two sons, Chris Brady and wife Vanessa of Honea Path, and Eric Brady and wife Ashley of Honea Path, two brothers, Frankie McClain  and wife Jean of Iva, Roy McClain and wife Karen of Honea Path, five sisters, Alice Sparkman and husband Alan of Cleo, S.C., Frances Carter and husband Lenyward of Honea Path, Patricia McCalister and husband Ray of Seneca, Melinda Jennings of West Union, and Jan King and husband Rodney of Honea Path, and six grandchildren, Karlie, Tyler, Caitlan, and John Owen Brady, and Lexi and Bailey Burgess.

Funeral services will be held at 2 P.M. Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at Keowee Baptist Church with Rev. Jeff Sparkman, Rev. Nelson Franklin, Rev. Ralph Ashley officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery with Rev. Jason Sturkie officiating.

The family is at the home of her mother, 13 Brock Rd. Honea Path and will receive friends from 6 to 8 P.M. Tuesday at the Pruitt Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.ParkerWhitePruitt.com

stroll over heaven

"I Want to Stroll Over Heaven With You"

precious memories with this song now

heavy

though your cross gets so heavy, 

 you must carry on...

knowing you'll be there

Knowing You'll Be There

The line from this song:

"I miss you most at Christmas"

always makes me think of my precious Granny S.

So many memories of decorating, gift wrapping,

Christmas Eve dinners...

Ahh - I miss my grandparents!

Our traditions have changed -
we celebrated with that side of the family today.
Memories are priceless!

christmas in heaven

I think Ashley posted this link on facebook - ahhh, it's so sad.

But I am the person who would listen to a sad song or read a sad story.

She also posted another song on her blog that I love -

click over here!

Thanks for sharing Ash! ;)

forecast

Tomorrow's forecast:

God reigns and the Son shines!

(church sign in HP)

will I ever learn?

Source: mswhs.com via Deanna on Pinterest

My agenda for tonight: back up files!!!

Will I ever learn to follow through consistently?

Actually, I'm not that bad though.

I had files backed up through the first of October, 

but I almost lost some vacation pictures from later that month.

I relied on the vacation photo files downloaded on my old laptop

and deleted some off my camera cards so that I could even take some more photos.

(Normally, I delete off my camera cards when they are edited/uploaded online.)

When I deleted those camera card photos in the last week or two, 

I took a risk because my old laptop has this problem -

 it crashes sometimes.

Monday (12/3), I had planned to edit photos all evening.

I tried to open Lightroom and it wouldn't open.

I had a memorial video clip playing from a blog post and it got hung.

Blaring sounds and frozen computer.

This led to pulling the battery out and multiple attempts to start,

copy, move or back up photos to my external hard drive.

My laptop crashed over and over - too many times.

Needless to say, it was not a fun evening.

I really didn't stress too much, because I would only lose a few photos.

But, I didn't want to lose even a few.

Thankfully, after a few crashes Tuesday, my laptop started in a safe mode.

It stayed on while I could delete, compare to my new laptop,

and copy photos from the old to the new.
(Thankful for answered prayers - I sure did pray for that laptop!)

The only glitch is I might have to redo some editing from a photoshoot.

That IS a minor inconvenience though, compared to the relief of not losing any photos.

On that note, I need to back up my flash drive and some music too.

Oh the joys of technology - and trying to maintain/retain information and memories.

p.s.

I tell my back up stories for a reason.

I have paid to recover photos before and I'd rather not have to do that again.

However, the money was worth it when

 compared to the pain of losing some memories

 that could NEVER be replaced.