Week 7: Music Week

Hello, friends! Yes, I still have to upload photos for two days, but the internet at my house has been down, so haven't really had the chance to put them up. My plan is to do that later today, but for now I want to announce Music Week for this week. My dear friend, Martha, who is a huge supporter of Seize the Week gave me the idea of listening to and exploring music that I've never heard before. I'm actually really excited about this week because I tend to have just a couple favorites and then listen to them all the time like Imogen Heap and Rosie Thomas. I'm excited to branch out and listen to some other great artists, so if you have any suggestions throw them my way!

Today I found a couple good bands. The first one is Sissy Mena. I like their sound, and I think their music is pretty creative. They're a rock/indie group from Chicago. http://www.myspace.com/sissymena

The other one I came across is Parachute. I've actually heard of them before, and I've heard their song "She is Love," but their other music is awesome. They kind of remind me of Jon McLaughlin, which is a favorite of mine. They are actually going to be at Subterranean in Chicago in October. Any one want to go? Definitely check them out-I really like "Mess I Made": http://www.myspace.com/parachute

I plan on updating my blog every day and including links to the music I'm listening to. Join me! Happy listening, friends!

Week 6, Day 5

Hello, Everyone! I didn't take many pictures today, but I did re-try taking a photo of the moon, and I think I suceeded! I also worked on framing. Basically, I tried to take pictures that had a natural frame in them. The picture to the left was taken through our dvd case, and that's Rebecca! And then there's the moon! Look, you can actually see the craters clearly! Below is a picture I took of my friend Ryan on his birthday (yesterday) as we were playing The Settlers of Catan. I let him win the game as his birthday present : ) Ha ha, I wish!

Week 6, Day 4

Happy Wednesday! The week is half over, which is a little bitter sweet for me. Friday is the last day of summer camp at work, which I have to admit is very exciting for me. Don't get me wrong-God has done some awesome things this summer, but I am definitely ready to move on to whatever God has next. On the other hand, this photography week has been so much fun for me so far so I'm not thrilled for it end.

Today I took some pictures of people! It was a lot of fun because I took pictures of the summer campers, and they absolutely loved having pictures taken of them! Today was probably the most difficult day for me this week. I just wasn't really happy with the way a lot of the pictures turned out, but I also have to remember that this was the first day that I took pictures outside in sunlight. Basically, these are all pictures of my summer campers. I tried my best to be creative! Just to explain, the children are blindfolded because I did an activity with them about trusting God even when they can't see what's ahead. A lot of the pictures that I took outside were washed out because there was too much light. I need to work on outside/daytime pictures. Any way, enjoy!

Week 6, Day 3

Day 3 I attempted to take pictures of the moon, which was pretty tricky. This was the first time I used a tripod, which was pretty fun! I can tell you that I am learning a lot about my learning style. I went through years of schooling, but for some reason I have become even more intune with my brain and how it works or doesn't work. This is a little off topic, but I want to give you a little insight into my brain. First, I can be a little self conscious when I'm learning something new and then get frustrated at myself when I don't understand. Perfect example is the game The Settlers of Catan. My best friend LOVES this game, and for some reason my mind just could not figure out the strategy of the game. I would get so frustrated with myself because I was embarassed that I couldn't figure it out, and didn't know why my brain could not comprehend it. But I was determined to learn, so Rebecca and I sat down last Saturday and walked through the game. I looked up rules online, Rebecca knew how to play so she taught me, and I played along. And I finally figured it out! It's almost as if my mind needs to read how to do it, actually do it, and be explained how to do it all at the same time. Of course it will take practice, but I'm in a much better place, and I was actually able to play a decent game with my friend!

All this to say that as I'm learning about the camera and how to use it, there are a couple things that I'm trying to wrap my mind around. I'm still trying to get the shutter and the aperture figured out. I will attempt to explain, and hopefully explain it correctly since Rebecca reads this blog! The shutter decides how long the film is exposed to the light, so if you want more light in the picture the shutter needs to be open longer. When you look through Rebecca's camera there is a number on the bottom of the screen that represents the shutter speed. The lower the number, the longer the shutter is open. The higher the number, the shorter the shutter is open. See, maybe I actually just needed to write it out to understand, but when I'm standing there taking the picture it's hard for me to remember that. I just need to practice!

Rebecca explained to me that you can actually get a picture of the moon that shows the moon's craters. If you look at the very top one I took, I really like it because of the clouds, but the moon just looks like a big ball of light. You can't really see any texture. Now, in the one to the left, there's a combination of clouds that you can see on the moon and some craters. It isn't just a ball of light. Yesterday night was pretty cloudy, so I didn't have much time between clouds to take many pictures. I definitely want to try again one of these nights to see if I can get a clearer picture.

Week 6, Day 2

So I'm a little late with these pictures, but I did take them on Monday! Here they are:

I took this one before it got pretty dark. This was taken near a park down the street from our house.

This one above is my favorite! Rebecca and I decided to walk around the neighbrohood last night and take pictures. This is a picture of one of the churches/schools that is down the street for us. Basically, last night Rebecca wanted me to practice taking pictures in natural light. I like this picture for many reasons, but one of them is what it means to me. I'll let you decide what it means to you.

The one above, I took at that same church. I tried to use the gate in the picture, and that's a roommate Rebecca! I realized last night that I really like taking pictures that were symbolic of something. Do you know what I mean? I like finding situations or setting up compositions with deeper meanings. I'm not sure if that makes sense....hopefully it does : )

I just think this one is a lot of fun! It's a picture of the bowling alley that is right down the street. I like the colors and the two lights in it.

This last picture was taken right across the street. Blue Island has a lot of cute little shops all up and down Western Ave.

Well, that's it for yesterday! I'm learning a lot and trying to be creative. I'm still trying to get used to using the shutter and aperture and knowing how to use them, how to bring more light into a picture, and then less....I'll get the hang of it, right?

Week 6: Photography Week

Welcome to Week 6! Hope you are all doing well! Last week ended, and I had a great time getting back into the habit of walking to work, even though I'll admit there were two mornings that I slept in and didn't have time to walk to work. I had a few conversations with people from the community, and I reached out to my one neighbor that lives next to us. I had been trying to see him during the week, but he was never around when I went so I left him a note inviting him for dinner this week. I am hoping that he responds, and I will definitely check back with him. I will keep you all posted! You will be happy to know that I am continuing walking to work this week and hope to continue until the weather gets bad. It was such a refreshing walk to work. It gave me time to mentally prepare for the day ahead and also gave me time with God. I also have a new found appreciation for the the houses in Blue Island. Each house is unique and beautiful in its own way. Also, the diversity in Blue Island is awesome. As a social worker, I gained a love for diverse populations- diverse in color, faith, experiences, ages, etc. This past week showed me that I want to invest even more into the community and the people of Blue Island.

That brings me to Week 6: Photography week with a guest appearance by Rebecca Lewis, my roommate and friend! I have always loved taking photos of the people I love, but I've never really done more than just look through the viewfinder and snap the shot. My roommate has a beautiful Nicon D80 SLR, and any time I've seen her with it, I feel like she is operating an extremely high tech gadget which would be impossible for me to learn. She has a passion for photography, and she's great at what she does so I asked her if she would teach me what she knew for Week 6. Every day this week, I will take at least one photo and upload it to my blog. Tonight I uploaded three on here which shows three of the different things I worked on in my introduction course for the day.

I honestly feel like I learned so much in only about 2 hours. Today, Rebecca taught me the parts of the camera like the shutter, aperture, and viewfinder. She also explained the ISO, the importance of the composition of a photo, camera angle, and lighting. Just listing it might make it sound simple, but it wasn't that simple. I had many questions, and Rebecca was patient and understanding. She's a great teacher so far!

I'll explain my three photos. The photo at the top was taken by me, and I love it! That was the first composition that I did. Rebecca had me change around the shutter and aperture, experimenting with which settings brought more/less light into the photo. The second one is the one above with the chair in it. In this one, I really just worked on the composition. I put the cup there with a tea bag in it and then the bible on the chair....just wanted to give the idea that someone had just been doing there devotions and drinking a cup of tea. It was fun playing around with different ideas. Then the last picture I took is the one to the left. In this one, I was playing around with the focus as well as trying to abide by the rule of thirds. My focus was the angel and everything else I wanted out of focus. And I didn't want the angel in the dead center which had to do with the rule of thirds.

So what do you think? I know they aren't the most excited pictures to you guys, but I love them because I worked hard to take them. I took the time to learn how to take them, and now pictures mean so much more to me than just aim and shoot. I'm excited for this week as Rebecca teaches me more! Keep checking back each day for a new photo! And as always, thanks for reading : )

Week 5: Community Week

Good morning! It's crazy to think that I have been doing this for five weeks already! Last week was quite challenging, but it was so awesome to get back to something that I really love doing. And now that I have gotten into a routine of writing poetry again, I plan on continuing to write frequently. The first three poems were very emotionally draining. I'm not sure if you readers have experience writing, but so much emotion goes into it. That's why I wrote some shorter ones and more light hearted ones toward the middle and end.

I also want to say that I have been so blessed by you guys. "Seize the Week" is something that I'm doing for myself and would still do it even if no one read my blog or commented, but your comments and support mean the world to me. It's been awesome to get phone calls asking about my week or as I walk into work, co-workers commenting on my blog from the previous day. I even received a postcard from a good friend with words of encouragement! You guys are awesome.

Also, I have had many friends say that they would like to join me for certain weeks. Please do!! God is working through this project. An example is a friend of mine decided to bravely share a piece of poetry entitled "Evaporation" last week, which he had never done before. I read it, and loved it! You can check it out here: http://davesandell.posterous.com/

These weeks have been awesome for me so far. I am growing, making more time for myself, focusing on what really matters....How awesome would it be for more people to do this?? So this is your invitation. Please come along beside me in this journey!

This week is "Community Week." First of all, I will admit that I live 20-25 minutes (walking distance) away from my job, yet I will still drive to work. I was doing an awesome job of walking to work in the beginning, but then summer camp happened. I have to be at the church by 6:30 AM every day, so in order to walk there I need to get up even earlier. Really, there's no excuse. So, this week I am starting up the habit of walking again.

Also, during my walks I want to be intentional about meeting people in the community. This means that my goal is to stop and have a conversation with every person that I see on my way to work and back.

Second confession, I don't really know my neghbors. I have met one of them and have had a couple conversations with him, but nothing significant. I think that being intentional with neighbors is important, and I'm not going to let being busy be an excuse any more. I'm excited about this week, and I will keep you all posted on my walking/neighbor meeting adventures! And remember...you should join me!!

Week 4, Poem #7

A Different Race

I love my family- don't get me wrong,
But sometimes I feel as if I don't belong.
My sisters have become like peas in a pod
And I feel a little like the one who is odd.
It's weird to be in a family, yet try to fit in.
It's been a battle for years, and I've yet to win.
It's not anyone's fault and no one's to blame.
Who we choose to life for is just not the same.
My faith, my identity is foreign and out of place.
We are all just runnning a different race.

** Yesterday, I moved my little sister into college. It was a very odd experience, filled with many diferent emotions. Something was a little off yesterday, and I felt like it was me. I was gettting irritated with certain things and usually I can just ignore it and move on, but that proved to be very difficult yesterday. I left her at school as I was feeling misunderstood, out of place, and honestly, completely apart from my family. There is so much more to this, but bottom line is that I love my family even through these feelings of mine.

Week 4, Poem #6

Kids (An ABC Poem)

A ll kids are impressionable

B eing imitators of everything that they see or hear.

C onditions at home are shaping the child's very being.

D evil trying to win over their lives at an early age.

E ach day trying to take a stronghold.

F eeding the children with lies.

G od pursuing the children and rescuing them.

**Friday was interesting to say the least... my summer camp kids are some of the most unique kids that I've ever worked with. These kids have gone through the ringer, let me tell you. Stuff going on in their families at home...it's just been an interesting summer trying to deal with behavioral issues and such. I believe that Satan wants to steal joy from these kids and use the situations that have happened in their lives so far for bad. My prayers have been that God will rescue these children and bring them into His loving arms. And He will!!

Week 4, Poem #5

Light

Life goes up and down.

But in His grace we drown.

We're imperfect and full of sin,

but there was a huge win

When Jesus saved us all.

We no longer need to fall.

Darkness has taken flight,

And now there's only light.

**There is a program called The War College in my church, and a student in this program dedicates a year to growing in the Lord and being stretched. We had a graduation for the student tonight, and she gave her testimony. I was blessed by hearing what God has done in her life! He's delivered her from addiction and helped her to find her true identity, which is in Christ. Praise God! Jesus died for us so that we could have life and live in the light. There's no need for us to live in darkness and sin. He's already won against evil!

Week 4, Poem #4

Lady in the City

There once was a lady near the city
Whose poems were special and pretty.
Each day she wrote one
Until the week was done.
At the end it will be such a pity!

**A few weeks ago, I taught a Performing Arts summer camp. For one of their classes, I taught poetry, the kids learned about Limericks. So, I thought I'd write one too! Plus, I just needed to write a fun, light hearted one!

Week 4, Poem #3

Oak

A desolate area

Empty, lonely, ruined.

There was once life

Abundant, free, alive.

Dead trees, stream dried

Cold, abandoned, forgotten.

Fruit spoiled, leaves withered

Infertile, untended, dehydrated.

Darkness and silence taken over

Mournful, dim, depraved.

Have you been there?

Do you know this place well?

Separated from the source of life

Because you thought too far down you fell?

Sin, guilt, lies piled up

'Til all life was destroyed.

Never again to live

Only a huge void.

Or so you thought...

Death cleared away

Careful, slow, gentle.

Rain begins to fall

Calm, peaceful, soft.

Flowers grow, not sorrow

Beautiful, refreshing, joyful.

Water starts flowing

Powerful, cleansing, healing.

Joyous praise echoes

Strong, loud, uncontainable.

Have you been there?

Do you know this place well?

Connected to the source of life

Even though far down you fell?

And growing beside that stream

A deeply rooted Oak tree

A planting of the Lord.

Display of beauty for all to see.

**I took a 5AM to 7AM prayer shift in our 24/7 Prayer Chapel, and it was during that time that I wrote this poem. Psalm 1 and Isaiah 61 insipred this poem. I think it's a good picture of how God can take imperfect, broken, sinful people and transform their lives into something beautiful.

Week 4, Poem #2

Busyness

Rushing, running, speeding
Making up for lost time.
Planning, meeting, fleeting
Keeping far too busy. I'm
Searching, looking, finding
ways to run from my fears.
Distracting, turning, leaving
Wanting to avoid all the tears.
Knowing, seeing, feeling
the wall I've firmly set
Avoiding, isolating, ignoring
the One who paid my debt.

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator
of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow eary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40: 28-31

Hoping, praying, asking
God to strengthen my weary heart.
Stopping, sitting, spending
time with my God who will never part.
Seeking, trusting, waiting
for God to make me more like Him.
Loving, giving, sharing
in a world so dark and dim
Praising, thanking, rejoicing
that God is healing the pain.
Adoring, embracing, imitating
God, the sunshine through the rain.

Week 4, Poem #1

Lies

I look in the mirror.
I can pick out every flaw.
My hair, my face, my body
Wondering if that's all people saw.

"Daughter, you were fearfully and wonderfully made. I love you for who you are."

Maybe with this makeup
or jeans that reduce my thighs,
People will think "She's pretty,"
And I'll catch a few guys eyes.

"Daughter, you were fearfully and wonderfully made. I love you for who you are."

Hip Hop Abs and treadmills
Keeping track of what I ate
Need to fit into these dresses
Gotta get down to a lighter weight.

"Daughter, you were fearfully and wonderfully made. I love you for who you are."

In the meantime, I'll work on fashion
Buying the latest styles and trends.
Big earrings, scarves, and high heels
To impress all my friends.

"Daughter, you were fearfully and wonderfully made. I love you for who you are."

In the midst of distraction and lies
I can hear God's gentle voice.
He says He loves me for who I am
And in that I can rejoice!

Seeking beauty the world sees
Has left me empty and alone
So I'll seek God above all else
Finding my beauty from being His own.

***I debated whether or not to put this up considering it is pretty personal, but I feel like this is an issue that many people deal with. Hope you enjoyed it! 6 more to go : )

Week 4: Poetry Week

Ok, well this week didn't quite go as planned. It turns out that it is near impossible to watch a movie every night when you don't get enough sleep. I tried my best to stay awake for these movies, but it just didn't work out. Now, if you know me at least a little bit, you will know that I am hard on myself and that I don't like to fail. At first when I was thinking about this week, I felt like I failed. And you may be reading this and thinking, "Amanda, it's not a big deal." But to me, this year signifies something big, something that I am doing for myself. This week I was so tired I couldn't even stay awake to watch the movies!

I think what I learned this week is that it's ok to not have things go as planned. I knew this deep down, but I like to have control, and I like to have things go my way! So you readers are correct- it's not a big deal. I will try Oscar Film Week again during a month where I actually have gotten rest, and not one where I'm running a summer camp : )

That brings me to this week's goal: writing a piece of poetry every day. I look at this goal, and even I will be surprised if I actually do meet it. Most of you probably don't know that I have written a lot of poetry in the past, but like a lot of my hobbies, I haven't done it in a long time. It was just one of those things that got brushed to the side as I went to college, then graduated, and now as I'm working full time and basically living life. I do know that God has given me a wonderful sense of creativitiy, and I want to start living that out again.

Every day I will upload the poem that I have written. Feel free to comment on them and give me your feedback! I'm excited to get back to one of my loves in life, and I think this week will be really fun for me!

Week 3, Day 4

So, I'm going to be honest... I have not been able to stay awake to watch all of Gone with the Wind or Casablanca! As I am writing this, I am watching The Godfather, and I am hopeful that this will be the first movie I finish!

The one thing I can say, is that it's amazing how films have evolved over the years. From what I did see of those two movies, I can tell that movies used to have a slower pace and more detail. Now, a movie isn't good to most people if it's not flashy, quick paced, and exciting. Also, these older movies have class, unlike most of our movies today. What does this say about our society?

That's about all for now...just pray I can stay awake long enough to finish these movies!

Week 3: Oscar Film Week

Hello, Everyone! Welcome to Week 3. Sorry I am updating this a little late, but as many of you know, my sister got married this past Saturday. And it was so much fun!

Week 2 ended and letters were all sent out. It was a great week remembering and loving on my friends and family.

I really don't have too much to say other than this week I am watching an Oscar winning film each day! I am really excited, and I knew I would need a low key goal for this week due to all the chaos of the wedding last week. I literally printed off a list of Oscar winning movies, went to Blockbuster, and rented whatever I could find! I got the list here: http://www.tif.ro/movies/oscar/lista.htm

I have seen a few movies off this list, but I decided to only watch ones that I have not already seen. The earliest I could find was the 1939 winner "Gone with the Wind." My goal is to try and find the very first winner "Wings" which was a silent film and watch it before the end of the week. I am going to watch them in order from the earliest movies I chose to the most recent winners. Tonight I am doubling up since I didn't get a chance to watch one last night. So tonight I am watching "Gone with the Wind" and "Casablanca." It's going to be a LONG night : )