Blessed

About a month ago, a wise old man shared with the rest of our congregation a really need way to share our faith. I just love that man and I hang on his every word. . Though he’s in his 80′s his mind is still sharp as a tack. He has a wonderful way of putting things in perspective often using his 80 years of history.

What do you say when you are asked “How are You?” His answer, “Blessed”

It serves as a reminder that he is blessed (of course, he would tell you that he feels blessed for each minute he’s given.) It’s a reminder to those who hear it that they are blessed as well. It’s also an opening to evangelize to others.

I really want to start answer the usual question, “How are You?” with the “blessed” response. Instead of. . . alright, good (which often is kinda a lie), or tired, etc. . . Because in truth, I can always answer “blessed” no matter how I’m feeling.

He Wears The Pants; But He Spoils Me

When I purchased my new digital SLR, I vowed to cut out all my extra spending. This also meant spending on additional items for my camera. I would make due with the memory cards, hard drives, etc that I had for my camera. The only possible exception would be for a camera bag. That has meant using the four 1 GB cards that I already had. Shooting Raw and Jpeg, that’s meant I can get around 65 pictures for a card. . . Which for me is not many but in the cases where I thought I’d go through the four cards, I’ve brought my laptop and it’s worked.

Then, I had to get clothes because all my pants are suited for winter not for 100+ temps. So, I bought some clothes because I absolutely needed them. DH agreed that I really needed them. I decided I would put the birthday money that I rec’d towards them. So, I’ve still been trying to be real good and have been successful.

Yesterday at lunch, DH and I went to Staples. I needed some cardstock for a church project. Of course, we had to go over to the techie side of the store to say hi to the Staples Computer Geek, aka my brother. So, as we’ve been prone to do when we head over that way for quite some time now, we checked out the prices and deals on both SD cards and External Hard Drives. . . two of the things I know I need. . . but really it was to look like customers while we talked to my brother (you won’t tell his boss will you? if you do, tell him I’m also shamelessly promoting Staples and ridicuoulous deals that they have.)

Not only did they have some really good deals on their external hard drives, but there to feast our eyes upon was an 8 GB SDHC card for less than $30 (ok, pennies less but I can’t remember the exact # of pennies). I told DH it was tempted but that I was keeping to my promises. He said we’d see what we’d get for my birthday. I knew I had “already spent” that money and didn’t think anything else about it.

Later yesterday evening, I met up with my mom for church council and my DH went to hang out with the Geek. Mom gave me my birthday card with money inside. My brother, aka Geek, told my DH that he could not believe that we walked out of Staples empty handed. Since church and the bank are on the same side of town, after the meeting DH and I went to the bank and deposited the money. After all, I’ve already spent it.

Then DH starts a conversation with me starting, “I’m just asking” with that “Don’t shoot me, I don’t want to start a fight voice”

And then it started. . . . I could not resist taking action on DH’s words that followed, “Do you want to go to Staples and get that card?”

Oh, I asked allright, “Are you sure?” following up with “I already spent the money, remember?”

But, he said yes.

Like he’s said to me a million times. . . like he said when he gave his blessing for me to order the camera in the first place and so very many other times I’ve wanted something.

And so, to Staples we went. I had the card in the camera before we even got through the first light. That card gets me over 500+ pictures at Raw and Jpg!!!! I realized then that a burden, even though it was a manageable one, had been lifted. With my nephew coming to town, it was perfect timing. I can shoot to my heart’s desire and not worry that I’ll be plagued by the limit of four 1 GB cards. . . or by missing a shot when the card gets full, I don’t realize it, and can’t get the thing to take the picture. I thanked him over and over again as we drove home.

On the way home DH relayed the story of how my brother couldn’t believe I’d left Staples at lunch empty handed. I don’t guess my brother realized that DH wears the pants in the family (though he works with me and perhaps we share really just share them).

DH does wear the pants in the family but I know that I’m also very spoiled. I’m a lucky gal. Gosh I love that man.

Feeling Raw Or Jpeg?

My DH. . . he’s so crazy.

A few weeks back I told him I was going to email him every 10 minutes while we were both at work. . . joking of course. . . so when I emailed him right after lunch I told him this was the first of many emails he would be getting from me. He replied, “your only response”. Loved it and in fact, I’ve kept it in my inbox. . . so true to him. . . (I replied with LOL and he replied with “LOL- Lots of Lunches”)

So, as I don’t guess I’ve had the opportunity to share here on my blog, I got a Digital SLR last month. Well, my brother got one first, then I got one. My brother and I spent nearly every moment we saw each other talking about the Digital SLR world. . . and lots of time talking about RAW vs. Jpeg. I didn’t realize how much we’d talked about it- especially in DH’s presence until Tuesday morning.

We stayed up half the night Monday watching a Stanley Cup Finals game that went into three overtime periods. . . and nearly a fourth. We’d been watching the game for 5 hours by the time it was over. Early on, I realized that if the Red Wings won it would be the last hockey game for a while and my last excuse to yell at the TV. So, I talked and yelled to the TV. Then as the game progressed I determined the only way I was going to be able to stay awake was to yell at the TV. . . So five hours later, I was still hollering at the TV (I was rooting for the Penguins and they won. . . perhaps the listened?).

The next morning was brutal. . . I was exhausted and so was DH. While we were getting our lunches ready for work, I told him that my throat felt raw from all the yelling. . . His reply “You don’t feel jpeg?”

LOL! That’s my husband for you. Always witty . . . . and mostly always there to make me smile.