Sunday, December 06, 2009

Last blooms



I love the look of frost on flowers - on any kind of vegetation actually. These are the last flowers in our garden. The last bit of colour, except for the hollyberries on the holly tree. Winter is really here. It's cold and there's talk of snow in the forecast.

Although most photographers would frown on photographing such poor, half-dead specimens I find a kind of truth there that we shouldn't overlook. Why are people so afraid of focusing on the dying? There's a beauty there. It gives expression to something all of us go through. And if a picture like this expresses something real, something we go through occasionally, then it's just as important to photograph as perfection. I believe in the candid, the authentic, truth. I want real.

If you read my comments on my last post, you will already know that the conference was a wonderful success for me. I met many people, made many good connections, even doing a radio interview with a university radio broadcaster. This was definitely a good place for me - and for Living Room - to be.

I said to my pastor today, "I guess I had nothing to worry about, eh?" But on thinking about that, I wonder if I would have prayed as earnestly as I did if I hadn't been worried about it. The worrying helped me to prepare in every way I could.

I thank God for being with me, for giving me the confidence I had prayed for. I thank him for the oodles of support I received. The oodles of prayer.

Now it's time to focus on Christmas. So good to be feeling well this year. The past two or three years were very difficult for me at Christmas time. This year is different. I've had a few problems in the past few weeks, but I think they were probably situational - stress related to the conference and my husband being away. Now there's nothing holding me back from enjoying the season...as long as I take life one day at a time.

6 comments:

Wendy Love said...

Wow Marja! Your blog is looking great! And I can now follow. Glad you are feeling good so far this Christmas, and especially glad the conference went well too. Your flowers and your photographs of them are exquisite. In Ontario we are experiencing our first big snowstorm...no flowers here. It is always encouraging to hear, once again, about God's faithfulness. For someone living with bipolar, your testimony is the full life that you live despite it.

marja said...

Thank you, Wendy. Yes, I'm very grateful for how well I'm doing. Actually, I'm so happy about it I'm almost high - but not dangerously so, thank God.

shawnalyne said...

I love the frost on the flowers! So you are a photographer and a writer! You go, girl!

marja said...

Shawnalyne,
Yes. Two creative things that are often neat to use together. If I only had more time...

Thanks for visiting.

'Tart said...

Marja,
I have not been here in a while and it is so good to see you doing well and feeling a pretty even keel, it seems. I think the flowers are beautiful and I too love 'real.' I think it was very giving of you to share your own pictures on the blog. I wish you a Merry Christmas!
Sincerely,
Tart

marja said...

Tart:...and I love people who love "real" as I do. Have a very Merry Christmas.