My Faithful Friend

There is something in my life that I treasure deeply; not quite as much as my faith, my family, my friends, my ministry, etc.....but I treasure it a LOT.  I think I treasure it and love it so much because it brings even more meaning to the things I just mentioned.  That thing is my CAMERA!  Anyone who knows me even remotely knows that I LOVE taking pictures.  Here in Cebu, I have my camera with me almost all the time.  I actually made a rule a few months ago that I couldn't go to the shelter without taking my camera!  That rule resulted from a couple missed "Kodak Moments" when I had stopped down quickly at the shelter after school and hadn't brought my camera!  I decided I would never let that happen again!

To the amusement, laughs, annoyance, and even embarrassment of people around me over the years, I will snap away at almost anything and everything. :)  I see moments in life as moments to be captured and remembered.  I rarely let it get to me when people bug me about taking so many pictures (it's funny how often those same people come back and ask for copies!).  I love beng able to look back at pictures and remember people, places, special moments, hilarious memories, or even something I'd rather forget (like eating chicken feet - yuck!!).  It also brings me a lot of joy to capture special moments for other people, especially without them knowing! 

Well, I'm sad to announce that after 3 1/2 faithful years of service, my Canon PowerShot camera started dying on me about a month ago.  It took over 5,000 pictures and videos for me here in Cebu, and I'm not even sure how many other thousands the last 3 1/2 years....  It went with me on a family road-trip out to the western U.S., to Cebu in '07, Mexico, St. Louis, New Orleans, Chicago, Colorado, and even around MN and WI.  It captured vacations, missions trips, weddings, funerals, holidays, birthdays, family, friends, and once-in-a-lifetime moments.  It has truly been a faithful friend!!  When my camera started dying, Mitch made me laugh with his comment - "You don't think it's because of overuse, do you?!"  Of course it is! :) 

Thankfully, in this emergency situation in Michelle's life (YIKES!!), Mitch is letting me use his extra camera until my dad and sister bring me another one next month!  I wouldn't EVER want to be at the Children's Shelter of Cebu without a camera.  After all, you never know when the next KODAK MOMENT is waiting around the corner!!