Melting your heart

    These are the moments when a parent's heart melts just a little.  Between normal conflicts children have over toy ownership, using crayons on someone else's homework, songs being sung too many times, and a dozen other issues we occasionally have little moments where we catch a glimpse of parental heaven. Whenever your children find displaying the love of friendship (filia) for the fate of their siblings, you know something you are doing worked to get God's message through to your charges for at least a moment.

    If our parental hearts melt in joy with a moment like this, I can only imagine the joy in heaven when one of us reaches sainthood to go beyond the gates into heaven.  Angels of all types singing, saints of old grinning and reaching for our hand, and a parental smile on Christ after passing the test of our final judgement might be amongst the sights and sounds we'd see.  Oh the glories of such thought!

    Well for five minutes I saw my parental heaven walking before me again...I hope we all get to enjoy it in heaven as well!

-ehw

The Prayerbook made for you!

   Do you need someone to pray with you?  For you?  The prayerbook above is meant for you! 

    How did this happen?  (This is the hardest post I've composed over the last four years!)

    In 2014, after much introspection, I realized a need for more consistent personal prayer in my life.  Prayer with God needs to happen in good times, meditative times, times of discernment as well as times of need.  A year ago I failed in most of those areas by being hit or miss.  On cue, God sent my son to me with a book about St. Dominic and the rosary.  A year of growth started in earnest as I devoured the book.  As I wrapped up the first year of work, I noted progress in many areas and several continued shortfalls.

    Prayer from others literally kept me upright following our two 2014 miscarriages.  Since then I made it a point to let others in need know I will pray for them as well.  The opportunity to pray with others had two incredibly powerful moments this past year.  One with close friends as we prayed over their sick child in the ICU.  The other was with a co-worker recovering from a heart attack in a different ICU.  In the second case it was special as we prayed with his wife and another friend from work.  

    I know God was listening, and I am grateful he supported full recovery for both requests.  I don't want to sound crazy, but God's grace was so present in each moment I was shaking afterwards.  The realization God was amongst us in those moments, tending to his children, left me feeling rather meek.

     This year I wanted to be more consistent in fulfilling prayer requests as they came in.  So I picked up a spiritual diary to catalog the requests over the next year.

    I publicly announced this year's prayer campaign on St Dominic's feast day at John Paul's baptism. Current requests recorded so far include needs of friends for their parents, the manager of a transmission repair center fighting liver and pancreatic cancer, young men discerning their future vocation, our school's success at its mission, a friend's child with the same risks my wife had in pregnancy, a young priest at his parish, a new widow and her family, and two co-workers with heart ailments to mention just a few.   I also have some for people who never asked, but just have an obvious need for someone to requests God's intercession on their behalf.

    Each night I review the prayer requests, hold it close, and pray for those inside.

    Prayer is the only thing I can do for most people I know in need.  I have no worldly riches, and little spare time in my days to travel and be with the many I know in need. 

    So you can see, this prayerbook is for you.  Please help me direct my prayers to God to help you, and I what I pray will be our collective journey to sainthood in the Kingdom of God.

-ehw

P.S.  Reply to the post, shoot me an email or better yet give me a call!  I'll add you to the prayer rolls!

God's Viewpoint:"My Way Not Yours"

    On Monday, Father Tran provided a wonderful homily at the Regina Caeli Academy's opening day mass.  One very important thought Father wanted us to take home is a key step all of us need to take when building a relationship with Christ and the body of Christ.  It focused on reorienting our discussion reference points while talking with God.

    Most of us, myself as a sinner included, begin our discussions with God saying, "I am in need...I wish...I.....I....I...I"  Father challenged us to recognize this type of thought and language implies the little partner in the relationship, or the child, is telling God to look at the world through our eyes.  When you ponder the statement, you quickly realize the insanity of our normal position.  We mortals, of limited senses and knowledge, tell the almighty and all knowing to work towards our designs.

    After thinking through this situation for but a minute or two, most rational people will recognize we should really be walking a mile in God's shoes before we talk to the Almighty.  Rather than asking the Lord to make straight the crooked path ahead to ease our burden, maybe we need to ask the Lord for strength to correct the mistakes we made while making the crooked path ahead the day before!

    When we shift the thought process from our perspective to God's perspective, we can more readily accept the wisdom of God.  This will mean more time walking with him, and less time arguing with our own selfishness.  Just maybe that will lead us better on the path of salvation.  The very path he called us to from the moment he formed us in our mother's womb..  

-ehw

Boy to Little Man at 12

    Today I officially received two more grey hairs.  Kalen turned 12, and John Paul celebrated eighteen days!   Kalen planned out his birthday almost all by himself.  

    The day started last night with vigil mass for the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady.  Kalen organized a simple get together today with good friends for a day of Nerf gun wars and legos.  He made his gluten free cakes with Grandma, a time honored tradition, this AM to provide dessert.  For lunch?  Simple hot dogs with gluten free buns for those of us on the dole with him for sensitive tummies was his planned menu.  It was his party, followed by a family pizza night where he watched a funny movie about Penguins from Madagascar.   Tonight he went to bed beaming with the joy of friends and family being with him today.

    All of his actions got me to thinking about when does a boy crossover to become a man?  I could only think of the answering: "The man arrives when the boy begins to seek and take responsibility for his actions."

    This young man is doing just those actions.  It makes me proud to know he will do everything in his being to be a real man as he grows older.  It makes me sad to know my eldest is no mere boy any longer.  It also worries me, since I know this little man tries to take on more than he can chew or is responsible for.  

    I am still happy today to keep the promise made 12 years ago today.  I promised to always get to church on the Feast of the Assumption and say a prayer of thanksgiving for a healthy child.  Just attending mass with him last night was pure bliss in an of itself. 

-ehw

P.S.  John Paul is not a noisy child...unless he needs momma's special blend.  He is also not a huge believer in flash bulbs!    

Go and Baptize...John Paul

    Matthew 28:19:

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

    Today we fulfill our first of many parental tasks as Catholic parents, the baptism of our son John Paul.  The family gown gets one more run into the church, and we will celebrate the moment our son is washed clean in the water of life.  There are few moments as special to me as the first sacrament of a child's life, and the solemn promise a parent makes to provide a Catholic home.  These two thoughts humble me.  I would be overwhelmed if I did not know, the grace John Paul receives today is the same grace which sustains all of Christians when we submit our will to God's.

-ehw

Boys by Fireworks

    Boys like their summers filled with wonder and awe...and this year both found fulfillment in home based fireworks over the Fourth of July!  If you remember your childhood, I bet it was moments like this you remember for a lifetime.  I know memories like this are seared in my mind!

-ehw

P.S. Always a challenging shoot when darkness is involved, and you will not use the flash.  The rewards for catching the special moment of light are immense.  

New Seat at the Table

      As we await our fifth child, I must confess the lifetime calculators have me worried.  Birth, food, college, weddings, dance lessons, music, school, medical, housing and of course food...they all cost something. Many people tell me we are nuts for having this many children.  I always tell them I could never give up one of these wonderful lights in my world.  We believe nothing should be free to us, or we sinned by enslaving someone to us without a just salary. So I cannot cheat someone of a just wage.  We already sacrifice things, and care for 30 year old sofa's because they still work just fine.  Yet I still wonder how I will make ends meet over the next 25 years or so! 

   The weekly readings sounded a timely note in my home.  The disciples fearing they could not feed the 5,000 before them wanted to send them away to find food on their own, lest they riot or go hungry.  Jesus on the other hand calms his disciples, and feeds them miraculously.  

   So as I listened to the Sunday sermon, and the divine office yesterday, I found myself comforted.  I'll find a way to provide if I listen to our Lord's call.  We'll find a way to make due because he will help us find a path.  We just need to do our part, listen to his call, and maximize the tools God gave us.

   We know the lives in our home have the potential for doing a special missions for our Lord, that we could never dream of.  Maybe a priest, nun, or a parent of God fearing family...maybe someone who saves a life for the Lord physically and spiritually...maybe a simple child who inspires with simple acts of faith.  I now find myself relishing the unveiling before us in the coming years.  Sweat and tears in the years ahead for sure, but what good things come from a life of complete ease?

  I hope to live out  for my parents and experience the following words from Proverbs 17:6

"Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their parentage."

-ehw

P.S.  We are supposed to be at the hospital this morning, but there are no beds right now...please pray for good news soon!

Ready to Climb

    A playground always brings out the best in kiddos...open spaces and fresh challenges every day!  I always love to watch the little guys and gals climb the slide backwards for the challenge and shortcut to the top!  In the case of this mountain climber the hill will pose no obstacle!

-ehw

P.S.  for you tech-cats  this was the X-T1 sporting the 18-135 zoom.  A nice all around tool in good light.  When you hit the playground it is good to have a tool which reaches out and goes wide at a whim.  You don't miss too much action that way!  If you hire a photographer for an event, make sure he has the tools for the job you need done.  That is why a good guy will have to charge a little bit more...he has to pay for the right gear and it costs a good amount to purchase.

Buds posing perfectly

    What happens when you take three sweet little girls, from three different grades, all growing up together over the years and let them play?  Magic smiles and poses appear!  Their different heights made a naturally interesting composition!  Maybe this will make it past the yearbook editor and get a thumbs up!

-ehw

P.S. Ok Fujifilm fans this was my often neglected 35mm prime set at F2.0 to handle the poor gym lighting.  Yes the ISO is 3200, but the X-Series RAW file handles it well in Capture One 8.  Even the jpeg was excellent!  I just enjoy playing with RAW files whenever possible because I adore the extra headroom to craft my final images.

Raging Good Time!

    Back to school picnic 2015!  Kids reunite with old friends, and new friends learn our favorite games.  Oh the fun and energy of youth just cannot be beat when I go on assignment!

    I often get asked,"When is the best time to photograph children?" I always reply when they are at play.  I should also add right after they ate and before they need a nap!  The photo above contains all those elements, and the reward to me the photographer is an image I can enjoy and share with many parents!

    Well incase you are wondering....the school is Regina Caeli Academy (or http://www.rcahybrid.org/)  and it is a wonderful place to call home!

-ehw

P.S.  For you techies out there...Fujifilm is on a roll right now.  They just updated our firmware on the X-T1 to improve autofocus on erratically moving subjects like these kids!  In a poorly lit situation the camera locked on and captured some nice photos, suitable for yearbooks, school websites, or parents refrigerators! 

The magic of the 56 at 2.8

    About two weeks ago I splurged on a tool used for a job I did this past weekend: A Fujifilm 56mm F1.2 prime lens.  This is primarily a portrait lens, and it fits right into my goal for the year, to take better portraits of people.  Last year when I test drove this lens for ten days I was sad to see it go home, and I vowed to one day find it one sale.  I found this copy used without the box and lens hood...but for 30% off retail it was a good deal.

    I will be the first one to tell you, it is not the equipment which makes a photo. The photographer makes the photo using the equipment at hand.  I know people who can shoot circles around me using manual film cameras and while developing film in the darkroom.  I will also tell you it does not hurt to have a special piece of equipment or two to use from time to time.  

    So here is one of my first four shots from my short telephoto (ok purists a 56mm on an APS-C sensor is an 85mm on a 35mm camera so yes it is a short telephoto).  A really nice shot of happy boy, who is growing before my eyes this summer.

    I look forward to sharing more from this lens in the years to come.  With a little permission from my last customer maybe I can show you the work I did this weekend for some wonderful women.  Fuji made a classic lens, and I am very lucky to have one to learn more of my craft.

-ehw

Almost time to be a Big Sister

    My baby big girl will only be a baby a little longer!  I cannot believe how she grew, and how our family of six changed since we moved to Roswell, Georgia three and quarter years ago!  Any time between now and the end of the month Baby Echo will be on his own here in the house, and little big girl will be a BIG SISTER in a family of seven!  She'll always be my rascal princess.  She will be full of life and opinions until the end of her days.  She also makes a cute picture perfect cutie from time to time!

-ehw

P.S.  This is exactly why I always try to have a decent camera with me...cell phones are great...but I just cannot hold them steady.  So to me a proper camera is still a decent one.  In this case my XT-1 with a walk around 18-135 zoom.  Using the new version 4.0 firmware, the lens and camera combo are like a thoroughbred.  So instead of wanting a new camera, I become willing to purchase new (to me used to you) lenses and hold the camera a lot longer.

God, Family, Country

    As the sun sets on this 4th of July weekend I had wonder about the radical changes sweeping our country.  Lots of mixed emotions in this land.  I cannot believe how much we've changed as a people in the last 25 years.  I still need to sort it all out in my head.  Until then, I will snap up a few more pictures evoking the memories of the land I swore with my life to protect 26 years ago....before it disappears forever.

-ehw

The Big Guy

    This boy will be looking down on me in a few years.  He probably grew two inches in the last  four months.  His feet are ripping through his shoes as well!  He is working hard to be a good boy everyday and just finished up his first job this week!  Great news for an eleven year old!

Boy Number Two

    This little guy is the life of the party.  You can see it in the energy in his face!  What a happy child and a blessing to be around.  

-ehw

My Girls

    After dinner and having fun on a lazy Sunday afternoon.  Playing with some light in a corner near the front door.  The hardest thing is to get the three year old to look up at the same time the bookworm is pulled out of her library book!

-ehw

Flowers for my wife

    What is an anniversary without flowers for your beloved?  Thankfully after 17 years of marriage I can tell by sight what she would like....I just wonder if she noticed I put some roses in this one for a change.  Red roses at that!  That was the sneaky item this time.

    I know you all wanted a portrait of my lovely and dear wife for my project!  No better time than an anniversary or Father's Day to get such an achievement done!  If your wife is at week 34 of pregnancy, feeling achy, nauseous, and reminding you it is all your fault than you should probably wait a little longer for a portrait opportunity.  it is best for the health of the photographer.  I am sure I can get a fabulous photo, but I don't know if I could live long enough to develop it.

   So until the better opportunity appears, you get a little memory of the flowers I picked up for my wife in the late summer sun on our front porch.

    Just a reminder...if you have art needs please let me know. I would be happy to help capture your special day, a portrait or make some special art for your home.  Ten percent of your final purchase price will go to charity..right now Regina Caeli Academy our family educational and spiritual home!

-ehw

Seventeen Years of Marriage

    Today my bride and I celebrate seventeen years of marriage.  The rings you see above display the weathering, scratches and soil of living as a couple.   These years included ten moves, five home purchases, four children (14, 11, 8, 3), one baby on the way (34 weeks thank you God), four miscarried babies in heaven, hundreds of friends across the country, illnesses galore (some very scary), tears of joy for children's achievements, arguments, resolutions, and deep religious growth granted by God's grace of faith to both of us inside the sacrament of marriage.   We each fear the premature loss of the other more than ever.  Just the thought takes our collective breath away.

    We now, through the years of experience, understand the deep commitment required to maintain this relationship.  We learned of the complex interaction between all the forms of love: agape (self gift), philia (friendship), ludus (playful), and eros (physical).   At this point of our marriage we can only say we are starting to to keep them all in proper perspective.  We find our marital joys multiply when we use these tools God built in us while building his kingdom here on earth.  This understanding is right on time.   Little kids normally only provide little problems.  Big kids have the big head hurting problems to deal with.  The next seventeen years should be more interesting then the last seventeen.  Therefore we have a lot more work to do on our relationship.

    My wife and I lamented the Supreme Court ruling yesterday.  It was wrong on a matter of states rights and morality.  More importantly it gave into the concept that everyone deserves happiness and love as they personally define it at this moment.  The concept of love people throw around in common speech today, has a diluted definition resulting from poor catechesis by churches and schools.  I also venture to say the concept comes from a lack of self reflection.  The constant bombardment of noise in our brains from so many media sources provides no silence in which God can be heard.  If our marriage followed such a fluid metric, we would be a separated wreck of humanity by now.  

    We will pray our country does not continue down this manmade path of tyranny.  This is of course the inevitable result in any country refusing to subordinate itself (and its rulers) to Natural Law principles.   This couple will continue to trust in God's compass, not our internally flawed guidance systems subject to radical narcism.  We will need it to navigate the scary world now before us.

    Thank you God for making my wife, and revealing yourself to us through the graces of his son Jesus Christ by  the power of the Holy Spirit.  I am grateful for the journey you gave us to travel together.  Amen.

-ehw

The Card Game

    As promised I continue the portrait work...here you see a portrait with a story.  In this case, " How do you make sure you can beat Dad?" It is quite simple actually.  Play Go Fish with a twist.  Deal Dad a six, leave two sixes in the stack, and sit on the fourth one.  My boys are genius!  

-ehw

P.S. What I think actually happened was Son #2 dealt the card fast and flung it at his brother,  Brother missed the card and did not notice it hit the seat.  He moved once and it went under his thigh....and Dad did not see it until we cleaned up and he stood up!  Photo taken with the Fujifilm XT-1, 23mm lens and processed in Capture One...

A Father's Calling

A Father's first calling is to bring his children to know and love the Lord

    What is the role of father?  In the image above you can see some of the roles he ordained for us.

    We see Joseph, the earthly father of Christ standing watch over Christ.  The cloak is on showing us he is ready to move in any direction God ordains.  His staff in hand serves as an extra support with the ground, keeping him in touch with the reality of natural law.  It also serves as a weapon, to protect his charges and extend his reach using the wisdom of God to make tools with the knowledge he bestows on us through revelation.  Joseph did his duty to provide shelter for his wife, so she could for fill the task of providing a home for their son.  Together they made an environment welcoming angels into their home as messengers of God's wisdom.   I can feel in this moment Joseph already thinking of presenting this gift of our savior to our Lord in the temple of Jerusalem...here he participates showing the wonderful reciprocation of salvation history by Christ becoming man.

    Finally we see a child coming to the Holy Family.  It is our job as fathers to bring our children to Christ, teach them the words of wisdom Christ provided, and a quiet place where Christ can speak to them without all the distractions of the world.  I put the child in focus, because this is our fatherly mission on earth.  The Holy Family, through recognizable is out of focus.  The refinement a child's view on the mysteries of God is a gift of grace given by God alone.

-ehw

P.S.  Thanks to my Dad for giving me a safe place to Love the Lord and work ethic, my Pappap for showing me the power of the Rosary and spiritual fatherhood, and my DjaDja for embracing the culture of life with a rich family life.  A special thanks to my father-in-law who has taught me many ways to torture young suitors who would like to court my daughters in the near future.