Tag Archives: friendship
365 Project Day 353: Christmas Pony
Posted on 22. Dec, 2011 by maryanne.
Love
Canon 5D Mark ll, 24-70 2.8L, 2.8 aperture, 1/13 shutter speed, 1250 ISO, tripod used to avoid camera shake
I couldn’t resist photographing someone in front of the spot lights and drizzling rain tonight. It was magic waiting to happen. The perfect subjects? My lovely Annie and my sweet horse Jackie. It was precious. I didn’t know how Jackie would react to the house all lit up with Christmas lights, but she didn’t seem to notice. In fact a couple times she fell asleep with her chin resting on Annie’s hands. She is simply wonderful. She might come into the house if I ask her. Maybe later.
I have my Santa girl and a Christmas pony. That will bring a heart cheer, even in the rainy mist. Lots going on here at the Morgan house, as I am sure there is at yours. I am endeavoring to slow down and breathe in the beauty and joy of the season. Usually all I have to do is open my heart and eyes at the same time. I found it tonight in a spotlight, the rain, and a couple of very special subjects.
May the God of all hope meet you this day and cheer your heart.
Happy Thursday.
Romans 15:13 ~”May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Favorites
Horse Whispers
Sweet Friendship
Green Booted Cutie
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365 Project Day 352: When the Days are Not Merry or Bright
Posted on 21. Dec, 2011 by maryanne.
Finding Christmas
Canon 5D Mark ll, 100 2.8 macro, 2.8 aperture, 1/50 shutter speed, 500 ISO
We are having a happy Christmas in our home this year, but I am also keenly aware that this season can enhance the grief that so many are experiencing. I have had some difficult seasons of my own. One that I only faintly remember, it was so painful. The one year that Christmas came at the most inopportune time. It was the year of the dark shadow. Grieving the loss of a baby, I was absent from my family and my own ability to stay present. I could not function as a mom, a wife, a friend or a follower of Christ. Looking back now I know in the deepest places that God was holding me, all the pieces of me, in soft, strong hands. I was held, covered and safe in the darkness, until the light dawned again.
It did dawn.
If you are going through a time of grief, or if this season somehow deepens your past pain, I pray that you would know how loved you are. Extravagantly, lavishly loved by your creator God. He gave up everything to fight for you. You may know this with your mind, but just not be able to feel it. I pray you can, that you will.
Know this. You are not alone. All you have to do is breathe out His name and He is there, holding you, invisibly but surely. Jesus. Emmanuel, God is with us. He has promised He will never leave us.
If you are having a good season, I encourage you to be aware of those around you who may not be. A note, a phone call, an encouraging word, and best of all prayers help to make someone feel less alone. No one likes to feel alone.
Ephesians 3:18,19 ~”And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Psalm 91:15 ~”He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.”
Left Outside
Waiting
A Son is Given
Redemption
Hope
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365 Project Day 298: Sammy Finds a Friend
Posted on 25. Oct, 2011 by maryanne.
Friendship
Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2L, 1.4 aperture, 1/400 shutter, 100 ISO
If I could give you a snapshot of me as a little girl, it would look a lot like this. Elisabeth loves horses and they love her back. It is a gift that God has given her. She reminds me so much of myself at this age. All I wanted in the world was to be with horses. I didn’t care if I got to ride. I just want to be near them, touch their their soft noses, breath in their horsey-smell, and tell them my secrets. I knew that all secrets are safe in the ears of a horse. Elisabeth knows this too.
She and her family moved into the neighborhood this past year and she has become fast friends with my old horse, Sammy. I brought him over to see her and her pony Patches, today. Sam soaked in her attention. It was so sweet. I think Sammy feels stronger and a little more heroic around Elisabeth. He seems to stand taller, as if he is seeing himself through her eyes. Yes, he becomes Sammy the Strong as well as Sammy the Gentle when he is with her.
Little girls need horses and horses need little girls to believe in them. It is a relationship designed in heaven. At least it was for me, and I think the same is true for Elisabeth.
Here are a few more of Sammy and his new friend, Elisabeth.
Psalm 16:11 ~”You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.”
Happy Together
Sharing a Moment
Cowgirl
Follow Me
Bright-Eyed Sammy
Chatting
Content at the End of the Day
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365 Project Day 294: A Dog Named Daisy
Posted on 21. Oct, 2011 by maryanne.
Camera Shy
Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2L, 1.2 aperture, 1/125 shutter, 100 ISO
This is Daisy, a Boston bulldog who happens to be my dad’s constant companion and best friend. She is a little camera shy, as you can see in these photos, but she is full of personality and open with her affection. Those soulful eyes can convince anyone to stay just a bit longer to stroke her head or take her on a walk. Whatever she wants, really.
In the pictures I have seen of my dad when he was a little boy, he often had a dog by his side. They were part of his growing up years, and mine as well. We raised miniature poodles when I small, and I remember how excited I felt when the puppies were born. Dad has always wanted a Boston bulldog and finally realized this dream when he got Daisy. I am so glad he has her. She has stayed by his side through many health issues in her lifetime. He says she is “good company” and indeed she is. I know how much my own dogs mean to me, and I have no doubt that Daisy’s companionship has contributed greatly to his health and well-being. This is priceless to a daughter who lives so far away.
I am grateful for Daisy. The two of them make quite a pair, don’t they?
James 1:17 ~”Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Sweet Daisy
Good Company
Are You Done?
Friendship
A Man and His Dog
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365 Project Day 289: It’s Always Nice to Share
Posted on 16. Oct, 2011 by maryanne.
Say Please...
Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2L, 2.2 aperture, 1/800 shutter, 100 ISO
Chris really was intending to give him some of the apple. In fact, he went to the back to house while we were on our walk just to get it for him. However, I think he enjoyed Gunsmoke’s intensity and longing for this delectable treat, and so he made it last as long as possible. There were indeed things spoken such as “Oh, did you want this?” and “This apple is soooo good.” Well, you’ll be happy to know Gunsmoke finally got his apple, and Chris, well Chris got a horsey kiss. Just what he wanted!
Sometimes it’s just better to go ahead and share. 
You Mean This Apple?
So Good!
Getting Closer
Score!
And, If I hadn’t been laughing so hard, I would have gotten one with Gunsmoke smiling with the apple in his mouth, and Chris with slobber on his face.
Happy Monday, Everyone.
Proverbs 17:22 ~”A joyful heart is good medicine…”
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365 Project Day 277: The Colors of Friendship
Posted on 05. Oct, 2011 by maryanne.
Friendship in Color
Canon 5D Mark ll, 24-70 2.8L, 40mm focal length, 16.0 aperture, 1/200 shutter, 100 ISO
Some people just bring color and depth into our lives that bless us even beyond what our imagination would allow. That is how I feel about the people I get to work with when I come to photograph Grace College. They are truly some of my most favorite people on the earth. I have laughed, prayed and wept with them in the last two days. They are beautiful and authentic. I love you all my sweet friends. Looking at these images reminds me of how you have brought so much more dimension and color into my world. Thank you for that. I hope to see you again very soon.
Psalm 133:1,2 ~”How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! t is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe.”
Color and Dimension
Covering of Grace
Shining In
From my Perspective
Joy in Fellowship
Together Again
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365 Project Day 255: The Friendships of Women
Posted on 13. Sep, 2011 by maryanne.
Heart Exchange
Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2L, 3.2 aperture, 1/125 shutter, 100 ISO
Complex, fragile, comforting, enduring, frightening, vulnerable. All of these can describe the friendships of women. Women are relational creatures by nature. God made us that way. We are always seeking, creating, nurturing, and when things go badly, sometimes fearing relationships.
But, oh how we need one another! I am always amazed how refreshed and open I feel after chatting and laughing the afternoon away with other women. We just understand each other. Laughter and heart exchanges with other women help to cleanse our palette and right-size our perspective. That is what sells romantic comedies so well. It isn’t always the romantic relationship that makes us swoon. We adore the friendship of the leading lady and her best friend. We cheer when the best friend sizes up difficult situations and puts everything in perspective with a quipping reply or encouraging word. We sigh when they share secrets or tears. We love friendships, especially the authentic and enduring kind.
Cups Empty and Hearts Fill
So why are they often difficult to cultivate? Are we too busy with our own lives that we don’t take time to invest in them? Or are we just afraid that we will not be accepted or loved? It starts in the early years, as we move from jumping rope and singing songs to eyeing one another from separate circles. We wonder if we fit in. Maybe our shoes aren’t in style, or our bodies are not shaped right. We forget about giving our hearts to others and start to protect them instead. We inadvertently trap ourselves in by building walls that are meant to keep others out.
All we need is a friend.
Someone to look us in the eyes when we speak. Someone who unflinchingly smiles as we share our deepest secrets, and madly applauds when we finally shine. Someone who believes in us, and loves us enough to tell us the truth, even when it hurts. A friend will tell you when you have spinach in your teeth, or when you leave the house with your shirt on backwards. She will also defend you to others and pray for you when your heart shatters.
Listening
Whatever the reasons are that keep us apart, I believe with all my heart that friendship is worth fighting for. It is an intentional act to be a friend and also to allow someone to be yours. It takes a willingness to open our hearts, to allow someone in. It takes our time. Time when we could otherwise be “getting things done.” It means writing notes, having coffee, chatting on the phone, going to the movies or the mountains, slowly trusting and sharing secrets, and forgiving when we are hurt. We must be wiling to say, “hey, I am hurting” and also ” please forgive me,” as we allow our feelings and hearts to be revealed. These are the gleaming strands of friendship. Yes, it often feels scary to be so vulnerable and open. But if you will continue in these things, in time you will weave something rare and lovely, and you will have found a friend.
Shining Through
Lovely
Proverbs 17:17 ~ “A friend loves at all times…”
Proverbs 27:9 ~ “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.”
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365 Project Day 254: Back in the Saddle
Posted on 12. Sep, 2011 by maryanne.
Ready to Ride
Canon 5D Mark ll, 50 1.2L, 3.5 aperture, 1/100 shutter, 200 ISO
The weather was so beautiful today it would almost have been wrong not to ride one of my horses. I chose Sam out of my three because I needed a mount that I could trust while riding with my camera. Also, I wanted to just enjoy the ride and meander down the road a bit. Sammy is the perfect horse for this. I introduced him on a previous blog when he was not feeling well. I am happy to report he is back to his spry and ornery nature. He is 26. Pretty old for a horse, but don’t tell him that.
Saddled and Ready
Best Place on Earth
Sitting in the seat of a saddle brings a sense of peace and well-being like nothing else can. The creaking and squeaking of the leather, hooves clip-clopping on pavement, the smell of horses and barns that reach all the way back to my earliest memories. As I ride I am taking all this in. I pull gently on the reins to bring him to a halt and take a few photos. He swivels his ears back to discern what I am doing, and I laugh. All the tedious concerns of life untangle and fade as we both exhale a deep sigh. I drop the reins, swing my camera to my back and drop onto his neck to hug him, his warmth and softness so comforting. I speak softly to him, thanking him for his cooperation and his friendship. I do not take it for granted. I breathe in my favorite scent on earth, the smell of a horse, and bury my cheek into his mane. Friend. He is a gift from God to me.
Friendship
Sunset Ride
We go on together down the road and find friends along the way, both of the horse and human kind. Everyone is enjoying the cool evening. We stop to chat awhile as the sun beings to set and the moon rises. I sit in the saddle, and in the moment, letting it sink in. I am living right in the middle of my childhood dreams. Right here, right now, on this old country road, on this old horse that one of my best friends gave me. It feels like sacred ground.
Down the Road
Meeting New Friends
Community
Asking for a Date
And then, as we head home to the barn, the moon rises. Sam finds his Saddlebred gait and lifts his tail. I think he had as much fun as I did.
Moon Rising
James 1:17 ~ “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
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365 Project day 172: Together
Posted on 22. Jun, 2011 by maryanne.
Friendly Competition
Canon 5D Mark ll, 24-70 2.8L, 2.8 aperture. 1/60 shutter, on camera flash bounced off ceiling at 1/4 power
Right now, there is no better place than here, together with you. Hands touching, hearts mingling, we laugh, we pray, we eat, we rest. Let’s share bread and stories, take a walk and play a game. When our time is up, our hearts will be full and our load will be lighter.
It is so good to be together with you.
Proverbs 27:9 ~ “The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.”
Walking the Lines of Friendship
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365 Project Day 158: Summer Sweetness
Posted on 08. Jun, 2011 by maryanne.
Summer Gems
Canon 5D Mark ll, 100mm 2.8 macro, 2.8 aperture, 1/60 shutter, 250 ISO
Picking blackberries will forever remind me of my childhood, long before boyfriends or driving cars occupied my days. My best friend Jodi and I, brown-skinned and freckled from each sun-kissed day of summer, would walk down the soft dirt path to the place the berries grew. We were searching for treasure. We didn’t seem to mind the heat, the long walk both ways, or the deer flies and chiggers that plagued us along the way. Armed only with plastic bags and excitement, we ventured out on our quest.
The berries themselves seemed to hold all the sweetness of summer within them. Was it the sweet smell of the ones that had already ripened and fallen, the brilliant purple juice that stained our fingers and mouths, or the delicious bursting clusters we feasted on while we gathered? I just remember I could have stayed there forever, seeking the vibrant fruit on laden prickly canes, while chatting and laughing with my friend. I long for that kind of simple joy again.
Today, as I gathered berries around my farm today, I thought about those days. Some things have changed since the innocence of my youth. I now arm myself with long pants and a long shirt and plenty of bug spray. I have become quite the wimp about chiggers and ticks. The deer flies still circled my head, frustrated by my shield of repellent. I knew they would meet me there and came prepared. Still, as I gathered the berries, and I felt the sun soaking into my adult skin, I found joy and contentment. It was as if I were ten years old again. The berries have not changed. The brilliant not-yet-ready ones still beam like rubies amidst their ripened companions. The best ones still hide underneath all the thorns, and fall gently into my palms with little effort. They still taste like sunshine and friendship to me. All I was lacking was a best friend alongside me, chatting and giggling as we worked. Then we could have pulled out each other’s thorns and gone for a swim. Another time.:)
Here are a few more from my adventure today.
James 1:17 ~”Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Ruby Clusters
Almost Ready
Sweetness of Summer
Harvested Treasure
For You
Blackberry Bokeh
