Walks with a Nikon.

     Almost every afternoon my sister and I go for a 3-5 mile walk around our huge neighborhood, it’s just a good way to get out of the house, be outdoors and get excercise (and I just love being able to take more pictures). So I wanted to share with you some of the pictures that I’ve taken on our daily walks.

“Beautiful you are my darling, there is no flaw in you.”

     I’ve been wanting to write about this subject for quite a while now. This is a subject very close to my heart, I believe that every girl out there should know just how beautiful they really are.

     I used to have a lot of insecurities, it seemed like no matter how hard I tried to look “pretty” I was never good enough, or never as good as all the other girls. I’ve never really worn brand name clothes (AE, Hollister, Aero…), and seeing every single teenager wearing them when I wasn’t, used to be a major insecurity for me. I’d see all these girls with “perfect” hair, and wish my hair looked like that. I’d try to wear a lot of makeup like all the girls, and dress according to what was “in-style”, and again and again, I was constantly let down because I felt like they were always better looking than me. Then sometime last year at a Youth service on Wednesday night, the senior girls got up and talked to all of the girls in highschool. They shared to us about their insecurities, and how everyone has them, even people who look like they’re extremely confident, they all have things they don’t like about themselves. One of the seniors shared a verse that she always says to herself when she’s having a bad day, it’s “All Beautiful you are my darling, there is no flaw in you.” Song of Solomon 4:7. Just hearing that verse, and looking around that room full of absolutely beautiful girls, just made me stop and think….God created each and every one of us “fearfully and wonderfully made” and “without flaw”. God doesn’t mess up! When we question our looks and say things like “I wish my eyes looked like this” ,”I hate my nose!”,  “I’m too short.” or “I wish I could be thinner like all of those girls” That’s just like telling God “Hey God, you messed up on the way you created me, and I don’t like it, I want to look a different way.”- Whoah. Wait a minute?! Is that really what God thinks when I complain about myself?! God is very understanding, and I’m sure he knows where we’re coming from with thoughts like that, but that’s very much true. To Question the way you were created is like questioning God. Since that senior night at youth group, I’ve realized that God created me unique from everyone else. I’ve learned to like the things I used to despise about myself. Being self-conscious and constantly worrying about what you look like isn’t even worth it. Once you learn to just let it all go, and be the unique and beautiful young woman God has created you to be, it’s amazing how life changing that is. Not having to worry about your looks, and just going out there and showing the world who you are, and being yourself. Don’t ever be afraid to show how God created you, because it’s perfectly beautiful. If only every girl could look in the Mirror and realize just how pretty she really is. No two people are exactly the same, there’s no point in trying to be like “everyone else”. Be the young woman God has created you to be. You’re beautiful, the bible says “there is NO flaw in you”.

     To all of the beautiful girls out there, I challenge you to look in the mirror sometime today, and instead of automatically looking at your “flaws”, make a list of everything you do like about yourself. Look straight in the mirror and tell yourself “I’m beautiful”, because you most certainly are. If it helps, take a dry-erase marker and write a verse on your mirror, or the lyrics to a song (I’m about to list a few if you want to use one of them). I have a verse written on my mirror, and I think it’s an awesome idea for girls (and boys) to do.

“I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – Psalm 139:14

“All beautiful you are my darling, there is no flaw in you.” – Song of Solomon 4:7

“The Lord does not look at the things man look at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”- 1 Samuel 16:7

“The King is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your Lord.” – Psalm 45:11

“You were made with such care, your skin, your body, and your hair are perfect just the way they are.”- Jonny Diaz (More Beautiful You).

“There could never be a more beautiful you, don’t buy the lies, disguises and hoops they make you jump through. You were made to fill a purpose, that only you could do. So there could never be a more beautiful you.” – Jonny Diaz (More Beautiful You - Lyrics)

“I’ve got a couple dents in my fender, got a couple rips in my jeans, try to fit the pieces together, but perfection is my enemy, on my own I’m so clumsy, but on your shoulders I can see, I’m free to be me.” – Francesca Battistelli (Free to Be me – Lyrics)

Thanks for reading. ily.

-Macey

March Madness!

Well, it’s that time of year again…MARCH MADNESS! (: This is one of the most exciting times of the year for me, watching the selection show, filling out your brackets, bracketology (the study and breakdown of the bracket), then watching countless hours of the NCAA Tournament games, and hoping the teams you picked win! I’m so stoked this year that my DUKE Blue Devils got a #1 seed, I hope they win it all. (I actually don’t have them winning the Championship in my bracket…because, well…there’s money at stake and I have to play smart..haha. Duke always loses in the Sweet 16…but hopefully not this year!…I have Kansas winning the whole thing, we’ll see how that goes.)  Duke having a #1 seed isn’t even the best part about the Tournament this year, the fact that North Carolina (UNC Tar Heels), didn’t get a ticket to the big dance, thrills me. HAHA. If you know anything about sports you probably know that  the BIGGEST rivalry over-all is Duke vs. UNC. So, a whole tournament without the Tar Heels is fantastic. (hehehe). Also there’s no LSU Tigers this season (Another team I strongly dislike, ever since they beat my Dukies in the Sweet 16 in Atlanta, in 06….ending J.J. Redick’s career at Duke, the one Duke game I’ve actually been to) Well yeah…so Duke is a #1, there’s not Carolina, and No LSU….I’m a happy girl right now. haha. ANDD. Duke just won the ACC Title. Yesss.

     The games start later this week, I’m so excited! If you haven’t filled your bracket out yet, do it now! I kinda want to post a picture of mine on here or something so you can see it, but I’m not sure if it’s worth scanning the paper or not..haha.

Well anyways. Thanks for checking out my blog. Don’t forget to watch all the March Madness this year, and always remember, GO DUKE!

-Macey

March Madness.

Spring is in the Air.

With only one more week left of winter, you can definitely tell that Spring is in the air. Let’s just hope that the cold doesn’t come back, because I’m loving this weather! (:

Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?

     Before I start…let me tell you that this post has absolutely nothing to do with photography…sorry, but I just felt like sharing this with you, even though it’s completely random.

     Last Friday, Disney and Tim Burton’s new movie “Alice in Wonderland” came to theaters. I got to see it opening day, and WOW. I absolutely LOVED it. I’ve always been a fan of the original animated Alice in Wonderland, so I was so stoked when I found out that they were making another one, and that it would be a Tim Burton film ANDDD it would have Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway starring in it (all three are in my list of favorite actors/actresses). But again, the movie was fantastic, it was funny, sad, exciting, and a little mad. It was just a perfect movie, another Tim Burton masterpiece! It had that sorta dark, really odd sorta flair to it, that makes all of Tim Burton’s movies so different and intriguing.

     Ok, now that we’re on the subject of Tim Burton Movies, let me tell you that I’m a big fan. Well, when I think about it, I haven’t seen the majority of his movies (like all the ones from the 80′s), but all of the one’s that I’ve seen are easily considered my favorite movies. Like- Sweeney Todd, Nightmare Before Christmas, Alice in Wonderland, Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Edward Scissorhands, Planet of the Apes (not a big fan of that one though..haha), and James and the Giant Peach (Tim Burton produced that one.) As you might’ve noticed in that list above…there’s something that MOST of those movies have in common. Can you guess what it is?……the answer is, Johnny Depp (Who stars in Sweeney Todd, Alice in Wonderland, Corpse Bride, Charlie in the Chocolate Factory, and Edward Scissorhands). He’s in a lot more, but just out of that group he’s in the majority. Johhny Depp is one of my favorite actors, he’s just so humorous and different. He can go from playing a demon barber who cuts people’s heads off, to the insane Willy Wonka. In my opinion he is the most talented actor of this generation.

Well I just thought I’d let you in on my love of Tim Burton movies, and Johnny Depp. haha. ANDD, If you haven’t seen Alice in Wonderland (I’ve already seen it twice), Go see it, as soon as possible. It’s amazing, you won’t regret it.

-Maceyyy.

The many faces of Johnny Depp.