Doors & Windows

As a photographer, the best thing you can do is put someone next to window. It adds light to a darkened room and therefore light to your subject. Photography is all a matter of letting the light in. And subsequently, life is about letting God's light into our darkened fallen state. There is that catchy phrase sung in some movie I'd seen long ago, "when He closes a door, He opens a window." While it may appear that opening a door would have let have let in more light potentially, God does not leave you alone in your darkened rooms of mortality. The thing is, that He opens many doors, many windows, and probably would also take many sledgehammers to your walls -- but you have to let Him. You have to let Him help you. And while you must judge wisely, you have to choose a path. 

In my mind, there are many houses, with many doors. Some people would call these houses crossroads in each of our lives. When you choose an opportunity you walk out the door, through the little yard of the house and walk down the path you choose until you reach the next house. While on our way from house to house we see many people, each as we advise them on decisions we've made hoping to make their lives and choices easier. We're all on pathways together, walking to different houses, meeting different people in this little town called life. 

The thing about doors and windows is that if you choose a pathway, going on the door and sitting on the fence in the yard or just staring out the window with dreams in front of you -- gets you absolutely no where. Now, I'm not saying live life to the fullest, drink, be merry. I'm saying live life to the fullest wisely. Deep down all of us have a sense of right and wrong; some called it a conscience, Jiminy Cricket, I refer to it as the light of Christ. It's something we all have innately and that is intended to be used. 

So in the doors & windows of life, in this crazy world when you're too afraid to walk out the door He has opened and you're standing at the window letting the light in -- are you brave enough to take a small step of faith and trust Him?

It's quite simple, this life. As a friend once said, "too much of this world is looked at as being a complex mix of everything that we must do well. I think for all of us it should be looked at as a simplified mix of choices. Choices that are dependent upon loving your God, your family, your neighbor, and doing what deep down in your heart (that is the spirit of God) is right. Nothing else matters."

So you continue, you continue through this life with simply the doors & windows, 
and very important decisions.  And as cliche as it sounds, a Disney movie once said, "Let your conscience be your guide." And if this conscience is the light of Christ, why not let Him be your guide? 
And why not let His light in through all the choices that you make?

In the end I'm just a photographer who sees dreams and tries to capture them, searches for the light within everyone and attempts to get a good smile out of looking through the doors & windows. And of course taking a stroll on a few paths in the little town called life. 

May the doors & windows you choose, be wise and know that Heavenly Father loves you. 




--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
By: Emma Marie.

African Dreamer

Instructions: 
Press play on video. 
Begin reading below slowly 
for full experience of this blogpost. 



Quite recently someone said something to me,
 that quite frankly has stuck with me
 more than anything 
that has really ever been said to me before. 
They said in a bit of a heated moment, 





"Emma all you know in life 
is your dreams,
and that you want to go to Africa.
You're a dreamer, and you just keep dreaming."

[Thank You to the Adopt a Negotiator Project for the Image at Left]








At the time, I thought it was indeed quite siLLy. 
I'm more than just a dreamer, but then I realized I am not
I am nothing more {nor far from anything less} than a dreamer
Define dream: A series of thoughts, images or sensations. 
Define Dreamer: A person who experiences these things, as mentioned above. 







What better to be than a dreamer?
A person who experiences of the world 
through 
 thoughts, images or sensations.  
For without those words, the world seems 
rather dreary to me. 
For what is life without wishes?
Without hopes?
Without faith in those dreams?






....and I've kept pondering about Africa, and my life in general. 
Somehow this semester I became a recluse, unpoetic girl who spent most of her time galavanting into the night. 
My spirit, it longs more than anything to be free. 
I'm not ready to be tied down. 
I'm not ready to run away from being who I am, not right now, not ever. 
Ask me to be silent, to say nothing unless spoken too. 
No never, no matter the nervousness about life, never will I be silent. 
For there is something in my soul that yearns to speak for many who have no voices. 
Maybe that it is Africa? Maybe that is in Neuro?
Because if not, if I cannot speak, if I cannot dream I am left feeling simply, 
Raw.


And it all reality, I never want to go back , 
go back to feeling like I can't breath
Like there is nothing but endless monotony
Go back to feeling like I can't speak, 
as if I can't speak my mind. 
As if I have to fit into a cookie cutter mold. 
I'm not ready, 
and maybe I've been trying to convince myself, 
but I am not ready
So I'm taking a leap of faith, 
I'm being a dreamer. 
First you have to run
and then you take a leap of faith. 
You may not know where it will take you, 
but there is something so tied, 
so tied in my soul to Africa.

So  as I sleep tonight, 
I sing to myself 
Imba wimbo
Wa upepo
Wakati unajiwa na
Imba wimbo wa upepo
Wakati ndoto tamu
Lala mapaka usiku uisheni
Upepo wa usiku
Wimbo wanko na
Wimbo wangu inaendelea milele
 


.....Dreaming of the winds of Africa, the winds of change, maybe they'll take me away. 



--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me. 
By: Emma Marie.

Well Hi there, what's your name?


Life is about changes right?
So I did it, I did it. I cut it. I went out onto the "edge" of my life, 
and I did something completely out of the blue, 
pretty much without telling all of you. 
CHOPPED. 
Check. 
Punctured? 
Soon. 
Me, well I'm happy with it - gives me a new something 
and a little bit of a new someone to be. 
A tad bit cliche since everyone has done it,
but hey, who says I can't try it too?
It's not like I was jumping off a cliff, 
well at least not actually....
maybe a tad metaphorically, but we don't speak of that. 
.....thoughts? anyone? anyone? 


Love always, 
Emma 

--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
 By: Emma Marie.

Weed Out the Ridiculousness

I wanted to be a Neuroscience major, I did. 
And then I took Chemistry 105, 
and I thought to myself - I hate Chemistry. 
Why in the world am I a field where I use something I'm not even good at?
.....and I really don't like that much. 
Yes, I want to be be a professor -- but I really can be a professor in anything, right?

Okay, major switching here I come :) 
That is all. 
Suggestions anyone?
I'm thinking sociology or anthropology. 

--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
By: Emma Marie.

Punctured.



What am I doing over Christmas break you ask?
I'm just getting punctured. 
(Known to your other people as getting your ears pierced)

This is me in a Charlie Brown Christmas sweater 
This is my ear lobe, see it, it's perfect. 
This will be my earlobe after it's punctured - slightly less than perfect. 
I'm still getting used to this crazy idea. 
Why am I doing this you ask?
Because of my wonderful sibling, Felicia and her hubby, James. 

She has an extra piercing and if I put some in, she'll take hers out.
So that she'll go here in a year, with her wonderful James. 

So I guess I'm getting punctured. 
Ahhhhhhh...I'm just hoping that I won't have saggy earlobes when I'm old because of this. 

.....in the end, eternal perspective, it's just two pokes, right?
Two painful punctures coming up, here we go :) 



p.s. Temple Photo Credit: lds.org, Thank You. 

--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
 By: Emma Marie.

That's My Bestest Friend


 This is my bestest friend. 
We laugh. A lot. 
It's relieving the stress of finals. 
Too bad that was on Sunday, 
oh...... one more week, I can do this.

--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
By: Emma Marie.

200 POSTS
What the?

In order to celebrate this post I will.....
do absolutely nothing special. 


--
nope, that's a lie. 
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I will share my deepest desire right now, 

which is?

tO mAkE A sNoWmAn 

(Chanel ad man in the background provided by my wonderful roommates, yes, he's creepin' on my snowman dreams)  

Seriously, I have so many freakin' carrots. 
Whose idea was it to buy three whole bags of mini-carrots?
oh...that's right, me. 
And it's so cold, 10 degrees in the morning here and there is no snow. 
Please, local BYU zoobies - stop praying for no snow. 
I'm really dreaming of a white Christmas, 
because next Christmas I'll be saying hi to HI. 

So, happy 200th blog post.
Thanks for sticking with me - now if I could just get some snow to stick. 
Love you all, 
Emma

p.s. Can you tell I'm losing it a bit with finals coming up?
Yeah, oh well, pray for me? Ha ha - here we come finals week! 


--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
 By: Emma Marie.

Everyone Can Cook.....I think.

Major Cooking Experiment #1 
Chicken Cordon Bleu 
Mandarin Almond Salad with Poppyseed Dressing
Side of Corn (from a can, he he)
with Lemon/Orange Cream Cakes

So, to fully capture this experience - I shall do this: 
BLOG WHILST BAKING

Chicken Cordon Bleu: 
Wait, pound the chicken? With what?
Is it supposed to wrap all the way around?
Yes, I think it is - crap, well it'll still taste good, right? 
Yes, yes it should. 
Alright, well that goes in the freezer until I can heat it.


Sauce:
WAH - what the heck is the cheese doing?
My roommate: It's coagulating.
Great, my cheese now just wants to pretend like it's blood,
maybe it's a defense mechanism as to not get eaten. 

Salad:
Okay, this is the east part- mix all ingredients.
K, cool done...and refrigerate.
That was kinda boring, good thing I'm adding poppy seed dress.

Side of Corn:
Master of the can opener unleashed,
pull out of metal can, poor in bowl
- and press instant cook two minute button.

Lemon/Orange Cream Cake:
Cream butter and sugar - wait, cream, butter and sugar,
oh cream them together. Got it.
Ummm, why is it not browning on the top?
Ah well


.....and the final product looks like
(ya, the pictures don't look as great as they could - but it was dang delicious)





So, that's all people...until next time,
cooking it's not that hard,
it's Easy, Bake it!


--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
By: Emma Marie.

Smiles, Lights and Cute Dates



 Let''s face it - I'm a sucker for cute dates just like every other girl on the planet. But, I'm working on being a bit better than average. Can't I give a little bit on this one though? Yes. I think so. It really was one of the best dates I've ever been on - I had a blast. First off he came, and before even going on a date he fixed all of my friends computer struggles. Then he took me up to Salt Lake and whisked me away to the Lion House Pantry. Have you ever run across icy temple square to make it on time to a restaurant before they close? Well I can safely say that I have now. The food was delicious, and it was really fun being up at Temple Square. Taking pictures, laughing about these silly new motion sensor boards they have. I felt like a ninja trying to get the thing to work. You know how Pop-Tarts have instructions on them? These boards needed to have them too.  So after my ridiculous ninja moves, he walked me over to a gazebo and he asked me to dance with the music from his iPhone. Ya, it was a nice little date, then we drove back down to Provo, tried to see at movie at the theater at Thanksgiving Point but instead watched a movie at his house. Seriously, Night & Day it's a must see for sure. At the end of the day, I think it's about being happy, that you go to bed and wake up with a smile :)  Thanks Stephen for the smiles. 


--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
By: Emma Marie.

Cook It, Tuck It, Polka-Dot-It.


Confession #1: I have never had to cook in my life 
--really I haven't. 
So, after much contemplation I came to this conclusion: 
I HAVE GOT TO LEARN HOW TO COOK. 
How many of you when I say the words "good cook" think of 
your mother?
Ya, well that's what I want to be. 
Motherhood preparation 101 -- learn how to cook. 
Maybe even wifehood. 
Livin' in whatever hood there is, 
I need to be able to make food, yes?
Good, edible fabulous food....
okay, deal. 
Random tidbit of information: My mom in the 6th grade bought me an easy bake oven in an effort to teach me how to cook. You know what I used it for? I made three cakes, and the rest I took out the safety restriction on the heat lightbulb and used it to make s'mores. 
Emma Cooking Fail. 

So here I am, I planned out my meals for the next two weeks of all those lovely foods I wanted to try. 
Wish me luck & watch for Easy, Bake It posts coming soon. 
(Come on, you want to come along for this adventure too, right? Right?) 




Confession #2: I have never tucked my shirt
 into a pair of jeans. 
Well, you see way back in August, 
 I bought a pair of trouser jeans. 
It's December - 
I've never worn then. 
Emma clothing fail. 
So, what do you think?
Do I keep tucking it all in?
I really can't decide. 







So for now, I'm left to cross my tees (with a belt) and enjoy my polka-dotted i's. Wish me luck!





--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
 By: Emma Marie.

Charlie Winston.





Well, I guess I might just be in the mood for some of this goodness 



--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me. By: Emma Marie.

Decisions.

In life, you're left with a lot of decisions. 
Decisions to be, or who, or where. 
And when you pause to plan out your life -- 
it never goes like you want it too. 
At the end of the day though, 
will you be happy?
I don't know if you can go searching through life, 
for all those things that will make you "happier" per say. 
Because sometimes, sometimes opportunities that turn out so perfectly -- 
happen only once. 
So what if you walk away?
What if you leave everything you've known?
Because somehow at the end of the day, 
you want to be happy. 
With the first thought, with the last, 
and in all your decisions.....
go to bed happy, wake up with a smile - 
knowing that you did the very best that you could. 

--But this is just another autobiography, examining the prosopography of me.
By: Emma Marie.