![Illuminate [& Giveaway]](http://sarahmarkley.com/wp-content/plugins/ttftitles/cache/ffa27867965300b57307b4cb81e42b59.png){kind=small}
Last week we had a family photo shoot. My in-laws, my other in-laws, the cousins.
They were only in the country until Thursday so we had to make every day count.
And as we are pulling up to the park for the session, the rain drops begin signaling the first big storm of the year. Our photographer, if she hadn’t known our family for so long, would have called the shoot. Canceled. She normally doesn’t do shoots in January for this exact reason.
But we did it anyway. We hurried, got wet, and a little muddy.
And she was semi-frustrated. Like any good photographer would be.
Not. Enough. Light.
The clouds came in dark and consuming on a Sunday afternoon, far earlier than nightfall. She kept snapping photos and kept looking at her digital screen with pain on her face.
“I don’t know if any of these are going to turn out,” she said to us.
Illuminate.
It’s what the sun does. It’s what she expected the afternoon light would do to our faces, shining through the sheer umbrellas the children twirled and making their eyes glow. Illuminate. To give light to something. A camera captures not just smiles and families, but the God-given, earth-born light that we all take for granted.
I’m so excited that I get to show you one of my friend, Lisa Leonard‘s new designs. Her Illuminate necklace.
It is breathtaking.
And guess what?
I get to give one to one of you.
We’re going to try something new this time. To enter, lea
ve a comment about something, just like light, that you take for granted. And then, if you want a SECOND entry, go and follow Lisa on twitter. Come back and leave a comment that you did so and you’ll be entered a second time. Giveaway will close at 9pm Tuesday night.
Super easy.
[Remember, to be entered that 2nd time, you have to 1- follow Lisa on Twitter and then 2- come back and leave a comment HERE that you did it.]
What do you take for granted?
Two things came immediately to mind… time and today. I take time for granted, and have lately realized that I’m such a poor manager of my time. My heart longs to make every day count, yet so many moments I allow to flitter away without using them wisely. I am praying for God to help me understand how to manage the time with which He has entrusted me with in a way that pleases Him.
Second, I often take today for granted. I guess it’s sort of related to taking time for granted, but I know that I miss the blessings of today in anticipating and “planning” tomorrow. I’m always looking ahead. Not a bad thing in a good balance, but I’m out of balance. I want to enjoy the blessings of today and to recognize the opportunities to bless others right now, today.
Sorry, long answer.
But that’s just me. hee hee
Be blessed, Sweet Sarah!
small everyday things — it was brought home this Friday when watching the Haiti relief telethon my 13 year old said “hey mom!! You know that money I’ve been saving for the new Tony Hawk Wii game — let’s give it to Haiti because they need water!” I looked at my husband who was planning on taking him to get the game the next morning — money sent!! It’s the little things
Just followed Lisa…woo hoo! I will love getting to know her. Love her jewelry…probably ordering something for Mom for Mother’s Day…can’t wait!!!
Following Lisa
I tend to take family for granted – which is a shame because they are the most precious ‘thing’ that I have. Also my belief in God and Jesus Christ – -because I know they live and I need to be more serious about that.
I follow Lisa as well.
following Lisa on Twitter
I feel pretty silly but it seems I’ve been taking prayer for granted. He is right there waiting on me to give ‘it’ to Him in prayer…and so often…I’m trying to maintain control of whatever ‘it’ is. Thank you for your story. Blessings to you and your beautiful family!!
Sometimes I take my church for granted. It has always been there and I forget that some people in other countries cannot celebrate their faith freely without threats from their government. Thank you so much.
Time
Sadly, there is a lot that I take for granted – some I’m aware of and some I am not. I can say that I have been reminded lately of the time that I need to spend enjoying and relishing in my husband and my little girls. It’s so easy to get caught up in the to-do list (and the frustration that it brings when I don’t check them all off) that I lose sight of what is most important – people. Oh, I pray that God would keep giving me a heart that loves people and Him above anything else.
Thanks for the giveaway.
I’m now following Lisa on Twitter.
I take for granted that everyday my family and I are going to wake up to a new day. We will take breaths of air and be ready for our day.
I am following Lisa on twitter!
I think i take blesdings.for granted. As well as all that the Lord provides like a job and health and an education.
Bliss. My friend, that is. Her name is Bliss, and she is such light.
I take my life for granted so much!! I want to be more thankful each day for my God, my husband, kids, family, and friends.
I take my husband and family for granted…
Working on that!
Sight…it’s a gift from God!!
I know I take my legs for granted. I don’t notice them until they become injured, bruised, knotted with overused muscle or tender. But, I am a runner. So, without them I would be lost both physically and emotionally. I will try to thank them today by giving them a little massage and thanking the Lord for the ability not only to walk but to run with two very perfect legs.
My health. I just expect that my body works and feels good.
I used to take alot for granted: spending time with my children, my family, my job, the blessings in my life. After divorce, not so much anymore.
Hope. I take hope for granted. I have to consciously remind myself of Lamentations 3:21-23.
I’m following Ms. Lisa on Twitter now as well….
FORGIVENESS. That I can slip. Stumble. Fall. And go before the Throne of Grace with all my failures, confessing once again, and He is merciful. Again. And faithful. Again. And again.
I take for granted the awesome fact that God in His wisdom and mercy has established a way for me to obtain forgiveness. For what would become of our daily lives if there were no way to be assured that our sins were forgiven? How could we possibly carry that burden?
We don’t have to. We have forgiveness.
I take the daily stuff for granted. Making breakfast for my girls, packing my husband’s lunch, giving baths, bedtime prayers, etc. Sometimes I look at these things and think, “chore.” Really, though, they are a blessing
I’m a big believer in living each day to it’s fullest and counting my blessings. Maybe it sounds a bit high and mighty, but there really isn’t anything I truly take for granted. Each and every day is a gift and I am always aware of how blessed I am.
I take clean running water for granted. I’m thinking about Haiti – I’m sure a lot of them didn’t even have running water to begin with, and now even what they do have isn’t clean.
I take The opportunity to say I love you to those in my life for granted. Those three little words which are so easy to say many times go left unsaid. Even though we show them daily by our actions how we feel,to me the words are so important.
I pretty much take everything for granted. We are so so spoiled here in America and have clean water, a roof over our heads, doctors in abundance . . . I could just keep going and going!
ps = beautiful necklace!
I often think of water as something I take for granted. Especially when I am in the shower enjoying the warm water.
So many people in this world do not have water to drink, much
less water to bathe in! Love your blog.
I’m nannying right now for a dear friend and a lot of times, I take this time for granted. I moved to a new state to be doing this and the burden of being in a new place and not knowing it yet takes its toll. But then I look at these kids, and this family, and I remember that I’m only nannying for a short while and this is my time to serve and love on this family. And all of a sudden, I forget about the new town anxieties. I don’t want to take this time, this community for granted.
..and I’m following Lisa on Twitter!
I used to take for granted the use of my legs. I broke my foot 2 days ago and am having to ask for help for everything now. This is the second time in 7 months, but opposite feet. And I had a couple job interviews this week (I’ve been unemployed since March of last year). I need some light in my life.
But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD,
I wait for God my Savior;
my God will hear me.
Do not gloat over me, my enemy!
Though I have fallen, I will rise.
Though I sit in darkness,
the LORD will be my light. ~ Micah 7:7-9
I do not ever want to take for granted the fact that I have healthy children. My 8 yr old had to have blood tests this past week and today I got a call which said, “You need to make an appointment so we can go over his results”… This immediately put panic throughout my body. I called back and asked if I could get the results over the phone and she said, “Yes. you need to come in.” Again.. I felt this gut wrenching feeling inside. She must have noticed by my tone of voice but, quickly reassured me that it was not life threatening ..that he was “low” on ‘something’.. she couldn’t remember what it was exactly. Tomorrow I will get more details.
So the first thing that comes to mind.. are my children – (who brighten my life)…and their health.
I am so grateful.
I take the every day for granted. I dislike doing my chores, I grumble as I have to come up with another menu for another meal, I put off doing laundry as long as possible. Then something happens that reminds me that I have a home to do chores in. I have so much food to choose from. I have a washing machine…all I have to do is put the laundry in and then put it in the dryer!
…I’m following Lisa.
I take for granted that tomorrow will come… There are no guarantees. I need to learn to accept that, and make the most of every day!
you know, there are many things i USED to take for granted…like my husband…always thinking he would be there, ready to give, ready to help, ready to forgive…what a tumultuous wake up call we had…and now I fully realize he needs just as much investment as I do…it’s been a wonderful challenge for myself everyday to deepen my understanding of who he truly is…
today, in these moments of my life, i know i can take the word of god for granted. i know the word, but choose not to listen. i have access to the word, but choose not to read. i have restoration in the word, but choose to have a hardened heart.
oh, that the lord would revive in me a desire for his words to be etched on my heart!
I take my appendages for granted. I take being a citizen of this great country for granted.
After seeing the coverage of Haiti, I realized I take water for granted!
Following Lisa on Twitter from @HeartforHim
I take the convenience of my car for granted. That may sound generic, but I realized the other day that many more people than I realize don’t have reliable transportation. What a blessing a working car is.
I followed Lisa on Twitter!
i would have to agree with most everyone. i also take a lot of things for granted. just off the top of my head i would say for right now, i often take for granted being able to stay at home with my boys.
Sadly I take way too many things for granted. One of the biggest being my awesome job.
Also, I’m following Lisa on twitter.
I take electricity for granted. Last night, I was cooking dinner and the circuit breaker for the kitchen kept tripping. I was sooo frustrated that I couldn’t use my deep-fryer and the griddle at the same time.
Then I realized that I didn’t have to use either – I could use the stovetop – and some people are lucky to have electricity at all. It’s crazy how we always freak out when the power goes out, even when it’s something as simple as a circuit breaker.
I follow Lisa on twitter. (I’m @aggieredhead)
I take relationships for granted so many times expecting them to just work and realize lately what a gift it is when others show grace or understanding when I don’t even realize it, allowing fellowship and relationship to continue.
I follow Lisa on Twitter.
My house I take for granted. I get jealous reading about how people are redecorating, reorganizing, refurnishing, etc. My house could fit in some of those house’s bathrooms. It’s tiny. But it’s where God placed us. It’s a gift from Him – in our price range, in the city we wanted to live and it’s a HOUSE, not an apartment (where we would have had neighbors on one or all our walls). How can I take for granted a gift from God? And yet, sometimes I do.