Faith

It POURED.
No. Really. It was a monsoon.
The heavens just opened up and buckets fell from the sky.

30 minutes before we were to meet, we re-scheduled our location to accommodate Mother Nature.

As much as I love the rain, I was pissed.

Well, annoyed was more like it.

My attitude lasted a good three minutes before I realized that being annoyed
wasn't going to help the situation or get me in a 'happy' place.
Why not just think good thoughts?!

Sooo I thought of it not raining.

I made up my mind to have a little bit of faith.
It was after all the theme of the day.

Faith.

It's a broad term.

It can mean many things to many people.

 I sat in the church watching the children receive their communion.
Intently I stared at the community around me wondering what was the
common thread in our lives that brings us here. Together.

What makes us pray and how important is faith?

Faith to many is a religion (regardless of what you 'practice').

And while I have been baptized, and have received my communion and confirmation...
faith to me is more then a religion, or a belief.
Faith gives us all a sense of purpose.
Not only in religion, but life in general.

A sense of purpose is vital, and I think without it life can feel empty.

With faith also comes resilience and perseverance.
'It' helps us to believe in our own capabilities.

If good things happen, how do we process and understand it?
Do we attribute it to our own power?
Someone else's power?
Or just luck?

I feel having the ability to realize that we all have the power to create our own happiness
is by far the greatest gift or attribute one can have.

* * * *

I was lucky to spend a day with two very special girls to celebrate a double communion!
Pretty genius if you ask me.

Why should best friends have to miss each others parties?
Their brilliant Mom's split the difference of the event, and they celebrated in style
among friends and family this past weekend.

While communion is an important part of our religion,
the surrounding aspects of it and why we do it are just as significant.

We have to believe that there is good.
That there is hope.
That love can help, and pull us through difficult times.

That we are there for each other when we need each other the most...no matter how busy life gets.

'Do unto others as you would have done unto you.'
Whether we follow it or not, we understand it.

Faith is about coping.
Life is full of uncertainties.
Resilience, a sense of purpose, optimism and humor can get you through almost anything though.

We all need to have strong conviction in our own potential.
When we don't think or feel we can do it on our own...
our family, our friends our neighbors,
our church and community can help us.

If I have learned anything from life it is this...
the need to believe in yourself...and other's.

As I pulled up to the location the rain had stopped.

And while I don't necessarily believe I convinced the clouds to hold the rain a bit longer for me,

 I do think I was able to convince myself to happily accept the outcome either way. 

Because come rain or shine...

 faith...will pull you through.

Thank you Diane and Christine for letting me capture a small piece of your history.
The girls were as sweet as pie. It was wonderful to see their happiness.
When smiles reach the eyes and smiles go ear to ear...you know you're doing something right!