Saturday, August 20, 2011
Saturday, August 13, 2011
One down..
Well, I'm on my way!! I just completed one photography session yesterday and am looking forward to completing many more! It's exciting to actually begin and see that this can be done.
I want to put a challenge out there to get some of you thinking...What are the works4water that you can complete? We all have talents, skills, God-given gifts. How can you build your own well (or whatever it is you feel compassionate about)? I'm also trying to involve my children a bit and thinking about how they can do "works" as well. I'm thinking about taking my oldest daughter (who's 8) along with me as a photography assistant. I've also thought maybe my kids could do a lemonade stand to earn some money or help some neighbors with odd jobs. They have viewed the Charity:Water video clip several times and ask me a lot of questions about this new thing I'm doing so why not involve them as much as possible too? Anyway, the seed is planted. What can we all do to change the world?
I want to put a challenge out there to get some of you thinking...What are the works4water that you can complete? We all have talents, skills, God-given gifts. How can you build your own well (or whatever it is you feel compassionate about)? I'm also trying to involve my children a bit and thinking about how they can do "works" as well. I'm thinking about taking my oldest daughter (who's 8) along with me as a photography assistant. I've also thought maybe my kids could do a lemonade stand to earn some money or help some neighbors with odd jobs. They have viewed the Charity:Water video clip several times and ask me a lot of questions about this new thing I'm doing so why not involve them as much as possible too? Anyway, the seed is planted. What can we all do to change the world?
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
My first photography session
I have my first photography session set up for this Friday! I'm truly feeling excited about this endeavor and looking forward to the entire experience! This has so many perks: *Charity *Developing and improving on my photography hobby *Seeing friends and their families!!! Thanks for checking in and for all the kind words of encouragement and support!
Monday, August 8, 2011
What can you do?
Hello,
Today it begins...I'm officially taking appointments for you or your family's picture sessions! Please e-mail me at: works4water@yahoo.com
I can come to your home to photograph in your own yard or can meet you at a park of your choice. I only ask that you bring a disc for me on which to save all your photographs and that you pay whatever you wish after you've received your disc. If the pictures don't turn out well, feel free to give nothing. If you like them your donation is up to you - $20, $30... I will collect until I earn the $5000 to build a well and will keep everyone posted via this blog. I prefer to do outdoor photos only so you may want to think of a beautiful fall setting or a Christmas card shot! Thanks for helping this cause and I look forward to photographing you soon!!
Julie
Today it begins...I'm officially taking appointments for you or your family's picture sessions! Please e-mail me at: works4water@yahoo.com
I can come to your home to photograph in your own yard or can meet you at a park of your choice. I only ask that you bring a disc for me on which to save all your photographs and that you pay whatever you wish after you've received your disc. If the pictures don't turn out well, feel free to give nothing. If you like them your donation is up to you - $20, $30... I will collect until I earn the $5000 to build a well and will keep everyone posted via this blog. I prefer to do outdoor photos only so you may want to think of a beautiful fall setting or a Christmas card shot! Thanks for helping this cause and I look forward to photographing you soon!!
Julie
Who, what, where & why?
Hello and welcome!
Here goes my first post and once I hit "publish" my quest has officially begun! This all began when our church, Christ United Methodist in Fairview Heights, IL, suggested that the entire congregation read "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. I read the book and did a group study with some wonderful women and we all said in the beginning that we were hoping we would read this book and actually act on it as opposed to most books we read, are temporarily motivated, but never act on. Throughout the study I felt compelled to do something, anything - my part. I realized how out of touch I was and how I had truly assumed that the majority of people in the world lived similar lives to my own - wrong!! But, as all book studies go, we finished and went on with our busy day-to-day lives and again I did not act. Until now...
Just last week I began to feel that there was something I was supposed to be doing. It wasn't more laundry, dishes or cleaning. It was something bigger. Something that would actually help others. So I began to pray. I also got out my "Hole in Our Gospel" book and flipped to the back cover where I found a website: www.sixweekquest.com.
I went to the website to search for ideas for what to do and started reading about the plight of so many around the world with a lack of clean water. I also noticed a video clip put on by Charity: Water, which I watched and felt that this was it!! I then went to their website and found information on the need to build wells in African villages. One well could provide clean water to 400 people for 20 years at a cost of $5000 to build. There it was!
I then went for a walk while I continued to pray on how I was actually going to collect $5000 for this well to be built and whether or not I should just forget it or move forward. I asked God to give me a sign as to what I should do next. As I walked and prayed I came up with the phrase "Works 4 Water" and the idea that I could do "works" to earn money for the well. But what kind of works? I then began thinking about any talents I might have. My husband can attest that I am no Martha Stewart so crafts and cooking were out! I have no musical talents either - out! I do, however own a very nice camera and catch wonderful pictures of my children outside playing. There it was! I could take pictures of families outdoors and ask them to donate money for the building of this well rather than paying me for my "works."
As I walked I continued to pray and ask for a sign as to whether I should actually pursue this idea. When I arrived at home, sweaty and exhausted I sat down at our dining room table to be near the air vent. When I glanced on our table I noticed two things. The first was our son's sippy cup filled with nice, clean water and the second was my new issue of Reader's Digest with the word "WATER" in huge font on the cover. There it was!
I was feeling fairly confident about this idea, but I am one who needs a lot of convincing. As this day progressed and all my children were either napping or playing on their own I decided to get out a book I hadn't picked up in months and read a bit. It was a book having nothing to do with charity. I had read only two chapters of this book months prior and hadn't picked it up since, but as I opened the book I noticed I had placed a bookmark at the point where I had stopped and when I looked it was a Richard Stearns bookmark that read "What Can I Do Now?" And there it was!! And here I am.
My goal is to earn $5000 to donate to Charity:Water to build a well in Central Africa. This may take me a year or two but at least I'm finally acting. I'd love to hear from others who have advice or suggestions on this undertaking. I'd also love anyone in my area to contact me to set up an appointment time for your family photo session!! Thanks for your support and prayers!
Julie
Here goes my first post and once I hit "publish" my quest has officially begun! This all began when our church, Christ United Methodist in Fairview Heights, IL, suggested that the entire congregation read "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. I read the book and did a group study with some wonderful women and we all said in the beginning that we were hoping we would read this book and actually act on it as opposed to most books we read, are temporarily motivated, but never act on. Throughout the study I felt compelled to do something, anything - my part. I realized how out of touch I was and how I had truly assumed that the majority of people in the world lived similar lives to my own - wrong!! But, as all book studies go, we finished and went on with our busy day-to-day lives and again I did not act. Until now...
Just last week I began to feel that there was something I was supposed to be doing. It wasn't more laundry, dishes or cleaning. It was something bigger. Something that would actually help others. So I began to pray. I also got out my "Hole in Our Gospel" book and flipped to the back cover where I found a website: www.sixweekquest.com.
I went to the website to search for ideas for what to do and started reading about the plight of so many around the world with a lack of clean water. I also noticed a video clip put on by Charity: Water, which I watched and felt that this was it!! I then went to their website and found information on the need to build wells in African villages. One well could provide clean water to 400 people for 20 years at a cost of $5000 to build. There it was!
I then went for a walk while I continued to pray on how I was actually going to collect $5000 for this well to be built and whether or not I should just forget it or move forward. I asked God to give me a sign as to what I should do next. As I walked and prayed I came up with the phrase "Works 4 Water" and the idea that I could do "works" to earn money for the well. But what kind of works? I then began thinking about any talents I might have. My husband can attest that I am no Martha Stewart so crafts and cooking were out! I have no musical talents either - out! I do, however own a very nice camera and catch wonderful pictures of my children outside playing. There it was! I could take pictures of families outdoors and ask them to donate money for the building of this well rather than paying me for my "works."
As I walked I continued to pray and ask for a sign as to whether I should actually pursue this idea. When I arrived at home, sweaty and exhausted I sat down at our dining room table to be near the air vent. When I glanced on our table I noticed two things. The first was our son's sippy cup filled with nice, clean water and the second was my new issue of Reader's Digest with the word "WATER" in huge font on the cover. There it was!
I was feeling fairly confident about this idea, but I am one who needs a lot of convincing. As this day progressed and all my children were either napping or playing on their own I decided to get out a book I hadn't picked up in months and read a bit. It was a book having nothing to do with charity. I had read only two chapters of this book months prior and hadn't picked it up since, but as I opened the book I noticed I had placed a bookmark at the point where I had stopped and when I looked it was a Richard Stearns bookmark that read "What Can I Do Now?" And there it was!! And here I am.
My goal is to earn $5000 to donate to Charity:Water to build a well in Central Africa. This may take me a year or two but at least I'm finally acting. I'd love to hear from others who have advice or suggestions on this undertaking. I'd also love anyone in my area to contact me to set up an appointment time for your family photo session!! Thanks for your support and prayers!
Julie
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