Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

To be “tuned” is something I have been thinking about lately.… When a piano goes through a tuning its strings are pulled twisted and tried until the pitch is perfected! It’s a painful pruning of poor sound yet the outcome is glorious. The piano, whose song was once pitifully out of pitch and imperfect, is transformed by this tuning to produce a praiseworthy melody! At times the piano in it’s external state of grandeur and beauty (from all external appearance) has no need for the tuning but the tuner looks beyond the external appearance and knows the internal need of the piano. It is a prayer of mine that The Lord would tune my heart to sing His grace! I want a well-tuned heart and He knows how much I need it. ;) I know the process will at times be painful and challenging as I’m stretched and pulled but I also know the beautiful outcome it will produce in my heart will be worth it. Do you feel the Tuner is tuning your heart? :) Pulled, stretched, and tried? Take heart! Though hard-press you are promised you will not be destroyed [2 Cor 4:8-12]! If you are finding yourself in a place of “tuning” today, rejoice! This tuning is only promised to those the Sovereign Lord loves[Heb 12:6, Prov 3:12, Deut 8:5] and the finished work will be a glorious melody that will declare the grace of our Savior. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”1 Peter 1:7! One of my favorite verses lately has been Job 23:10, “But He knoweth the way that I take: when He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” What a beautiful promise! This trying of your faith is the pruning that is spoken of in John 15 and is accomplished by the Lord that you may bring forth more fruit. Endure patiently, the end product will be well worth the fire that is not here to destroy you but to refine you… for when He has tried you you will come as gold! :)  “Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very compassionate and of tender mercy.” James 5:11

“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”
1 John 15:2

O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
James 1:2-4

It’s beginning to feel a lot like… well… like Christmas! ;) I just noticed that besides birthday posts I have somewhat neglected my blog. Hoping to change that in the near future… we’ll see what the Lord allows! :) Product photography has been in full swing the Month of October with more to come and I find myself singing christmas music[silently that is as a sister has outlawed christmas music in the house until November ;)] as the theme has been all things Holiday! I couldn’t have enjoyed myself more! :) There is just something about giving an inanimate object personality and character for a photo that always gets me excited! And, yes, I am strange. ;) It can also be weighty as my photo will represent the final product that the creators have worked so hard to design and produce. At the end of a photoshoot I stand rather amazed and thankful as the Lord faithfully causes everything to come together! Each new season of photoshooting I learn new aspects of product photography or  learn something new about my camera and always feel my need for God’s grace even when it comes to simply snapping a photo! God has blessed me with this job and constantly reminds me of  Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men“. For me, I want to heartily put myself into my work for the glory of God! It’s my desire to glorify Him in my photography and any other work that comes my way. So today I want to encourage you, whatever your work may entail, to do it with ALL YOUR MIGHT[Ecc 9:10]  for the Lord and His glory. :) Whether it’s the sink of dishes, changing dirty diapers, ;) or a photography job. Let’s strive to glorify God through it! We are God’s chosen people, created to bring Him glory! “Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.“ Isaiah 43:7! And that is my  random thought for the day. ;) Happy Thursday Y’all

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
1 Corinthians 10:31

A few  photos from this week’s shoot!

“For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him”
Colossians  1:16

Yes, it is true! Fluffy yellow cuteness can be found at our house as we have added to our animal collection in rather quacky way. ;) With a dog, cat, 40ish chickens, and the occasional reptile, it was decided a small flock of ducks was quite necessary! And finally, the day had come…. The day the little people had all looked forward to… The day  the ducklings would take their first swim! :) With Webbed Feet and Warm Wishes they were off. ;) At first the ducklings’ fondness for the water was far from favorable but after a bit of coxing from half a dozen little people they soon took to their swim like… well, like ducks to water. ;) Applause and excitement filled the air as the ducklings gleefully glided through the make-shift duck pond. And it was all grins for the little girl in the polka-dotted dress as she was finally and truly allowed to hold the cutest of them all completely by herself. :) Say hello to these dapper little ducklings who officially took their first swim! ;)
Yes, we had attempted to name them names like “drumstick” or “duck soup” or “duck l’orange” as they were suppose to be a food source but after a week of bonding with the little people, I fear these feathered friends will be permanent family pets or perhaps pests as they outgrow their “tiny” cute stage. ;b

”   What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!”
Psalm 8:4-9

It’s true! But how can it be?! This little beauty turns 4 today! If any of you have followed my blog for 4 years, you have seen Emmi’s life in pictures and know she’s a little lady filled full of spunk, possessing a “day-brightener” smile. :) Emmi is a Cowgirl at heart and enthusiastically awaits the day she has a horse of her own!  She is also a ball of energy and has decided sleep is completely over-rated! ;) Emmi’s favorite hobbies include drawing[friendly striped lions are a favorite for her to draw at the moment!], anything horses, helping me with my garden[she’s planted 3 rows carrots!], and spending as much time outside as possible! She has also been known to eat more pizza in one setting than her 16 year-old brother! ;) Emmi’s most favored achievements this last year include learning how to spell her name, riding a horse for the very first time, and hiking the Colorado mountains! But the most exciting part of all is TODAY IS HER BIRTHDAY! Happy Birthday Emmi!! You’ve added pizzazz to my life and I am SO extremely thankful to the Lord for YOU. May this birthday be blessed and as spectacular as you are! :)

“The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:
The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26

Including one of Emmi’s favorite songs and video below. ;)

Happy Trails

Emmi’s Birthday! from Shiloh Photography on Vimeo.

“Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.”
Proverbs 31:30

 

“O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people.
For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.”
Psalm 96:1-4

Many weeks of anticipation, planning, and lots of packing all led up to the day! Little people were beyond bursting with excitement as they could be spotted wearing their back-packs over a week before the departure date and asking the question, ” How many hours until we leave”! ;) Our bus was cleaned, schedules were carefully collaborated, last minute work wrapped up, and then we were off. Over the mountains and through the hills to Colorado we went! The drive was LONG but the destination was well worth the hours spent traveling. :) The Rocky Mountains in all their grandeur exploded with the sight of aspen leaves in the loveliest shade of  persimmon, crisp mountain air that allowed for sweaters and scarves, and a plethora of the cutest pine cones[ so I might have enjoyed the sweater-weather and pine cones a little too much… we don’t have them in South-central Texas! ;)] Time was filled with family hikes, shopping, mopedding with sisters[It was our first time and SO much fun], horse back riding with the little people, and lots of good food. The scenery was breathtaking and I was so blessed to be able to spend the week exploring God’s beautiful creation with my family! It truly was a fantastic and unforgettable time! As I viewed the mountains, I was constantly reminded of Ps 46, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea“. ←♥! After much deliberation, I decided to post all the  pictures in 1 post since I have a few family members who have been rather eager to see ALL the photos[I will leave them unnamed but they know who they are] . ;) Without further ado a billion pictures from the Mountains! Brief descriptions may  proceed photos, most from the camera and a few from the iPhone! ENJOY :) ⇒

“Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.”
Psalm 96:6-7

 

»Day 1 was spent settling in, fishing, and doing some souvenir shopping! Pumpkin Spice Lattes & Candied apples were definitely a must. ;) «

»↑↑An early morning walk ended beautifully with this gorgeous rainbow!↑↑-
-↓↓Because good nutrition is necessary before a mountain hike! ;) «

 

»↓MOOSE WATCHING↓ :)«

«Family Hike!!»

 

«Feeding the chipmunk was the highlight of our day! ;) »

«↑↑ Micah, Grace, Lydia, and I decided to be spontaneous and rent mopeds! It was completely unplanned but we had such a fantastic time! After a donut stop ;), day 3 was spent riding through the mountains in the National Park and the views couldn’t be beat! We did get stuck on the mountain in during a little huge rain shower but the view was completely worth the wet! :) ↓↓»

 

«Day 4 was the most challenging yet exciting day of the trip! While the younger crowd stayed back at the cabin to fish, the older crowd took a  13 miles up to Lawn Lake and back down. Exhausting but well worth the energy once we had made it to the top!»

 

«Resting at the top!»

“O worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before him, all the earth.
Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth: the world also shall be established that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.” PS 96:9-10

«Day 5 was our very last day in the Mountains but perhaps the best day of Emmi’s life! ;) She had her wildest dream come true when she got to ride a horse! :)  »

“Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.
Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice
Before the Lord: for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.”
Psalm 96:11-13

^” He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by His understanding.”
Jeremiah 51:15

“O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.”
Psalm 104:24

“For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse”
Romans 1:20

I know, I need to hop back into my normal “random” blogging. Life has been  busy for me but for that I am thankful! :) Lord willing, I have a few exciting posts in the near future but for tonight I want to blog what I have been meditating on all day!

A little side note and challenge for younger ladies: A few years ago God impressed me to have my bible time first thing in the morning before checking email or text messages or even before I exercise. Why? Because what I do first thing usually follows me throughout the day and what I make priority first thing shows where my priorities are! :) I am reminded of Ps 16:8, “I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” What I read or look at or say tends to be what I meditate on and what goes with me the entire day so what better way to start the day than in God’s Holy Word, setting the Lord before me as I start a new day?! :) I want to encourage y’all[if you aren’t already] to try this out and make a point of going straight to God’s Word in the morning before facebook or instagram or email or exercise and pray the Lord would use His word to encourage you throughout the day. :) Give it a try then let me know how it works for you! (:

→Back to today’s meditations!  This morning I sat and read Matthew 24 and made it to vs 13, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved”. To endure unto the end! Wow, I know what your thinking, I’ve had the same thought! On our own, we cannot endure any form of persecution for a single moment  and especially not to the END!!!! To endure means to “to suffer without yielding”. I don’t know about you, but when it comes to pain I am a wimp! ;) I know that apart from CHRIST I will crumble  in times of persecution but thank the Lord we do not stand and endure on our own! This is where it gets exciting!!!! :) 1 Cor 1:8, “HE shall also confirm(sustain, keep you firm) you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Why? Because GOD is faithful![1 Cor 1:9, 1 Thes 5:24!!!] It is not on our own or by our own strength that we will remain faithful in times of persecution but it is by the faithfulness of our Lord and His sustaining power! I am always reminded in one of my FAVORITE verses -Revelations 12:11- that we are promised the power to overcome the “accuser” by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of our Testimony.  We will endure to the end and overcome by The Lord Jesus Christ. By His blood we  have been redeemed and ransomed out of the hands of Satan! As I read Matthew Henry’s Commentary on Revelations 12:11 this tidbit blessed me, ” The redeemed overcame by a simple reliance on the blood of Christ, as the only ground of their hopes.” He is the ONLY ground of our hopes. :) For me, this is far beyond encouraging as I move forward in faith knowing He will faithfully confirm|sustain|keep us unto the end and by HIM we will be able to endure persecution without yielding. Praise God, it is not of our own-selves! :) Random yes but that is my “all-day” meditation and it is my hope and prayer that it encouraged you in a small way. Happy Wednesday y’all! :)

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

“Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1 Corinthians 1:8-9

 

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”
Revelations 12:11