Looking Back

Lately I have been trying to be really intentional about finishing up projects before I begin another one - including my shutterfly books. Suz and I finished our Disney book (that I shared last week) and since then I have caught up on my 366 in 2012 book and have gotten back into getting my summer mission trips & summer stretch book done. Well not done but at least back to working on it (I am not actually sure why I never got around to it). Anyways, in the process of going back to that book (I now have a list of the ways in which I am going to work through my shutterfly projects and the order in which I will be finishing them [Summer 2012 Mission Trips, 2011, 2012] and then I plan on every month keeping up with 2013 so that I don't have to do this massive catch up crap) I have also spent a little bit of time reflecting on the summer. Seriously this last summer was CRAZYTOWN in terms of running around from here to there and the demands of my call (which I am thankful for) but it has been wonderful to be going back through the pictures and being reminded of all the ways in which God worked last summer and how humbling it was to be a part of it. I also have spent a little bit of time looking through old photobooks (I do this quite often actually - I love looking back at photos).

I was taken back to the flood in Duluth and the ways in which it worked out perfectly that we were able to go walk alongside our brothers and sisters at Gloria Dei Lutheran and help to take water out of their basements. I was reminded of the people who we met and shared their stories with us that inspired us and gave witness to the God we love and serve. I was taken back to the Synod Journey and how exhausted we were by the time we got home but how overwhelmingly wonderful God was in the midst of everything. I was reminded about how there were some of my youth that I felt the need to re-introduce them to their parents when we arrived back home due to the transformation that we saw take place within them (and even continue to see in them today). I am thankful for the stories we share and the ways in which the body of Christ works in the world. While often times I think God is off God's rocker and could just do what needs to get done in the world, it is an honor and a privilege to work as God's hands and feet in this world.

While all people are called into full time ministry, and all people get to do God's work day in and day out I know what a joy (most of the time) it is to be in full time paid ministry. Thanks be to God for the call to ministry and today in particular I give thanks for the congregation who enables me to be in full time ministry.



How do you like to organize your photos?
Do you like to go look back at photos?
Do you scrapbook or make photobooks of any kind?