following an unknown path

thank yall!!!!

Thanks to all of you I now have in my hot little hands a very tiny telescoping camera holder!!

Thanks to all your votes, I placed third in the BenSpark's win an xshot contest.  So, that means I actually won an xshot.  It was here waiting for me in my mailbox when I got back late last week from Taipei!  (And, just in case you were wondering, yes, my doorman made sure I found it right away.)

How exciting!!  Of course, I wish I had had two weeks earlier; but, like my mom always told me "beggars can't be choosers." ;)

Thanks again to all of you who voted for me!  I am grateful.

I'll play around with it, and then share some pics with yall later on. :)

last chance

Friday is your last chance to vote for amanda--you have till noon EST. (So, it is also my last chance to bug you about it.)

If you voted previously, you can vote again--once a day is the limit.

THANK YOU SO MUCH to those of you who have voted for me.  If I win, I promise to share lots of pictures with you! :)

Since I am out of town Thursday and Friday of this week, I have no idea how I am doing in the contest, and I also can't vote for myself (Yep, this is an auto-post).  So, I appreciate all the help I can get!!! :)

with thanks (and blogs I enjoy)

Bethany was probably my first bloggy friend.  Somehow she found my blog when I first started blogging and left TONS of encouraging comments.  She was instrumental in me finding my voice as a blogger.  I owe her tons and tons.  She has an awesome blog full of great pictures of her beautiful children. 

She recently said some really sweet things about me and gave me this:

A while back someone commented on my blog that I should check out Jimmie's blog.  So, I clickty-clicked and found a new bloggy friend (Thanks to whoever of you suggested that).  Jimmie is fun and has a great blog!!  She writes about life in China and homeschooling too.  This past week she has been blogging all about her family's ultimate field trip to Xian, land of the famous Terracotta Warriors.

She also recently said some really sweet things about me and gave me this:

Then this morning, I woke up to find a very "new-to-me" blogger (read: I only found her last night) also had left me the Rocking Girl Blogger Award!!  Ashley is a college student with some really amazing dreams and a heart for missions (check out this AWESOME video she posted).  I look forward to reading more and more about her adventures--cuz let me tell she has the "adventure gene" for sure.

Ashley also said some sweet things about me when she gave me this:

And, not to be left out a few months ago Crickl's Nest and Blair also gave me a "pass-it on blogging award" that I never passed on.

First . . .THANK YOU each of you ladies for encouraging me by saying nice things about me and my blog.  It is always nice to be appreciated!!

Second, it is hard for me to "pass it on" because I want to pass it on to everybody AND because words are my love language, so I want the words to be just right so that they perfectly convey my love. It's my people-pleasing perfectionism at it's height. :)

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Nevertheless, here are five bloggers that have been encouraging to me in the past few months. . . . if you are listed here, please (a) choose which if either award you would like to receive (or hey you could even take both) and (b) feel free to ignore the need to pass it on if you already got it before or are like me and find it difficult. 

Leslie @ Lux Venit
Leslie is about the same age as me but living a totally different life, and yet I feel a "kindred spirit" with her and totally admire her.  Leslie's posts are always well written and filled with wisdom; sometimes they are encouraging, sometimes informative, and sometimes raw with blatant honesty.  I enjoy visiting her blog and appreciate our budding bloggy friendship.  I'm glad I stumbled upon her blog a few months ago.

Blair @ Blair's Scribblings
Blair is another one of my first bloggy friends.  She has been an awesome supporter of the Carnival of Beauty, for which I am very thankful.  Like Leslie, Blair is another honest blogger.  I love how she is open about her goals--both her successes and failures.  She models something I long for in my own life.  Blair is also a storyteller.  Her posts are rich and a delight to read.  Some of her writing has even made me cry--it's powerful stuff I tell ya.  Again, I am very thankful for Blair's bloggy friendship.

Char @ Always an Adventure
I keep forgetting that I don't really know Charlotte in real life; I feel like I do or at least should.  She lives on the other side of this beautiful little island and keeps a blog that chronicles her life here in Taiwan.  I feel like we have so very much in common.  I love reading her stuff because it is always a great reminder that I am not all that unique/different after all.  We've talked about meeting in real life this summer; I hope that really happens.

Ashley @ 26cats and Beth @ Onward-n-Upward
Until just recently these two ladies blogged together, so I am going to write about them together.  Ashley and Beth are about my age; both are married but do not yet have children.  This was actually my initial attraction to their blog.  Being able to gain a glimpse into their lives as (young) married women striving to glorify God in all that they do.  And, it grew into something just a bit more than my nosiness . . . I appreciate their new bloggy friendships, and am thankful for the opportunity to get them them even better.

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Here are some other blogs that I read and enjoy on a regular basis, but I either lurk on these blogs or know them IRL.  Some I've been following for awhile, others I've only recently discovered.

• Anna's Photo of the Day (breathtaking photos)
• Bringing Good Home (a relatively new bloggy friend)
• Entertaining Angels (an IRL friend, also lives in Taiwan)
• Eyes of Wonder (a simply beautiful blog with serene photos)
• Holy Experience (another simply beautiful blog)
• joy in the journey (missionary, wife, and mom in Indonesia)
• Just My Journal (a long time bloggy friend--another one of those feels like I know her IRL situations)
• Lifesong (a relatively new read for me)
• Like Merchant Ships (blogs about her frugal life)
• Mountain Musings (a fun family blog from the mountains)
• Oh, the places you'll go! (brand spanking new bloggy friend)
• Sandy's Neipu Notebook (an IRL friend, also lives in Taiwan)
• Solo Femininity (a must read for single ladies)
• SQJ Taipei (fellow Taiwan blogger and missionary)
• The M Blog (blogs about missions from Ecuador)
• Through a Glass (a relatively new bloggy friend and faithful CoB supporter)
• Unfurling Flower (blogs about singleness and biblical femininity)

Thanks again--to ALL of you mentioned here!  I really do value all of you in a way that only another blogger can appreciate! :)

this is so cool!!

Q: What would make these photos that my friend I took when we were out sightseeing WAY better?

Original Photos in this mosaic can be found here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

A: An XShot.

If we had had an XShot, we could have not only gotten more of us in the photos (you can hardly see Mio at all in pictures 5 and 6), the cool landscapes would have been much more visible too (in picture number 3 you can't even see the twin hearts behind us)!

Ok, so what exactly is an XShot and why do I think it is so cool?  An XShot is a small extendable contraption that allows individuals to take self-portraits at lengths much further than arm's length.  It compacts to nine inches, yet expands up to thirty-seven inches. 

Like a tripod it safely holds onto your camera; unlike a tripod there is no running to get back into place before the timer goes off (and no worries that a perfect stranger is going to walk off with your camera and tripod in tow).

As a single gal living overseas, having one of these would be so much fun and enable me to capture many more great pictures of life here in Taiwan!

At first I wasn't going to enter the contest, I was just going to go order one of these really cool photo-taking tools (because I can use the coupon code SparkRocks to save $5.50 off of this nifty thing till tomorrow)--but the company doesn't ship internationally, yet the contest holder does. 

So . . . here I am attempting to win an XShot from BenSpark instead.  (You can enter the contest too if you want--entries are being taken till Sunday at noon.)

See the photos on this page or check out this video to see exactly how the really cool XShot works:

(Disclaimer: This post is as close to an ad as you'll ever find on my blog.)

recent finds

Two blogs I recently added to my Google reader which might be of interest to other missionaries are:

Kingdom Journalism and Missionary Geek.

Here is what they are about in the words of their authors/keepers/blogger owners(?).

The purpose of the Kingdom Journalism blog is to challenge and encourage Christian mission communicators around the world as they "describe God's mighty works" (Acts 2:11).

and

Missionary Geek is a blog about technology, productivity and ministry. Focusing on the modern missionary, we'll look at the latest tools, processes and hacks that will help you do your job easier, more cleanly and leave you with more time to drink coffee with your friends. 

Know of any other blogs along these lines?  If so, please do tell.  I wanna check em out. 

HT: I found KJ via Missionary Blog Watch and MG via KJ. :)

design styles

When I was in Dallas last summer, I got to stay with both my sister and a good friend from college.  I have always admired both of them for their decorating abilities. 

LeAnn always made our college dorm look cozy and inviting.  Sarah has always had cute rooms and decorations.  Whenever I visit either of them I have to guard my heart from coveting after what they have--both their decorations and their knack for decorating! 

Which is kinda funny since their styles couldn't be more different!!  LeAnn is more homespun cottage with a touch of romantic or country depending on which room you are being hugged by at the moment.  And, I love it.  Her home is so warm and inviting. 

Sarah, on the other hand, uses a more contemporary style with a touch of Tuscan from her beautiful wrought-iron accessories that adorn nearly every room in her new home.  And, I love it too.  Her home is also warm and inviting--just in a different way.

I love that as women, we get to add touches of beauty to the world around us.  I enjoy visiting Sarah and LeAnn's homes to see how they are creating beauty in their living spaces, to see how they are expressing parts of their personalities through decorating the areas around them.

Since I love both of their styles and then have my own style preferences too, it shouldn't be a surprise what the results were to this really fun quiz I took from hgtv.com.  According to their twelve questions, my design style is "eccentric with a touch of sweet and classy."

They say: "for you, it's all about the mix.  Any style is welcome in your world as long as it complements something else.  You're drawn to funky interiors and eye-catching color combinations (think red and blue, orange and turquoise, purple and gold).   You like contrasting patterns and unconventional architecture.  You enjoy furnishings that remind you of your travels mixed with modern pieces and offbeat antiques." I think they hit the nail on the head (except for maybe the color combo thing).

They also suggested for decorating inspiration, I should look at rooms in one of these three styles: eclectic, southwestern, and Mediterranean. Of these three, I like the eclectic best.  Some of the Mediterranean style rooms appeal to me; however, I personally don't care for the southwestern style in my own living space. 

I do, however, like the styles they call contemporary, transitional, and Asian (I wonder why?). Oh, and just for FYI, I really like this Asian style living room.

 [The top photo is my "pre-pink" bedroom; my mom made the curtains for me.  The bottom photo was taken in my living room two years ago (and not much has changed since then).   My mom and I sewed the pillows in Texas, and my students helped me stuff them and stitch them closed here in Taiwan.]

So, what is your decorating style?

bloggy smarts

Leslie at Lux Venit mentioned in her bloggy story two weeks ago that she wished she "had known more about blogging etiquette" before beginning to blog.  Several of us asked in the comments for clarification.  Someone even asked for a class on the topic. :)

Well, Leslie didn't disappoint at all.  Last week she posted a mini-series on Blogging Etiquette.  It is well worth your time to read these three thought-provoking posts.

Blogging Etiquette (I): thoughts on what to do on your own blog

Blogging Etiquette (II): thoughts on how to behave on other's blogs

Blogging Etiquette (III): all about bloggy community with thoughts on blog rolls and the "weirdness" that makes blogging the joy it is

check out my cool new guestbook!!

and sign it too, please!!

HT: Wholly Devoted

P.S. I'm keeping this post sticky for awhile, scroll down past this for new posts.
 

bloggy contests galore

Well, this is the week for bloggy contests!!

Back in mid-March, I entered one of Camy's book give-aways.  And, I was one of three to win a hard back copy of Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs. 

Camy sent the book--internationally--back in early April.  And . . . I just got it this week!!

How cool is that?  Just in time for some summer reading!

Thanks, Camy!!

She is currently giving away two books that you can enter to win!  Go to her site and check it out!

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Also, my students held a bloggy contest here on my blog.  They were giving away postcards from Taiwan to people who helped us spread the word about taking a survey about dinner in America.  They were hoping for at least 50 people to take the survey, but with yall's help . . . . they had over 150 people take it.  They were so ecstatic!

The winners of their postcard give away are . . .

Sincerity,
Deena,
Blair,
Candice,
Deb,
Ashley, and
Tami

If you'd ladies would please make sure I get your mailing address--email me--then I will pass it on to my students who will get you your postcard ASAP. :)

Thanks again to all who helped us out!  We really appreciate it!

Happy Father's Day!!!

When I was maybe in high school, I always thought what a rip-off it was to dad's that Father's Day came in the summer.  Since Mother's Day is in May, as kids we spent time in both school and Sunday school making things for her, but Father's Day?  Well, maybe, if we happened to be home that weekend we might make something in Sunday School for him. :)

Well, now that I live in Taiwan, June is now a school month.  BUT, today is not Father's Day here.   Father's Day in Taiwan is August 8th.  Because 8 is pronounced "ba" in Chinese.  So, August 8th is "BaBa" which is also how you say "daddy" in Chinese.  So, Baba's Day is on baba day.  Got it?

Which is also a rip off because in Taiwan Mother's Day always falls on a Sunday (it is the same day as the US Mother's Day), but Father's Day can be any day of the week.  So, everyone goes home on Mother's Day weekend and takes their mother out to eat on Sunday, but Father's Day?  Well, they go to work.

Anyway, our father's deserve our respect and admiration.  Today is a day to celebrate them!! So, Dad, today I celebrate you!

I thank you for all the ways you have impacted who I am.  I am the woman I am today because of who you are in Chirst, because of how you and Mom choose to raise me.  I am not sure, but I doubt there are many women who can look back at their childhood and teen years and rejoice because their earthly father was such a blessing.  I know you are not without your faults, but God has been so gracious to me by giving me such an awesome earthly Father.  I love you, Daddy!  Happy Father's Day!!

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Carla at her site, Reflections of the Times, recently held a contest about the Best Dad Ever.  I submitted this post that I wrote last father's day about my Dad.

And guess what??  We won!  And the prize was to pick out one of Carla's nifty t-shirts from her cafepress shop.  And, she even made a "Best Dad Ever" shirt for Father's Day, which is the one that I choose as the prize.  :)

Yea!  Thank you, Carla, for helping me celebrate my dad!

ahhh! life.

I am currently without internet in my home.  Talk about a major curve-ball to my normal lifestyle!! :)

Thanks for all the neat comments on the last post.  I have lots of different posts all being simultaneously written in my head right now.  They are all aching for me to be able to type them out.  Soon. Very soon.

Thanks for your patience with the Carnival stuff.  Right when I am making lots of changes is not a good time to be without internet access at home!  But, such is life.

This week the Carnival is over at Bethany's blog and the theme is The Beauty of Truth.  I can't wait!  Don't forget you now have till THURSDAY to post!!  Yeah!!  So, come join us!

Oh, and if you have time, please swing by Susanna's blog for The Beauty of Strong Men.  There are some awesome posts there!

Yall take care and maybe, just maybe, I can be back online at home tomorrow!!

My Blogging Story

Since Inquiring Minds Want to Know My Blogging Story, I thought I'd oblige.  Actually, they wanna know yours too . . . so join in by answering these questions and leaving your linky-da-link-link here.

How did you start blogging?
I've had a website since 1999, and I would have loved to have started way back then if I'd known about it then.   In 2003, I found Blogger, but didn't quite get the concept, so I started an online database of stories from Taiwan that were totally static--not interactive at all. 

In 2005, I started to use MSN spaces since I used MSN messenger quite a bit back then. The biggest problem I've had with blogging is "who is my audience?".  Using MSN spaces answered that question for me since most of my MSN buddies were students.  So, I started by writing to my students. 

Then some how one day, I stumbled upon a blog written by about 5 stay-at-home moms.  Then clickty click click . . . I found my way to Two Talent Living (now known as A Gracious Home) and Always Thirsty (now closed). 

As I clicked and surfed my way through bloggy world, I instantly found that there was a possible audience out there other than my students.  And, it excited me.  So, I opened up a typepad account and haven't looked back since.

Did you intend to be a blog w/a following? If so, how did you go about it?
"A following"??  No.  "Readers?"  Yes. 

I didn't really "go about it."  I like being a small blog with a smaller readership.  I do think participating in carnivals and being an active commenter on other blogs helps create e-relationships which can boost readership

What do you hope to achieve or accomplish with your blog? Have you been successful? If not, do you have a plan to achieve those goals?
Mostly I was and still am interested in writing for my friends and family back in America, as well as for other Christians who are interested in knowing what life is like for a single, missionary gal living in Taiwan.

I would like draw attention to missions in general and ministry in Taiwan in particular.  I want to showcase for others what life is like for me here in Taiwan.  I want to bring glory to God by writing about what he is doing in and through me as I live here in Taiwan.

I hope I've been successful.  I know there are times my blog has gotten "fluffy" or has lacked driven purpose, but I do have a few changes in mind to help that.

Has the focus of your blog changed since you started blogging? How?
Not really.  The only thing I can think of is that I've gotten less personal/intimate in some ways.

What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started?
I wish I had thought through some of the privacy issues.  My website was with my full name, so I also started blogging with my full name.  Not so sure I would do that if I could start over again.

Do you make money with your blog?
No.

Does your immediate or extended family know about your blog? If so, do they read it? If not, why?
Yes; they know and some read.  They are a main reason why I blog.  Even my grandparents and kid brother read my blog! :)  (Kid brother once even commented on the mispelled words in a story/post. A 13 year old correcting an English professor! Ha!!)  Oh, yeah, and my mom's cousin's wife, Cindy, reads my blog--she has been very encouraging all along the way. 

What two pieces of advice would you give to a new blogger?
1. As Taiwanese people love to say, "Don't think too much."  Once you've thought through the key issues and decided to blog, don't worry too much.  Play with your blog and enjoy it.  Look for what you like on other blogs and see how you yourself could emmulate it in your own way.

2. If you are looking for ways to build readership, participate in carnivals, memes, and go out into the bloggy-world and leave comments.  Just like you have to be a friend to get a friend. . . you have to (start by) be(ing) a reader to get readers.

shared posts and a bloggy quiz

First, let me tell you about a new feature I am trying out in my sidebar.  I switched from bloglines to google reader awhile back because I saw someone else's shared post page.  I thought it was a cool idea.  So, I signed up and imported all my bloglined blogs. 

Not only do I have a page that g-reader makes for me of my shared posts, but g-reader also makes a little clipmark kind of thing that I can add to my blog.  So, over there on the right, you will find a white and pink box full of posts I've recently read and thought were noteworthy.

I am going to try to be better about marking items as shared in my reader, but, well, you know, sometimes carbon-based life takes priority.

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Second, I saw this quiz first over at The Sparrow's Nest a few days ago.  I took the quiz and then stored the results in my drafts, since then I've seen it all over the place! :)  My how fast things spread in bloggyville!! 

Well, in addition to Leslie and Kim, I tested as Elinor Dashwood. 

Which Jane Austen heroine are you?

taiwan from my students' eyes

As I've mentined before, I am teaching an internet English course this semester.  This is actually one of the multiple reasons I needed a bloggy break! :)  I added 20 something student blogs to a "must-read and interact with" list on my blog-reader, and I am blogging for them as an example to follow.

Anywho, it has been fun teaching them how to blog and use flickr as well as some other online programs and sites.  Some of them have really taken off and are doing cool things with their blogs.  Others, well, they are just trying to get the hang of it. :)

I am enjoying this course because it is a way for them to use English for a "real reason."  I also enjoy seeing them interact with each other both in real life in the classroom and online. 

Now to finally get to the point of this post . . . . One of their recent assignments was to create a slideshow using slide.com to showcase a part of Taiwanese Culture.  Some of them have shared the HTML code for their slide shows with me, so I can share with you!! 

First, for no particular reason, is Stella's slide show.  Her slide show actually covers a few different aspects of Taiwan culture. 

Another student,  Nancy focused on "Stores in Taiwan."  All of her photos are of different kinds of stores in Taiwan.  So, take a look and see what it is like to do some shopping in Taiwan.

I'll post more of their slideshows in the near future!!  Keep an eye out for them and learn even more about the little tropical island we live on! :)

random

Stacy, an IRL friend who also lives here in Taiwan, tagged me while I was taking my bloggy break. 

It's been going around bloggy-world, but just in case here are the meme's rules:

1. Post the rules of the game.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

Random Facts about Amanda:
1. I love peanutbutter and banana sandwhiches.  But, the banana needs to be squashed or smooshed, not sliced, and mixed up with the peanut butter.

2. I can raise my left eyebrow higher than my right eyebrow, but not the other way around.

3. At one time (during highschool), I knew how to say "hello," "yes" and "no" in thirty different languages.  Now I can probably only do about 5-10 for each.  But, this still impress my students.

4. I do not have a credit card.  They actually scare me a little.

5. I love it when my dog licks my face.

6. During the course of my life, I've never lived in the same house for longer than three years.  And, unil junior high, the same thing could be said about living in the same city. 

7. So, I have no "home town," just a "home state." 

8.  Even though I come from Texas and have visited Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, China, and Hong Kong, I have never been to Mexico.

Tags:

Like most memes I do, I don't really like tagging people, so consider yourself tagged if you not yet done this meme and would like to.  I pass the torch to you.

Hola! Ni Hao! Guten Tag!

I'm back!!  It will take me awhile to get back into the blogging grove.  I really did abandon it for the last two weeks.  I only visited a few select special interest blogs--my google reader is overflowing.  But, I'm just going to have to "mark all as read" and move on.  Hope yall don't mind. :)

The Carnival of Beauty is going on this week with a WONDERFUL topic!  This week is the Beauty of Sacrifice!  It is to be hosted over at Holy Experience, by Ann.  She has given us till Tuesday 9:00 PM EST . . . which is 9 AM on Wednesday here in Taiwan--just in case you were
interested in that little random fact.

Thank you to both Sara and Patricia who hosted while I was breaking--I'll be over to check out yall's CoB's soon!!

I have decided to make a few changes to the CoB and will be announcing those soon.  For now, I would like suggestions for future topics.  Our current line-up will only last one more month.  So, if you have any ideas, please send me an email!

Hope you all have a fantastic Tuesday--mine was pretty good! :)

a little bloggy catch-up

Bloggy Break Announcement
It is time for Amanda's first official "bloggy break."  There are so many things I want to blog, but instead of blogging about them they are trapped in my mind.  And, it's kinda weird, I've been asking lots of blog-related questions to myself, but instead of taking the time to answer me, I've been "pre-composing" posts.  This in turn irratates me.  (Is it possible to irratate yourself?)

Anywho,  I am going to take at least a week off from blogging, but I might take a little more than a week--I don't know.  Last May, I took an "unofficial" bloggy break because my brother was here--so maybe this will become an annual thing.

Carnival of Beauty
The Carnial of Beauty will continue.  There are even a few more hours left to submit to this week's Carnival, "The Beauty of the Holy Spirit" over at  Sara's blog, Stones of Remembrance.  And, next week, the theme is "The Beauty of Sunshine" and will be hosted by Patricia at Pollywog Creek. 

So please consider joining us this week and/or next week.  At least stop by and see what we are all about.  Also, if you do particiapte in the CoB, please remember to thank the hostesses each week!!

One more thing, about the CoB, I've been doing some praying and some brainstorming, and I am looking forward to making a few changes upon my bloggy break return.  Hopefully some positive ones.  Thank you to all of you who offered me ideas and encourangement--on-blog (comments)  and off (email).

Dinner Survey Update
Oh!  Thank you,  thank you, thank you to all of you who took the Dinner Time in America Survey.  There were over 150 survey participants to finish the survey!  My students were/are so excited.  They are now starting to sort through the results.  It is so fun to watch them respond/learn from to your answers.  Thank you so much for helping them!! 

When we meet next week to discuss the project, they will select the winners of the contest.  Then, when I return from my bloggy break, we will announce them here. 

Hope you all have a great week (or two)!!

in joy,
amanda

pardon the dust

Please forgive me if a few pixels are out of place.  I am trying out a slightly new arrangement for my blog.

As I actively declutter my house this month, I decided to declutter my blog a little too.  Just like I don't move funiture around very much, I don't really redecorate my blog all that much either.  But, it is time for a little spring clean.

Thanks for your patience while things settle back into place and move around a little.

Feel free to offer constructive criticism.

remembering

One Saturday night my freshmen year in college, my roommate and I went to find ice cream at 10 pm in the middle of winter.  Finding none and forgetting that coffee contains caffeine, we opted for large coffees at a bookstore.  When we got back to our dorm room just before curfew, we tried to go to sleep, but obviously could not.

So, instead of fighting it we both pulled out photo albums of mission trips we'd taken during our high school years.  We sat on that bottom loft bed, side-by-side till the wee hours of the morning flipping pages, pointing to pictures, and telling each other story after story of God's goodness, God's power, God's love.  It was a night I will never, ever forget.

For me the beauty of photographs is that they help us remember who our God is . . similar to the stones of remembrance in the Old Testament.  Looking at pictures from days gone by . . . whether they be family photos, vacation photos, mission trip photos, or just old random snapshots . . . I can't help but remember how faithful God has been in keeping His promises.

Even photos from the "rough times" in life, still speak to how He was faithful to carry us through--that even in bad situations He still remained all-powerful and all-good.  Even photos that are before I was born--of my grandparents when they were children or of my parents on their wedding day--these older photos serve as a testimony of how God has worked in and through the various generations of my family.

For me, the beauty of a photograph is that it inevitably causes my heart to swell with praise and thankfulness to the Most High God for all that He has blessed me with and for all that he is.  Now isn't that a great reason to flip (physically or virtually) though photo albums!?!

requesting reccomendations

I made the photo collage below back in 2003 on some photo software my dad had. 

I want to make a new version with pics from the last four years added to the set. I also would like to have a program to do more (in general) with my pictures--for instance, I am also interested in doing some digital scrapbooking. 

I like picnik.com (free to use, is online, and interacts with flickr) and have used picasa (free to download, interacts with blogger but not flickr).  But, I want more than just making a picture lighter, darker, controlling red eye, cropping it, and so on. 

I'd like some reccomendations on what software I should check out for manipulating photos.

What software do you use?  And, what do you think about it?

Please help.  Thanks in advance.

By the way, I can't look at the collage above with out my heart swelling with thankfulness for all God has done in my life to change and shape who I am.  How I long to glorify Him in all I do!!!!  He is such a wonderful, marvelous God!! 

How very undeserving I am!  I am eternally grateful.

thirsty?

Oh!  So many choices!! 

I took this at my local "grocery store" about a five minute walk from my apartment here in Taiwan.

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