may it be YOU

happy tuesday dearest friends

there are SO many things I want to blog about this week

my glorious weekend home in northern california, Dingle Ireland, the exciting ways Abba is brimming hope into our neighborhood redeeming despair.

too much I tell you!

but today I was humbled.

I was grounded. 

I was reminded that TIME is our life. 

and CHRIST is our confidence. 

Ann Voskamp beautifully awakens my soul,

"All you have here is one lifetime and time. is. your. life. When you spend time with someone, what you are freely giving away is your life. Do this — this is the way of God. But when you spend time with screens, what you are freely giving away might be your very soul. Isn’t this the way of insanity? Anything stealing your time, it’s stealing your life.

And that pressure you feel? To fit some mold, that very real pressure that’s trying to form you into the image of this crazy, trendy world? Resist it and write this on your heart:

What will keep you from doing much good — is caring too much what others think.

This isn’t only a phenomenon of adolescence. This can be the foolishness of adults.

What would the world look like if Christians didn’t care about keeping up with the Joneses but about keeping company with Christ?

Maybe we’d keep our souls from insecurity and our minds from insanity?

Maybe we could be brave enough to be different, have less and be more, and change the world?"

sweet Jesus, may it be YOU.
YOU that I waste my life on.
that sweet time languishes in your presence.
may reading books to 4 year old neighbors
and taking walks with sweet college girls
and payer with my husband
give way to screens.

because I only have just one life.
may it be YOU.
love Katie 

{visiting my sponsored Compassion child in Kenya}

a bigger story, how a wedding taught me community

for those of you who read my last post, here is the secret i'm letting you in on:) 

6 months ago our dear friends from the neighborhood asked us to host their baby shower (here). we were more than excited to open our home and our hearts during this season of celebration for them. 

4 months ago we were completely honored when they asked us to be the godparents (here)

 the padrinos, for their sweet baby Lili when she arrived. 

and...

2 months ago they texted me to see if I would be the photographer for their wedding. I seriously laughed our loud when I received it, for A) I am NOT a photographer and B) I am NOT a photographer. 

yikes

it was a toss up. I wanted them to know how much I loved them, so saying no didn't seem right. 

but, at the same time, I really have zero experience shooting a wedding and didn't feel super confident behind a lens. and have no desire to be a photographer. 

so of course I texted back and said YES

(but also said "just so you know i'm not a professional and am just learning!!!!!")

they said "wonderful, you can practice on our wedding" 

haha, practice seems like giving me too much credit,

they should have probably said "you can begin at square one and learn everything you need to know at our wedding" 

but you know what?  it was one of the most beloved memories I store in my memory bank. 

and this is why:

my neighbors have taught me more about community than ever before. 

i saw a group of people who love each other come together to make this wedding happen. 

no one had a lot, but everyone gave as they could. 

they sacrificed for the common good, an expression of love. 

on the wedding invitation it read 

"Padrinos" and then listed everyone who gave, and what they gave. 

there was a beautiful list of melodic mexican names like 

"pedro y maria gonzales: chairs, sergio y rosa gomez: cake" 

and then at the bottom was us gringos

"kevin and katie cook: photography". 

but when i saw the invitation, my hazel eyes brimmed tears. 

because my neighbors had given us an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

 and isn't that the sweet fragrance of community? 

when people come together for a BIGGER STORY than their own? 

when they give collectively to something WORTH celebrating? 

and I was so reminded of the body of Christ. when we deny ourselves for the sake of the cross, coming together with our own gifts to love one another and to ultimately celebrate the KING!

so yes, my neighbors gave me a gift when they asked me to photograph their wedding. 

the gift of community. 

and even though I wasn't qualified, it wasn't about that. 

it was about love. and it was about togetherness. 

and I felt that. 

congratulations dearest friends. kevin and I love you dearly. 

and baby, thanks for being the best second shooter ever. now let's shut down our business:) 

love Katie 

sweet laguna beach

 so here's the thing. 

laguna beach is special to me

not just because it's breathtakingly magic

or because it clothed in an adorable robe of cuteness

or even because it's famous or artsy

and has a bomb irish pub that kev and I spent last st Paddy's day at

my heart loves laguna because it's on those sands 

in big hats and floral dresses that i get to spend time with my friend Katie

you know those friends where you both share the same freckle on your heart? 

where you can verbalize your deepest struggles and
instead of people looking at you like you are one CRAZY lady

they instead grab your hands and cry ME TOO, ME TOO, I understand!

and something in you leaps, because you now find a common plane to process

and it's like the buckle clicks, and for the first time
 you are sharing the "same page" with someone else?

ya, that's the way it was this past Sunday in Laguna. 

I think know friends are one of God's greatest gifts. 

Abba uses friendships to bring us closer to Jesus, 

to stand together in the pain

and to jump for JOY in the exciting. 

friendship is sweetness and holiness
wrapped in the Father's embrace. 

lately i've been so thankful for you my bloggy readers. 

for your friendship, even if it's not conventional. 

it's still real and lovely after all. 

so I hope you know i'm am excited to get to know all of you more. 

so let's learn, and process and jump for sweet joy, and cry and laugh, and blog together.

together.

...and, since we are friends, i'm excited to share more about a hilarious favor I did for someone a few weeks ago. and if you know me, you will be baffled as to why they asked this of ME. trust me, it's funny stuff.....

so much love love love

katie