My Life As A Time Lapse

As a kid, I remember watching special videos that my dad made. As a photographer for FOX, this was not a rare occasion. However, this specific video I recall vividly in my mind...and I'm not sure why.

In 1995 St. Louis constructed the Trans World Dome (now known as the Edward Jones Dome) in order to bring the NFL back to the area. I remember my dad spending tons and tons of hours piecing together a time-lapse video of its construction. He was so proud of the result after hours, days, weeks, and months of work. 

I remember watching the video and being proud too.  

I also remember being amazed at seeing something that was built over a long period of time come together in a span of 5 minutes. 

Doesn't it sometimes feel like life is that same way? You work so hard for these huge events in life and then all of a sudden they are over and it feels like you were just living life as a part of a time lapse. 

The last 4 weeks of our lives have felt that. I mean like high speed, crazy outcome, non-stop time lapse. 

Here is a little review. In the last 4 weeks, we have:

• Hosted 1 Student Ministries Fundraiser
• Hosted and ran 2 Adoption Fundraisers
• Completed our Homestudy for Adoption
• Housesat for one of our High School Students
• Had an out of town visitor for a few days
• Successfully put together and completed our High School Mission Trip
• Lead Worship for Sunday Church
• Preached a Sermon
• And a partridge in a pear tree?

I think back and wonder how on earth we fit all of this into our lives (on top of the regular work schedule, photo shoots, bible studies, seminary). When I look back at it, it is just a glimpse of the reality of the time spent to build, construct, and execute the actual events. 

It all happened so fast. 

Now that I have some time to step back and slow down, I look back at the completed month and see the incredible results of all of this madness! 

To list a few...

• Relationships built cross-generationally within our church through raising money for CHIC
• 2 months of prayers and encouragement to get us to the point of completing the first step of our adoption
• $1,700 raised from our Mini Session Photography Fundraiser
• Renewal and Refreshment in old friendships
• Building and deepening in new friendships 
• Seeing the fruits of letting go and trusting God
• Changed lives through service
• Stronger relationships within our student body
• Stirred passion in our hearts for Inner City Missions
• Finding purpose in using our gifts to glorify God 

You can't always see things clearly when you are in the thick of it. Sometimes it takes watching it all pieced together at completion to realize that the whole process...long, daunting, and challenging as it may be...has created something beautiful. Beautiful and lasting.