Hey There, Lovely!
I remember it was the spring of 2016 when the tulips were brave enough to emerge from the cold earth and reach for the sun. I had been watering grandma’s houseplants while she and grandpa were away for the winter. Once the last plant was watered I went outside to photograph her freshly sprung tulips. I’ve always thought grandma’s garden could have been in the magazines she ordered from. I spent time framing the shot, finding the right light and angles. I sent her a few since she would miss the entire life of the tulip. This was her response,
“Would you go pick yourself some flowers? Like you did when you were a little girl!!!!!!!!
Love you “
I was thrilled! Not just that her beautiful blooms would adorn my home, but that she remembered my love for flowers since childhood. And then she wrapped everything up with ‘Love you’ I knew I wanted to save this message so I emailed it to myself. Today I found it in my email, it wrapped around me like a warm blanket. It was my heavenly message from sweet Grandma Anna, who passed away 7/10/18.
Like most of you when I think about Valentine’s Day, I think of romantic love and this single ladies’ heart hurts on the 14th day of the second month. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not asking for pity, just stating the facts. When I prayed that God would bring love into my life last year I can honestly say he has fulfilled that request in so many ways.
I propose let’s not take a single thing for granted, not a text, note or card.
To all the parents out there, I have saved every piece of artwork your child has ever given me. You think I’m joking, but I’m not. I have pinto beans taped to a paper from at least 15 years ago. Every Birthday card, Graduation card, Thank You note, Letter, and Artwork tells a story.
If you can’t tell from these photos, I cherish these words and pictures. Emails past between my brother and I, while he was away in Africa, were carefully saved since 2007. He shared his passion and heart with me, his projects and his responsibilities. These correspondence weren’t just meaningless words but knitting us together over the miles. Great thought and care went into every colored page, whether crayon scribble or colored pencil detail.
“Kim, just dropping a note, want you to know you are remembered and loved on this cold, dreary day because you are truly a ray of sunshine in my life and the lives of so many. You are a blessing and a joy to be around. Thank you for being an example to me that a person can go through a lot “physically,” but if we have a “spiritual,” health we can have a great week and beyond.” -Love Carol
I have made a commitment to send more snail mail this year, what about you? It could mean the world to someone. The positive words and thoughts could change the course of their day, maybe even their life.
Another outreach is C-U at Home’s One Winter Night Event helps irradicate poverty by offering shelter for our friends without address’. It’s a tangible noble cause that you can still contribute to, only 9 days left now. For the first time in 20 years, C-U at Home is making emergency shelters available.
“Injustice is everywhere—down the street, across town, and around the world. Our newsfeeds report devastating accounts that tear our hearts in two. We wonder what we can do to ever make a difference. We see no possible way our measly one-woman efforts would ever make a dent in issues such as sex-trafficking, the orphan crisis, or homelessness so we do nothing. We say nothing.
Desmond Tutu famously said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” It’s true. As followers of Jesus, we have a duty, an honor, to bring heaven to earth with our love and compassion. Our silence is a choice. One we can’t afford to make. Significant gains for the Kingdom of God are made as we fight injustice on the earth. God is not the source of injustice but the answer to it. As image-bearers, we have a vital role to play.
When you’re overcome with the weight of the world’s brokenness, do for one what you wish you could do for everyone. For one, you can love, serve, and walk alongside to wholeness, freedom, and health. For one, you can raise a banner of respect, hope, and justice. If there’s an issue abroad that breaks your heart, may your compassion move your heart and feet to action.”-Tiffany Bluhm
I can still feel the snow hitting my face as we stood outside in the cold with 500 other volunteers and box dwellers. It’s a familiar pattern of snowflakes falling on my face; the only exposed skin to the elements. I thought it was almost a shame it looked so beautiful. The poverty-stricken were out every night in every condition, and beautiful snowfall lent to feelings of wonderment, not the hardship it was meant to be.
Psalm 139:7-10
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.”
These verses came to mind as I sat inside our soggy crumpled box holding vigil fearing the unknown. The cold, hard concrete was as unforgiving as you would imagine. It was bright and loud for most of the night, I hadn’t expected that.
Tess and I did this together and we made some wonderful friends along the way including our neighbor Eric from the WBGL morning show. He helped us set up our box and laughed with us at 2:00 in the morning at our fallen dominoed boxes. Our neighbors to the other side shared their tarp corner giving us more coverage against the continual snow. We came away with a better understanding, this simulation was not to be missed.
Bottom Line: Love can be found in a text from your grandma, a phone call from an old friend, snail mail, warm blankets & tacos. Appreciate what you have, you might be holding someone’s dream. It’s times like this I wish I could look into your eyes, squeeze you tight and say it’s all going to be ok, but I can’t do that. All I can do is what God has asked me to do and that is to share my story with you.
I hope it finds you well and lifts your spirits, whether you are single or not, whether you are spending Valentines’ alone or with someone special let’s commit to reaching out to spread love in the world because God has blessed us beyond measure.
Happy Valentine’s Lovelies!
Xoxo, Klassic Photography
