Category Archives: photos

where summer took me

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I am pretty sure that my blogging skills were left in June, when the kids were still in school and quiet was a reality eight hours a day.

With them all home for the summer months, I was shuffling kids to summer sports, church events, friends houses and the library…and after a few attempts that led to massive frustration on my end, I gave up on trying to get in touch with the part of my brain that writes anything deep…anything that didn’t come immediately to my mind, fully formed and already structured.

Instead, I gave into the part of me that spent time with my kids in front of the TV, in the pool, in the backyard and in the car, filled with their friends…

…and I am so glad I did.

Discovering new life in the cool shade of my favorite tree

sister swim time

Our son is #1 at Summer Basketball…literally

Wednesday Night…teenaged boy/after church chaos

With a soft smile on my face, I realize that I will really miss this summer, as it was one of the best I have had…but am kinda excited to be back here too. :)

Where did summer take you???

Looking up, as always…

Bina

along the wall {Sundays}

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It has been a long week for me…

…physically because my husband was gone, leaving me to take on the the crazy routines of teenagers on the go.

…emotionally because, with him gone, I just don’t sleep as good as my mind really needs me to.

…spiritually because I can feel the pull to drown in His Truth, even while I still don’t understand all that He is trying to say.

But I, through the abundance of Your steadfast love,

will enter Your house.

I will bow down toward Your Holy temple,

in the fear of You.

Lead me, O LORD, in Your righteousness

because of my enemies;

make your way straight before me.

Psalm 4:8

So, I take a deep breath as I sit here, ready for the joy that comes with Sunday…

…releasing the tension of my body.

…surrendering the fatigue of my tired heart.

…following along the wall of His reality, straight and sure.

 

Linking up with those over here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking up, as always…

Bina

explain it to me

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i don’t know how you do what you do

how your stare can travel over the miles

and nail me to the ground where i stand

you can turn your eye my direction

after so long closed

and i feel guilty for looking away

you were the one who left me

as my heart bled out into my hands

but somehow the way you turned your back

left me feeling as though i had more to prove

more to do and more to be

i don’t understand why it matters anymore

coming back to the point where we left off

trying to move forward

when what there was of us died

before it ever had a chance to really live

explain it to me

because i stand here,

my mind swirling in the circus of memories,

unsure of how to feel

just explain it, please

because i try and try to figure you out

but it seems that the more i try

the more i lose who i am

Inspiration flows as I listen to

“Rain” by Ginny Owens on this late night.

{the thing I have always loved about poetry is that it gives my heart a language to speak with.  the rules are there are no rules…and expression is completely loosed. no one else really knows for sure what is being said, even when the words seem totally clear, and so it gives the ability to hide while standing right in front of you.  i love poetry…and i hope you don’t mind that I let my heart do the talking from time to time.}

Looking up, as always…

Bina

a month by photo {Week 4}

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Now for week 4 in the Photo A Day May challenge that I am taking part in.  You can view the pics from {Week 1}…or {Week 2}…or {Week 3}…or scroll down for {Week 4}.

Day 22 – “pink“

I love the beauty that grows in our backyard…mainly because it takes no effort on my part to bloom!! This was the lastest fragrant addition to my indoor vase collection…

Day 23 – “technology“

…iPod captures cell phone captures iPod…

Day 24 – “something new”

I am an avid thrift store girl…and my finds this week made me smile because both items were new and cost me only $1.50 total!!

Day 25 – “unusual“

…yup, she’s ours…and she never fails to make us laugh!

Day 26 – “12 o’clock“

midnight = happy birthday to me!

Day 27 – “sweet“

I love that, even at 15, she still calls/texts me when spending the night with a friend.

Day 28 – “the weather outside“

For us in Southern California, it was a swim-tastic day this Memorial Day.

Just a few more days in May…kind of crazy to think how fast it went!!  Can’t wait to see what the last moments of this month will hold…and maybe I will join up again for next month’s challenge.

Looking up, as always…

Bina

a month by photo {week 3}

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Now for week 3 in the Photo A Day May challenge that I am taking part in.  You can view the pics from {Week 1}…or {Week 2}…or scroll on down for {Week 3}.

Day 15 “love“

This year, we celebrated 11 years of marriage…and I love that he can still make me giggle, laugh and want to be with him every day. I am so thankful for the love that comes from a relationship centered in Christ.

Day 16 “what I am reading“

I have been told over and over to read this book, but never did…until I found a copy at the thrift store. Figured I had nothing to lose cuz it cost .98 cents…but as I sank into the story within those pages, I lost myself. Easily…this became one of my top books, ever.

Day 17 “snack“

Target.
Popcorn.
Period.

Day 18 “something I made“

After a long time out of the habit of journal time with God, I made my way back to Him…and discovered Him there, waiting to draw me back into communication well-known, well-worn and well-needed.  Best thing “I” ever “made” ;o)

Day 19 “a favorite place“

When we bought our house three years ago, one of the things that I fell most in love with was our family room. Warm and inviting, I come here to journal, watch TV, spend time with my family and feel better when sick… I could spend the rest of my life in this one room and be a happy girl.

Day 20 “something I can’t live without“

Sounds like the perfect Sunday School answer, I know…but the reality is that I know for a fact that I can’t live without it…because I have tried. Without His Word, I am a person starved of compassion, robbed of joy and desperate for…anything. With it, I am alive…because in me, I can sense Him and suddenly the world makes sense.

Day 21 “where I stand“

My husband works only a few miles from home – so when he emails me to ask me to lunch…I am there, happily standing where he is.

Can’t wait to see what next week in photos holds!!!

Looking up, as always…

Bina

a month by photo {week 2}

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I know I said I would update this on Mondays, but…this past Monday morning, as I was driving home from school drop-offs, I was involved in a car accident that left me very sore and tired.  I am ok – wish I could say the same for our van…but I praise God for His covering which allowed both people involved to walk away from the accident…shaken, but ok.

Now…as for week 2 in the Photo A Day May challenge that I am taking part in.  You can view the pics from {Week 1}…or scroll on down to see those from {Week 2}.

Day 8 “a smell I adore“

When I was a teenager, my friend and I would go into Dillards to get the free samples of perfumes…and I fell head-over-heels in love with this scent. It sells for almost $100 a bottle (!!!) so I settle with small sampler bottles from eBay ;o)

Day 10 – “something I do everyday“

I believe that God creates us all in very unique ways…and I think my soul is made up of musical notes. Ok, maybe not…but I do know that without music, a part of my soul would die…and so music is a part of my everyday life.

Day 10 – “favorite word“

One of my favorite movies is “Two Weeks Notice”…and in one of the scenes, Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock are standing on a rooftop, eating cake, and talking…when suddenly, Hugh says “There is something amuck with this sponge cake.” I laugh each and every time…and it ranks at the top of my favorite words beCAUSE I can’t say it without seeing his face in that moment.

Day 11 – “kitchen“

For me, there is sweet joy found in a clean kitchen.
For seven people in a house, it is hard to find that way.

Day 12 – “something that makes me happy“

…I just love that dog…

Day 13 – “mom“

A teenaged boy is hard to get affection from…but on Mother’s Day (and with the help of Dad), he had no choice but to let Mom and *both* Grandmothers love all over him.

Day 14 – “grass“

While I will admit that this picture was taken awhile ago…I kind of lean on the accident happening that day as my reason for not stooping over to photograph the grass. This is one of my all time faves, tho, because I love the view my camera phone snapped!

Can’t wait to see what the next week in photos hold…and am praying that I can post on Monday *fingers crossed* ;o)

Looking up, as always…

Bina

a month by photo {week 1}

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I have seen other people participate in something called “Photo A Day Challenge” and, while I found it interesting, I had no idea how they knew what to take pictures of…that is, until Barbie over at A Freshly Brewed Life posted May’s challenge prompts on FaceBook!!

For me it is a no-brainer as it combines three of my favorite things:

  1. Instagram
  2. Taking photos
  3. Sharing photos

…so I jumped on board with a gleeful squeal.

Every Monday this month, I will be posting the pics from the last week here…so if you stop by, you will get a chance to see “the world, a’la Bina”.

Day 1 – “peace“

Sitting in the backyard, under the tree, I started Bible study with my iPod on…but soon the branches above me were filled with chirpy birds, so I shut off the music and enjoyed their high-pitched banter.

Day 2 – “skyline“

Deciding that I was stronger than my fear of heights, I climbed the ladder to snap the view of the storm clouds that had rolled themselves into Orange County, CA overnight…then, when it was time to climb down, I had my panic attack. ;o)

Day 3 – “something you wore today“

Bina Fact:
There is something about my toenails being painted blue that makes me feel happier inside. Add glitter to the color and BAM…I’m a supermodel!

Day 4 – “fun“

I take the kids to school every morning…the older girls to High School, the youngest to Elementary and then our son to Jr High. But, since his school starts half an hour later than the other schools, I get one-on-one time with him every morning…and I love that! (PS – I told him what the picture was for and I had the chioce of “angry” or arms over his head “scared”…*sigh*…teenaged boys.)

Day 5 – “bird!”

We have two large trees in our backyard and we share a fence line with the city’s garden nursery…so as spring rolled in, so did the bird population. We have a gazillion winged friends who are laying their eggs in our trees…and I love to sit out on the swing and watch them fly in and out. Many land on the fence and watch me as closely as I watch them…I like to think they love me as much as I do them.

Day 6 – “you“

I love to go out in the morning, after I have taken the kids to school, and pray while the sun wakes up the birds and flowers around me.

Day 7 – “someone that inspires you“

It sounds “cliche”, but the bottom line is that our kids inspire me as they navigate their world with bravery and a hungry desire to succeed…and they daily make me want to be a better mother.

Can’t wait to see what the next week holds in photos!!

Looking up, as always…

Bina