Snow in Bethlehem

birds on a wire would like to wish you a blessed Christmas. Thank you for making our life a lot brighter.

Snow in Bethlehem
By Maya Angelou

Thunder rumbles in the mountain passes
And lightning rattles the eaves of our houses.
Flood waters await us in our avenues.

Snow falls upon snow, falls upon snow to avalanche
Over unprotected villages.
The sky slips low and grey and threatening.

We question ourselves.
What have we done to so affront nature?
We worry God.
Are you there? Are you there really?
Does the covenant you made with us still hold?

Into this climate of fear and apprehension, Christmas enters,
Streaming lights of joy, ringing bells of hope
And singing carols of forgiveness high up in the bright air.
The world is encouraged to come away from rancor,
Come the way of friendship.

It is the Glad Season.
Thunder ebbs to silence and lightning sleeps quietly in the corner.
Flood waters recede into memory.
Snow becomes a yielding cushion to aid us
As we make our way to higher ground.

Hope is born again in the faces of children
It rides on the shoulders of our aged as they walk into their sunsets.
Hope spreads around the earth. Brightening all things,
Even hate which crouches breeding in dark corridors.

In our joy, we think we hear a whisper.
At first it is too soft. Then only half heard.
We listen carefully as it gathers strength.
We hear a sweetness.
The word is Peace.
It is loud now. It is louder.
Louder than the explosion of bombs.

We tremble at the sound. We are thrilled by its presence.
It is what we have hungered for.
Not just the absence of war. But, true Peace.
A harmony of spirit, a comfort of courtesies.
Security for our beloveds and their beloveds.

We clap hands and welcome the Peace of Christmas.
We beckon this good season to wait a while with us.
We, Baptist and Buddhist, Methodist and Muslim, say come.
Peace.

Come and fill us and our world with your majesty.
We, the Jew and the Jainist, the Catholic and the Confucian,
implore you to stay awhile with us
so we may learn by your shimmering light
how to look beyond complexion and see community.

It is Christmas time, a halting of hate time.
On this platform of peace, we can create a language
to translate ourselves to ourselves and to each other.
At this Holy Instant, we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ

Into the great religions of the world.
We jubilate the precious advent of trust.
We shout with glorious tongues the coming of hope.
All the earth’s tribes loosen their voices to celebrate the promise of
Peace.

We, Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers,
Look heavenward and speak the word aloud.
Peace.

We look at our world and speak the word aloud.
Peace.

We look at each other, then into ourselves,
And we say without shyness or apology or hesitation:

Peace, My Brother.
Peace, My Sister.
Peace, My Soul

FAITH in Action...

So, we realize it's been a while since we've blogged... EEK! We're promising to do better... We recently had the honor of photogging our friend and pastor's newly expanded family...

The journey they have been on in the last year has been one of sacrifice, obedience, faith (when they absolutely could not see how things would work out), and reward, because they believed what God says.. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up..." Galatians 6:9

Faith isn't always fun... and, it isn't always easy... but, it is always worth it, whether the rewards are earthly or eternal. This blog is to introduce you to the newest Thrower member.. Nora Hazel, but more than that, it's to give God glory for a family whose faith walk has been louder than their faith talk. Only You, God can make a way where there is none. So now... how about we introduce you to part of their reward?

Sweet little Nora Hazel, born September 28th, weighing in at 7.2 :) What a little love!!

We happen to think she is wayyyy too cute for description :)

Yet her cuteness doesn't take away from big brother Jude's adorable-ness ONE bit!!

Welcome to the world, Nora Hazel. You were loved long before you were known...

We love you, Throwers and are thankful to call you our friends and pastors. Your faith in action is indeed, a beautiful thing...

Pom Poms and Lemon Cupcakes

There are times of joy, times of sorrow, times of disagreements, and times of CRAFTING! I invited Casi and Eva over to assist in assembling pom pom’s. Not the kind you cheer with, the one’s your decorate with for baby showers, weddings, my CAR…just kidding. But, I would really hang mini pom’s because that is how much I’m in love with these creations.

It starts out with tissue paper, scissors, floral wire, pencil/bone folder tool (or in my case, a copy of Great Expectations), patience, & lemon cupcakes. The last 2 items are not a necessity, but it makes for a better outcome…trust me.



You also need something called an “Eva”. Now, you may not have an “Eva”, but BOAW happens to be blessed enough to have one. An “Eva” is a fantastically witty, crafty, cute, vivacious engine of nonstop ideas, technique, and pure magic. See her magical pointing picture below? That’s an “Eva” in motion*…working*…teaching*…being crafty. (* Indicates to use jazz hands). Our “Eva” also happens to come with a bonus ability.



She makes fabulous lemon cupcakes that reside in THE cutest ever damask cupcake liners. Our “Eva” is camera shy, but we captured her in her happy place -twisting floral wire.





Finis!

and then there were two...

Sometimes God decides to really show out... and He blesses us with two darlings at once... Crystal and I got to experience two of His precious creations Friday evening with Will and Ava... They were SO much fun... two precious little souls that captured our hearts so quickly!!! They were full of smiles and curiosity and love and spontaneity... all the things that make life grand. Such a joy to meet them for the first time and the bonus was getting to see their mom, Jennifer... doing something I now know she was born to do... such a sweet mama is she!!! This is the stuff life is about... and, birdsonawirephotography.com had the honor of being part of it for a couple of hours... :)

Blooming Belly

Have you ever been blessed in being able to see a family visibly grow in front of you? It’s a beautiful sight really. Our friend, pastor, brother from another mother – Matthew, is in an amazing time of his life right now. So is Merinda, our beautiful friend and mom extraordinaire to Jude and the tiny bundle of joy breathing in her blooming belly. We were honored to capture not only the beauty, but the laughter that is shared within this family unit.

Matthew and Jude want to see what mom experiences…somehow, I don’t believe this qualifies.



I asked Jude what he planned on doing when Baby Girl arrived…he said in his sweet cuddly voice, “I’m gon’ fight her!”



We couldn’t get Matthew to stop talking long enough to get “normal” shots…well, eventually we succeeded after duct taping his mouth and photoshoppin’ the tape out (JUST KIDDIN’!). But, this lead to us capturing Matthew’s “specialness”.







We can’t wait to meet her…only 20 weeks remaining!





We love you sweet family! Can’t wait til you see all the moments we helped capture!

3 Little Birds Named Shelby, Bryant, & Lilly

Hey BOAW blog readers! Today is a day of excitement for me. A day of accomplishment. A day of reckoning! A day of smiles! A day in which I can’t prevent my brain from jumping from idea to idea! Let’s just say that I’ve figured out a few things this week that I once thought impossible. I know that’s somewhat evasive and unexpected from me. But, I’m learning that some things are meant to be kept to myself. It’s hard to embrace that because I’m such an open book. But, the Lord has placed desires and talents in my heart that the right people will see…I don’t have to divulge much more than that. Right?! Okay, if you really want to know, message me….JK!
Anyhoo! On to bigger and brighter news that our 1st paid photoshoot was completed this past weekend. The three munchkins we photographed were so much fun, so alive with personality and curiosity. Personally, I’m amazed at how calm, cool, and collected their mom was with them all. I have much to learn in the child department, but seeing Mama Hen react the way she did was just phenomenal.
Speaking of phenomenal-these 3 little birds’ eyes were just that. Eyes so stinkin’ blue and sparkly…it was as if they had walked into some photo editing software themselves. BEAUTIFUL! The picture below doesn’t show those amazing blues, but we loved it and wanted to share. You’ll have to stay tuned for more :)

Mama Hen, your babies are beautiful.

On top of the WORLD....

So, tomorrow is a big day for Birds on a Wire. We will have our first paid session and we are SUPER pumped!!! We will be photographing 3, count em THREE ADORABLE children with mounds of personality and we couldn't be happier. It seems like God is opening up doors left and right for this little venture we call ours and we can't wait to see where He takes us!!!

Our website it under construction, but keep checking, (birdsonawirephotography.com), because it will be available VERY SOON!! In the meantime, if you'd like to contact us, you can email us at sales@birdsonawire.com or contact one of us on Facebook. We have TONS of ideas and we're just waiting to have the opportunity to use them!!!

This has been such a sweet experience, because it's something we have both wanted to do for so long. It feels like in God's perfect timing, He put a fire under us and in us to move forward with something we are both very passionate about. We don't expect it to be easy, but we do expect it to be tons of fun and we hope you'll let us freeze a few special moments in time for you!!!

The possibilities seem endless and WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!!!!

Loving Spring

Sure the pollen's here in full force. But, the beauty of spring penetrates the pollen to reveal unique colors...colors that I love like light purple and yellows of every shade.

Nothing says spring like playing outside with one of my favorite little girls. Let me introduce you to Mary Michael. She is, to say the least, a very independent child, full of spunk, and loveliness. Her personality is one in a million and for that, I love her like she's my own.

At first...okay who am I kidding? Even now, she has to warm up to me. When I walked into her abode on Easter, you would have thought I made a scary face at her. But where we meet eye to eye is when I get on her level. So, as soon as I asked her questions about her Easter basket, she warmed up. :) I love sharing all of my lipglosses with her and watching her apply more and more and more and more...til she looks just like her Crys Crys.

I'm pretty sure when she grows up, she will sing. Her voice...the world should hear. I know one person that would have loved to hear her sing was Granddaddy. She's definitely going to be a world changer.

I love you Mary Michael :)

Name in Stone

I would like to believe I inherit my ability to see the beauty where least expected from my Grandfather. I love when flowers spring from the ugly concrete cracks on the sidewalks. The same goes for cemeteries for me.

I've been to my grandfather's grave several times since he passed away. The beauty that settles upon this fact is that I know he's not there. When visiting this weekend, I shed not one single tear...for the first time, mind you. But, something is very beautiful about his name in stone, there for the world to remember him by. I wonder who will see his name in 100 or more years and wonder who he was, what he did, where he was born, what his dreams were...

I've become somewhat of an advocate too over the last few months for well maintained cemeteries. Nothing is worse than an unkempt one...

Next time you find yourself in a cemetery (hey, you never know...they inspire me for some reason), pick up the debris and say a prayer for the family that misses that person.

And, when I see these names in stone today, I ask the same questions from earlier. More than a name, that person was once living...on earth. I wonder what their story would tell.

Days like these are cupcake days…

Days that are just the right amount of warmth, cool wind, and sweet memories swirling in my mind.

But, that lingering thought in the back of my mind nags at me quietly saying “eat a cupcake…do it…but eat a pretty one if you’re going to indulge. Oh, and drink a real “Co-Cola.”

Books, cupcakes, & real “Co-Cola”…the end.

The stuff smiles are made of....

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.
--Leo F. Buscaglia



This weekend, there were smiles... LOTS and LOTS of smiles. Why? Let us show you!!


God's handiwork- Evidence of spring... evidence of seasons changing... a reminder that a tree that was bare just a few short weeks ago can blossom into something this beautiful... (This applies to us to, ya know?!)


Reaching out, Welcoming In, Moving Forward- Refuge Point Church had our Easter Outreach this weekend and it was AMAZING. God commands us in Matthew 22:37 to love Him, with all our hearts, souls, and minds.. But, then He goes on to say that the next most important thing we are here to do is to LOVE our neighbor as ourselves. There was a whole lotta lovin' going on at the Easter Egg Block Party and at the end of the day, we all just went home feeling that God's work had been done in its simplest, purest form.


Family- this is one of the many families who simply enjoyed the day together... It was so refreshing to see people spending time with their children with nowhere else to be... For just those couple of hours, they were able to relax and make some memories with the folks they love.

JACKPOT- the KIDS LOVED filling their baskets to the brim with the eggs they found and a couple of them hit the plastic egg JACKPOT.. SCORE!!!





Doing what you love- We had some AWESOME praise and worship going on... thanks to King's Pasture Community Church... This is Tony Bray, drummer extraordinaire... See that smile? Tony will tell you, there is almost nowhere else he'd rather be than praising God with the drums.
What do you love? What makes you smile? God has come that we may have life and have it more abundantly... So, whether it's helping with a community outreach, spending time with your family, playing drums, or dressing up like an Easter bunny... FIND YOUR PASSION... use it for God's glory... and get ready... because you are going to smile like you've never smiled before~~

How Beautiful Indeed...

One of my favorite authors is Donald Miller. You may have heard his name as he’s the author of Blue Like Jazz, an amazing book btw if you’re interested. As I snapped this photo last evening, in the dark, the below portion from BLJ came to mind. How beautiful indeed…

"There is something beautiful about a billion stars held steady by a God who knows what He is doing. (They hang there, the stars, like notes on a page of music, free-form verse, silent mysteries swirling in the blue like jazz.) And as I lay there, it occurred to me that God is up there somewhere. Of course, I had always known He was, but this time I felt it, I realized it, the way a person realizes they are hungry or thirsty. The knowledge of God seeped out of my brain and into my heart. I imagined Him looking down on this earth, half angry because His beloved mankind had cheated on Him, had committed adultery, and yet hopelessly in love with her, drunk with love for her."

Greater Love Has No One Than This...

You know that verse from John? Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. I truly believe God calls each of us to commit ourselves to loving others as He loves us. Think of agape love. If you’re not sure what it is, it’s the love of God or Christ for mankind…an unconditional love. If you’re a believer, think for a moment if you truly practiced what you preached. Forgiving one another 70 x’s 7, loving your neighbor…what lovely lessons for us all. I love my friends to pieces and thank God daily for their presence on this journey.

Our good friend Matthew had it in his heart to start a church in our hometown for years. To finally see his vision become reality is such a blessing. As we compose the team, it’s clear that LOVE is such a vital piece to this beating heart for our community. We pray for our brother in Christ, our pastor, as he heeds your call to "Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction" (2 Timothy 4:2).

What does your story tell?

Introducing Birds On a Wire Photography

We begin this endeavor with lots of prayer and creative juices. This endeavor, if you wondered, is the beginning of a photo journalism business. We don't call ourselves photographers simply because we want to be more than that to you. We want to capture the story, not just a photo. We're 2 very good friends on a mission to capture the moments you will treasure in this amazing journey we call life.

One of our first clients, Miss. Madison...so cute and full of life. We love her.

And, our very good friend Michael, on a journey of his own, that we love dearly.

Official website coming soon!

Much Love
C&C