At long last, here is the finished highlight video for Holli + Steven.

I’m finally back after my semester of absolute craziness!  Along with that, I am DONE with school!  No more morning/evening commutes out to Levelland, Texas for me.  This last semester of my schoolwork was actually pretty fun.  Learning to troubleshoot PA systems, solder together electronic components, and animate in Adobe Flash made it a worthwhile semester.  I can honestly say this has been my hardest ever semester of school I’ve had.  I usually have never had too many projects or homework, but this fall sure woke me up.

Now that I am done at South Plains College, time for a big transition in my life.  I have started full time at my current job at First Lubbock this past week, and am loving every bit of it.  Being used to my Monday/Wednesday/Friday schedule, when I worked on Tuesday this week, I felt like I was already halfway through!  Funny thing for me is, all this time I’ve been looking forward to finishing school, so that I’d have more time to learn at my office.  Now I’ll have time to

• Figure out how ProRes 422 works and why it’s amazing
• Learn how DMX works and how to program a legit light show
• Experiment around in After Effects

along with other things.  The learning never ends it seems…

Also, with this transition into big-boy world, I have decided to follow the call God has placed on my life & go to Japan to make Him famous.  I will be going with iGoGlobal this summer to Tokyo to build relationships with the local people & share the love & good news of Jesus.  I am incredibly excited about this, and I’m sure you will be hearing more about it on here soon.

I apologize for being AWOL this past semester, the blog posts should be increasing again

Cheers to the new year of 2010!

Holli + Steven were married at The Watson Building on August 1, 2009.  Man, filming this wedding was a blast!  I met Holli & Steven while filming another wedding (their friend Kim’s) in Dallas.  What a fun couple to work with!  From the get-go I could tell this would be an amazing day.  So many friends & family were there ALL day decorating and preparing for the evening, it was awesome to see so much love between not only Holli + Steven, but between them & their friends/family as well.  Such a great day for an amazing couple!  Check out their wedding trailer below.

Man, I can’t believe that summer is almost gone already!  I remember when I used to look forward to summer break, but now it seems that I’m looking forward to this last semester of school just for a change of pace

Here’s a snippet of a wedding I helped film with my friend Brent a couple of weeks ago:

I also just got back from filming a wedding in McKinney, TX.  I never really have driven in Dallas metroplex traffic before, but with the trusty Garmin that I borrowed, it was smooooooth sailing.  I’ll be posting this video as soon as I can get it edited!

Cheers

The other day I got an opportunity to shoot some photos for my “co-worker” Chris and his family.  We had a great time, and got some great shots of Cooper (and boy does this kid like to randomly point, haha!).  Here are some from the session, check them out

Told you guys I’d be blogging more!  I’ll wait a little while before the next one   As always, any tips from any photogs reading the blog are tremendously appreciated   Cheers!

So my summer has gotten completely CRAZY reallllly fast.  Here is a small portion of what I’ve been doing…

• Building a new computer
• Moving all my files (which was a little more complicated than I thought, going from one OS to another…)
• Learning Adobe CS4
• Several photo shoots
• Filming weddings like crazy (3 in a row over the past 3 weeks, got another next week)
• Rebuilding a computer for the parents
• BUSYNESS at FBC

There is a lot more, but as you can see, I’ve been up to my neck in stuff to do so far this summer!  Not to fear though, now that I’ve finally gotten my new computer up and running for the most part, I should be able to start editing/blogging again.

A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine invited me to film one of my favorite bands at this years Super Summer camp in Abilene.  Man, it was a blast.  I never was a part of Super Summer when I was younger, but being there for one night, I could literally SEE how much God was moving there.  What an awesome camp!  JCB led worship this summer, and when given the chance to film them some, I jumped on the opportunity   Here’s a short video from the footage I got while I was there.

Man I wish I could help out and be a part of this camp. Seeing so many youth on fire for God in such an awesome way is so inspiring.

Coming up SOON on the blog:

• MHS Basketball Highlight Reel
• Crawford family photo shoot
• Tipton family photo shoot
• A snippet of my wedding film adventures
• A super special secret video

Make sure and check back soon!  Cheers

Well, I had my first foray into photography this past Easter weekend!  I wasn’t quite sure what to expect…  I knew I could compose a shot for video, but for a photo?  Well, turns out they’re a lot alike, videography & photography!  Framing the subject is essentially the same, editing them is somewhat similar; the most difficult thing for me was actually posing the person.  I just felt kinda weird (even with my brother) telling him how to pose for these photos, haha!  So, any photog friends reading this, if you have any tips for me send them my way =]  But now, without further ado, here are the photos.

Sorry it’s been such a long time since I’ve blogged everyone  My life has been nothing less of crazy these past couple of months, with the semester finishing out and work just getting busy as can be.  I promise I’ll be better about blogging soon!  I’ve got several posts coming, and with summer starting, I’ll have plenty of time to blog  Hope everyone is having a GREAT summer so far!  More pictures coming soon.  Cheers!

Lately in my quiet time I’ve been going through 2 Samuel and Psalms.  I usually read one chapter of each every morning and keep them lined up (for example, I’ll ready 2 Samuel 10 and Psalm 110, or 2 Samuel 23 and Psalm 123).  I’ve been coming up on the monstrous Psalm 119, and I have to admit I wasn’t looking forward to reading this behemoth of a Psalm.  176 verses, titles like Heth and Yodh (makes me think of Yoda…), and 8 whole pages for this one Psalm.  I’ve never read it all the way through before, and when I finally came to it, I was rather reluctant to read it.  Thankfully, God gave me the perfect opportunity to read it:  on my first full day off in forever, which happened to be an extremely rainy day (I LOVE rain), and Sugarbrowns happened to be 3/4 of the way empty (quiet, calm coffee shop = heaven).  

I began reading it, and discovered it to be one of the richest Psalms I’ve ever read.  There were so many beautiful verses, many with unique ways of saying what they needed to say.  Here are the ones that I underlined:

I will praise you with an upright heart (v. 7)

I will not neglect your word.  (v.16)

Open my eyes that I may see (v. 18)

I am laid low in the dust; (v. 25)

My soul is weary with sorrow; (v. 28)

Keep me from deceitful ways; (v. 29)

…set my heart free. (v. 32)

Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. (v. 35)

I remember your ancient laws, O Lord, and I find comfort in them. (v. 52)

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.  (v. 71)

May your unfailing love be my comfort, (v. 76)

My soul faints with longing for your salvation, (v. 81)

My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, “When will you comfort me?”  (v. 82)

Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees.  (v. 83)

How long must your servant wait?  (v. 84)

To all perfection I see a limit; but your commands are boundless.  (v. 96)

I have suffered much; preserve my life, O Lord, (v. 107)

Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law.  (v. 109)

My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise.  (v. 123)

I am your servant; give me discernment (v. 125)

The unfolding of your words gives light; (v. 130)

I call with all my heart; answer me, O Lord, (v. 145)

I call out to you; save me (v. 146)

Look upon my suffering and deliver me, (v. 153)

…preserve my life according to your promise.  (v. 154)

May my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word.  (v. 169)

Let me live that I may praise you, (v. 175)

I have strayed like a lost sheep.  Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.  (v. 176)

The Psalmist really seemed to have it rough.  He was suffering, crying out to God, waiting for Him to answer.  Here was the Psalmist, suffering, weary from being persecuted by his enemies; and though he had taken his life into his own hands countless times, straying like a lost sheep from his Shepherd, he still realizes that he must cry out to the Lord to be saved.  Wow.

This Psalm has really encouraged me.  I can understand some of what the Psalmist is going through.  Taking my life into my own hands (v. 109), straying away from the Father (v. 176); I feel like I can definitely relate.  Though I do these things (just like the Psalmist), God is always waiting there for me to come back to Him.  Even if I think I can plan out my life, plotting out each and every next step I’m going to take, forging my own path… there He is, gently (usually… sometimes it takes a little more force to get through my thick-headedness) prodding me into the right direction.  

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

Be encouraged knowing that Christ IS with you.  Though you may stray from His path, He is always there, seeking you out, offering His wonderful Grace to those who believe in Him.  

This year’s MHS Lady Plainsmen Basketball highlight reel will be up next.  Keep a look out for it soon

I was going to wait and update on this after I was finished editing the MHS basketball highlight video, but I feel like if I don’t do it soon I’ll forget all I want to say.  

Over spring break I went to Los Angeles, CA on FBC’s Coast to Coast mission trip.  This was my 2nd year to go on this mission trip, and my 2nd mission trip period.  The week leading up to the trip I got really pumped and anxious to go on the trip.  Last year was amazing, God did awesome things, and I was expecting the same this year.  To keep me focused on the trip, I found a verse for me and a couple of friends to be “our” mission trip verse:

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

   1 Corinthians 2:2

Everything started out fine, hanging out before we left, enjoying the first part of the bus ride.  But that ride soon turned into a very long ride, and got old quick.  Once there, we went to church in Anaheim, went to Huntington Beach, and then Monday we started working.  

Last year, my work site was around 12-15 people total, this year it was over 40.  Needless to say, it was hard to get to know everyone at first, and therefore kinda discouraging.  To add to that, I had a hard time finding a job to really stick to on the site, kinda felt useless just wandering around trying to find something to do.  

There were a lot of ups and downs over the course of this trip.  At the end of the week when we were driving back to Lubbock, I was sick of everything, and felt like the trip had been a waste for me.  I hadn’t focused on God like I had planned, and I felt like I didn’t do as much work as I should have.  This trip was in no way like last year.  

After getting home and really thinking and talking the trip over, I realize that it was satan getting to me.  He hit me hard on this trip, telling me I was worthless, useless, and a failure; that God did not work in me or through me on this trip.  It was all a lie.  

I went on this trip to serve in whatever way I could, and that’s what I did.  I think I went into the trip thinking, “Okay God, here’s how I’m going to work, what I’m going to do, and what it’s going to teach me.”  But God had a much more different plan in mind.  More and more since I’ve been back from LA, I’ve realized just how much God did work & is still working!  There may have been a ton of little things satan threw at me, but the things God is doing are infinitely bigger!  A good friend found a very real relationship with Christ and gave up drugs.  Another friend has come to know Father better than ever and making bold moves in his life to keep getting closer to Him.  Another has found courage, deeper faith, & direction for his life when 2 weeks before he had no clue on how to decide.  

And for me?  Father has shown me that He is the only thing that matters.  

All my delight is in you Lord, all of my hope, all of my strength.

I “tried” to put my hope in Him, my strength in Him, but in reality I put it in the world, into a lost world.  He is the only one that can satisfy, who I can delight in.  Nobody/nothing else.  

God continues to do great things around me, and it brings me so much joy.  I am so grateful for His love.

Pictures to come soon.

A lot has happened since spring break.  I plan on blogging about my mission trip in Los Angeles and posting a new video here in the next week or so.  Keep an eye out!