Gratitude Tenderizes

I started another blog.

Over here. 


For all the things I'm thankful for.
Because every day is a gift.

And the more I see the more my heart gets softened with gratitude.

Have you thought about what you've received today?

Every day is a gift.

Aaron + Shannon | Married!

Love is in the air. 

Grief

I'm still in the process of processing things.

Big things in life, large events like birth, death, and marriage take that processing time.

A few weeks ago, my Grandpa Brink passed away after a long battle with cancer.
I loved my Grandpa.
I loved my Grandpa so much.



The lessons that he taught me, the time that he spent investing into my life, and the ways that he provided for me and my family will always be knit into the fabric of my heart.  More than a Grandpa, he was a friend to me. Helping me pick out and fix up my first car, taking me on motorcycle rides, bike rides, and sailing on  Lake Harriet.

My Grandpa loved, loved, loved, Music and the Arts.  Some of my favorite memories with him were listening to a Rossini opera or some Stan Getz  jazz in the living room, music notes floating around the room from the suspended stereo system.

My Grandpa would often ask for music requests, loving to play what we loved to hear. More often than not, I would request a special favorite of mine, Jacqueline DuPre preforming Kol Nidre op.47 for Cello. Not necessarily because it was my favorite, but because I knew it was one of his. I loved to watch him listen.

Usually, before playing the piece, he would offer some interesting tidbit about the music, the background of Jacqueline DuPre or how Jewish music always had a note of sadness in it, no matter how happy the tune.

Not this time though. This time he just pulled the well preserved, aged vinyl record from its case and placed it on the turn table. Needle down, music a go.

As the scratching sound of the record started, I watched my Grandpa. As music began to pulse through the needle, down through the sound equipment and out through the speakers, I closed my eyes and floated above the ground, feeling every mourn and sob of the cello, every high and low along with Jacqueline. And while I was sitting there, in the living room, raptured by the beauty of the music, I heard a sob. 

A quiet but terrible sob.

And I opened my eyes and looked up to see my Grandpa standing over the record player, weeping.

"I'm sorry," he said, "its just so beautiful."
________________________________________________________________________________

St Irenaeus said that "The glory of God is man fully alive and a life consists in beholding God." And in that moment, for a glimer of a second, I was a witness to the glory of God, in a man fully alive. 

My Grandpa was fully alive and inspired me to be the same. 

I miss my Grandpa, and loved him so much. 
And I still love him. I'm a strong believer that love goes beyond the grave. You can't stop loving someone just because they died. Scriptures say tha love is stronger than death, God's jealous love stronger than the grave.

And his legacy and his story do just that. My Grandpa wrapped his smaller story, the story of his life around the Larger, Greater Story of Love thats stronger than the grave, victorious over sickness and cancer and death. Or, more appropriately, My Grandpa got himself wrapped up in eternity. And when someone like that passes away, finally gets what they have been waiting for... when someone fully alive crosses the Great Seperation, it sends ripples. The sky spins different, and all of the earth rejoices and groans for the one who has gone home.


And God becomes nearer, to the broken and lonely and confused.
And Jesus becomes the healer. Taking all sickness and cancer and death upon his own body.
And peace, less like a river, more like a sea, comes in and out like a tide. Cleansing an open wound, with the same saltiness of tears.

And Grace, always Grace, becomes a staple, a daily bread. Like a friend to sit with us in sackcloth and ashes reminding us that  

God is near to the broken hearted and he comforts those who mourn

Grief from Laura Clawson on Vimeo.

 

Green Lake pt II | Energy

Pure evidence that summer just came through the door.

Green Lake Part I | 22nd

Twenty second

Its June today.
Full blown June.
The Sun punched in early.
Its taking its time across the hallmark sky
working.Over time.

Its particles and rays
dance chromatic tones across the lake
each ripple a spelling of an answer
to the questions I'd been asking all year.

Every year I'm suprised
checking the calendar, the clock, the shrub at the corner of the house.
Its blooming already? Check.
Check. Double Check. Check.

The days grow long,
and my memory returns
of being eight years old in a large poster bed.
Watching the same light float through the window
feather onto my feet
Bare. Cotton Sheets.

The fan in the window says sleep, sleep, sleep
But I won't be fooled 
I put my face in the path of the beam
Dreaming summer dreams,
asking questions for answers
 come next June 22nd.

Well, that's exciting!

[Good things come to those who wait. 

And save. And wait. And save. 

And....save some more.]

Watch out!

Brit + Phil | Trash the Dress 

More images from the wedding of Phil and Britt and the wonderful trash the dress session!

Drew + Janessa | Married!

On Saturday, I had the chance to shoot the wedding of a longtime family friend. Drew, and his lovely bride Janessa were a blast to work with (through rain and shine) and the wedding turned out beautifully. 

Congrats Drew and Janessa!

[Dwell in Possibility]

Firsts.

I've never blogged about food before. 

I've never made Orange Chicken before. 

I've never really been into food photography. 

[so now, you know]

There is a first time for everything.

Watch out, Martha. 

-L

Phil + Brittany | Married!

Last week, I had the wonderful opportunity to photograph the wedding of my really cool friend Phil. 

In an effort to ring some bells, the wedding was on a Tuesday morning, up in the mountains, sun shining through. Not many can pull off a 10 am wedding, but Phil and his lovely bride Brittany did so with out a hitch. er.... they got hitched. 

Anyways, a preview for you. 

  Congrats, Phil and Britt!

                      
                                   [Dwell in Possibility]