clara

Okay, Deep Question Time

thoughts, words

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Yesterday morning my sister Clara and I were eating breakfast and talking about asking hard questions. Sometimes we joke around, and say “Okay, deep question time” or “Whoa, that’s oceanic” (meaning really deep.) But asking a friend questions that are beyond the surface, or questions that show we care, helps knit our friendship that much deeper, or helps create a friendship where there was not one before.

Clara has a penchant for asking deep questions. Basically, she has a thing for it. A common occurrence when we’re washing dishes*, or making tea, or going on a drive (now that we live in the country) is for Clara to ask, “So, what has God been teaching you recently?”

Sometimes I don’t know how to answer that question right away.

But I’m so grateful for Clara pressing on to take relationships a step deeper. I have been challenged to do this too, and see how it becomes a blessing to both me and others.

These are some questions I am asking people in my life:

  • What is God teaching you right now?
  • How did God call you to serve here?
  • What are your goals for this year?
  • What aspects of God’s character is He revealing to you?
  • And… do you know of any good churches in Terrell?**

How beautiful is it that having these conversations not only grows us closer as friends, but brings joy to Jesus too?

Crystal Stine’s blog post The Questions We Need to Ask got me thinking about reaching out as a friend and asking questions, and was part of the inspiration for this post. I encourage you to take a few minutes to read it.

I’ll close with a quote from Crystal:

“The questions we need to ask don’t need to be long or deep or fancy. They just need to be honest and from a heart that is willing to truly listen to the answer. It’s about knowing your friend, what her passions are, and asking God to show you the best way to pour love and encouragement into her life.” (source)

*When Clara and I wash dishes together, it’s actually more common for us to sing than to talk.
** This question recently led to a beautiful conversation with my hair stylist!

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golden hour portraits

a day in the life, photos, photoshoots, stories

Of my sister Clara.

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These photos just happened, really. We were outdoors on a late afternoon, in the backyard, just talking. Then it was like “the light is beautiful… your eyes are beautiful… wait, let me grab my camera.” I had some expired Fujichrome film loaded in my 35mm SLR, so that’s what I shot with.

this day was filled with tea companies.

a day in the life, photographic journeys, photos, thoughts, words

including, the new mexico tea company, full of lovely loose leaf tea in canisters, at which i took no digital photos.  why, you ask? because film is better.  at least, film slrs are better than digital compacts.

and secondly, the boba tea company.  lovely casanova smooches.

and, in that lovely part of albuquerque (by unm) there was a buffalo exchange, an urban outfitters, and a camera + darkroom store.  i need to go back.

^feet

^melissa

^ at boba tea

^ the red arrow

^ and, mexican markets.  like hmart, but not korean. mexican.

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christmastime in new mexico! mainly, SNOW!

a day in the life, photos, stories, thoughts, words

my family and i are now in new mexico for christmas! we drove in yesterday, the 22nd, and tonight we will hang out with auntie steph, and tomorrow is christmas eve and the day after tomorrow is…. CHRISTMAS!  and, also, it’s snowing!  or was.  lovely large flakes (unromantic word… how about fluffs?) falling from the sky.  this  clara and i woke up to uncle david making coffee, and then clara sits up and is like “look out the window! it’s snowing!” so i do, and of course, it is.  and it’s beautiful! after waking up more, we bundled up and went outside.  we made snow angels, and snow flowers, and a snow man.  and then auntie steph drove up in her new car, which we didn’t recognize, honked at us, and we ate breakfast with her and stuff.  she brought reindeer antlers, and chocolate.   and then mom and dad and amy and melissa came out, and we had a lovely giant snowball fight.  we all threw snowballs at  dad, because he was the worst, or best, at hitting us.  getting hit on the behind with a rock hard snowball hurts.  but, i got him back.   and when i had my little digital camera and film slr, i was immune from getting hit by snowballs.  it was great.

^ this is chad, the snowman.

^ mom giving chad bunny ears

^dad threw a shovelful of snow on her.

after you have waded through that slog of words, here are some pictures for you!

^when auntie steph came, she brought reindeer antlers!

^melissa and i

^mom and dad

^amy and i

^ catching snowflakes!

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(re)decoration

photos, stories, thoughts, videos

as you all know, our room was painted this summer.  dull white to a lovely blue.  we got rid of the bunk bed clara and i shared, and now have two twin beds.  i changed my comforter by turning it upside down.  it used to be this sailor/nautical theme, now it’s white.  clara has a reversible comforter too, and its this lovely purply brown pattern now.  i have a hanging paper lantern, now clara has one too.  my dresser is between our beds, her dresser is on the opposite wall.  i have a lovely jewelry tree on my dresser.  function and beauty, right?  and the rug on the floor ($3 ikea) really defines the floor space.  except you can’t see it…  changes still to come: curtains, coat rack for clara, and bookshelf.

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partay

a day in the life, photographic journeys, photos, stories, thoughts, words

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^ i’m loving how the balloons look, aren’t you?  this picture was rather hard to take… just because it was into the sun and i was afraid i was like burning out my sensor or something.

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^ clara’s cake.  this is what results of cake decorating skills after 9 at night.  yes, 33 candles although she’s only 14.

we roasted hot dogs and had chili for dinner, and smores and cake and ice cream for dessert.

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^ i’m not sure what she was reacting to… but it’s funny.

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we all smell like smoke now.

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houston

photos, stories, thoughts, words

 

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^ bag of stuff.  three cameras, 3 books (more in other bag), journal, list book, wallet, bible.

 

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^ feet.  driving.

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^ creepy abandoned motel… and there was this guy hanging around it too.

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^ highway poetry

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^ houston skyline

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^ trying to figure out the network connection with my awesome cousin randy…  he was stop motion animating before his mom told him to do homework, which was playing his french horn.  and now my other little cousin is watching youtube videos :)

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