How to deal with anxiety through cancer monitoring: A Biblical Perspective

How to deal with anxiety through cancer monitoring: A Biblical Perspective

by | Dec 6, 2019 | Cancer, Faith | 0 comments

The whole world crumbled beneath me when my husband uttered: “I have a tumor in my chest”. It is shocking to learn you have cancer and a relief to be healing. However, how do you deal with the next phase of cancer MONITORING? How to deal with the anxiety throughout the cancer monitoring phase of life?

How to deal with anxiety throughout cancer monitoring?

Cancer comes with a multitude of appointments, tasks, treatments, and decisions. For survivors, the routine scan for cancer monitoring can be one of the most taxing and anxiety-ridden.

Throughout our process, there has been a lot of waiting. Waiting on tests to be approved. Tests to be completed. Surgeries to be approved. Results from biopsies. A further detailed diagnosis. Treatment to be chosen. Treatment started. Treatment to end. Scans to reveal progress. And more scans and more scans. 

So much waiting. Waiting breeds anxiety, worry, depression, and fear or it can be an opportunity to have peace.

1. What is anxiety?

How to deal with anxiety through cancer monitoring?

According to a quick internet definition, it is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome. The desire to do something, typically accompanied by unease. 

It is a feeling. A desire to do something or have something accomplished. Stress ridden desires can start to ruminate which means we allow the potential negative outcomes to replay over and over in our minds. We repetitively go back to the situation that is causing us distress which feeds into more suffering. A broken record of negativity that cycles on the parts that are out of our control due to a waiting process.

What if this treatment doesn’t work? 

What about the side effects? 

Will we ever have more kids?

I don’t know if I am strong enough to handle this.

What if it comes back?

What will the doctor decide for our next phase of treatment?

How do we do this again with our kids? Can they handle it all over again?

What if he loses his job this time?

Will our insurance continue to cover this?

Why?

For me personally, the feeling of unease is more of a physical symptom that manifests in stomach pain and a heavy chest sensation as though I can never fully breathe. I am figuratively and literally gasping for air. What happens when you become short of breath? You become dizzy and faint. When this overwhelming weight in my heart overcomes me I give in to it and fall to my knees in desperation for God’s Holy Word.

2. How does cancer cause fear and steal our joy?

 

    • Things are out of our control = STRESS
    • The future is uncertain = STRESS
    • The pain and/or side effects = STRESS
    • The fear of losing someone = STRESS
    • The fear of dying = STRESS

 

Fear of losing a loved one

Personally, we struggled with this one. Our life example was accepting the fact that my husband and father of four young children had cancer then embracing the SMALL CHANCE that it could end with cancer taking him away. I could have become frozen with this debilitating fear [which it most certainly was for the brief moment I allowed it to enter my head space]. The idea of him dying would try to sneak into my heart even in the most mundane tasks like washing dishes, taking the kids to school, and especially at night. 

The other fear was something unexpected due to the distance between us throughout treatment.

Fear of being apart during hardship.

My husband was facing the biggest battle of his life and every ounce of my being wanted to serve him THERE. EVERY. SINGLE. MINUTE.

Yet, I had to swallow my selfish desires and worry by putting on my big girl pants. As a wife and mother, my duties were diverse with taking care of the home, children, myself, and my husband. It was not time to get caught up in “I want to do this…” or “We should do this…” or “I NEED…” The battles during cancer can devour us or bring us through the fire stronger. Let’s discuss how.

3. What does the Bible say about fear and worry?

How to deal with anxiety through cancer monitoring? PEACE

According to a Huffington Post article written in 2014, What Philippians 4:6-7 Bible Passage Can Teach Us About Managing Anxiety Today the most highlighted Kindle ebook passage was Phil 4:6, a verse about conquering anxiety and discovering trust in God. 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Scholars strongly agree that Paul was writing this letter to the Philippians while in prison for preaching the gospel of Christ and apprehensive that he would reach the people, therefore, he was compelled to continue his work while also embracing the likelihood of imminent execution for the sake of Jesus which he deemed a worthy cause. 

The context of scripture illustrates the dire circumstances that the author is facing and better aids us in understanding the weight it carries vs just reading a command out of context. 

For example, when facing an illness, car accident, death, or lifelong suffering, you may tend to listen to the wisdom of one who has weathered through a similar storm vs one who has not though their intentions are sincere.

According to this scripture, which can be broken into multiple parts, we are given explicit instructions on how to deal with anxiety and what we will receive in exchange.

It says that we should:

“Not be anxious about anything”

    • Do not be anxious about a few things? Just finances? Death? Relationships? 
    • NO! It says to NOT be worried about ANYTHING!
    • No matter what you are facing – give it to God.

“But in every situation”

    • Repetition is a teaching technique to drive home the point that this detail should not be forgotten.
    • Once again, Paul reiterates, that in EVERY situation do NOT be anxious.
    • We are not to be anxious in our hearts, minds, or physical situations.

“With prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,”

    • Prayer – go to God directly with your heart and worry. Lay it down at His feet
    • We are to ask and beg at times, with an earnest or humble heart with our plea.
    • BUT do it all with an attitude of gratitude

“Present your requests to God”

    • Does is command you to go to the phone and share your fear with a close friend? Blast it on social media? Have a coffee date? No. (There is a time and place for community and how you should handle going to friends for comfort but it is not addressed in this scripture.)
    • Presenting your fears and solutions to God means we are to pray.
    • Prayer is communication with your heavenly Father. An open and raw conversation with the only one who has the power to change it. To change you. To bring healing. To bring peace.

4. What does the Bible say about giving our fear and worry to God?

 

The second verse of this scripture brings us to the reward of handing over our fear.

(7) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Hallelujah! When you place all the fear down you are replaced with amazing PEACE!

The peace that comes from God! Paul understood that this peace could not be understood but he was experiencing it in the depths of a prison cell. He had it as faced down persecution after persecution. As did multiple other disciples as they endured torment and pain for the sake of the gospel. 

“Transcends all understanding”

As a mother of four young children and wife of nine years, how could I share our story with such peace? How am I still able to share it without getting a lump in my throat from the paralyzing fear of what-ifs? Because HE is guarding my heart and mind.

I ran to Him and placed it at His feet. At the cross. And I have a peace that stands firm in my heart even during these waiting periods.

So what, who cares?

I share this so that if someone else is also staring down the hall of an anxiety-ridden waiting process that seems overwhelming they too can find the peace of God just like us. We are to be good stewards of our bodies and things in our control but ultimately it is in His hands. Do not live a life with your hands gripped tightly around things that could be given to Him. Do not rob yourself of the peace of God. Here are a few more scriptures to help you through a difficult time.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 

Matthew 6:25-26

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:34

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:19

 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

1 John 4:18

 

“As for God, his way is perfect:    The Lord’s word is flawless;    he shields all who take refuge in him.”

2 Samuel 22:31

Motherhood in 2019: A Titus 2 Perspective

Motherhood in 2019: A Titus 2 Perspective

by | Jun 11, 2019 | Faith | 2 comments

As a Christian mom, I rely fully on the Word of God to direct my steps as a mother. It is literally the toughest and most fulfilling job I have ever had. There are no breaks, no vacations, no time-outs, it is 24/7. And I love every second of it (even if I need a little “me time” just so that I can better serve my family).

My four littles have taught me how to be selfless, patient, kind, and to find strength in my weakness. I know that everything is ultimately out of my control. #Godisincontrol

To do it right, I personally love to go to God’s word where he gives explicit instructions on how to grow and mature in my role.

However, with the advancement in technology and the instant availability of information, my generation (yes I am a millennial) have been gifted an opportunity to access vast arrays of knowledge that was not available to our parents.

The internet.

It is a marvelous thing and I adore most of Google’s products. But gone are the days of checking out library books and scouring encyclopedias for facts.

If you are reading this can you recall reading an encyclopedia? I do!!!

It is a glorious memory. My grandmother ordered an entire set A-Z. She didn’t have a full bookshelf to house them all so she lined them up along the wall and across cabinets.

I would wander down to her house through a little pathway in the woods to research a new topic. Most of the time, it was about animals.

“Nanny, what kind of snake is this?”

“What kind of tree is this?”

“Why do the catfish eat everything in our pond?”

“How do you distinguish a poisonous snake from a non-venomous one?”

Have you started to sense that we lived in the woods? LOL

She would pull out the magnifying glass for her ailing eyes to scan over the tops of each page searching for the right topic word in alphabetical order. Together we would read about the marvels in our backyard and sometimes travel farther across the world learning about exotic birds and famous people. It was always an enjoyable time learning from my grandmother’s encyclopedias and HER.

She was my elder. An older woman that could share her life that consisted of a  depression era upbringing, two marriages, four children, and long hours in a shirt factory.

She encouraged my faith by living an example of trust, kindness and unending mercy with humility and respect for others.

Titus 2:3-5 says

3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

Teach the older women

As an older woman of God, she had learned a proper way to handle herself and pursue the Word of God. She embraced the duty to learn so that she could pass down that knowledge. My grandmother and mother did their best to transfer what they knew was the best instruction for us.

Teach what is good

During our childhood, my mother and grandmother pressed into Pro 22:6, therefore, creating a “Mary” mentality more than a “Martha”. Personally, as a young mother, I struggle with homemaking – staying on top of laundry, dishes, and the chaos of keeping an orderly home. Yet, my heart always chases after the PEACE in God through understanding because, though homemaking skills are important, they can be taught, but a heart reliant on God is groomed through Bible reading, fellowship and seeing faith in action. My grandmother ALWAYS had her Bible handy beside the big fluffy recliner and a church hymnal to sing praises to God. Hallelujah!

Urge the younger women

Not only did my grandmother encourage fervent Bible reading so did my GREAT-grandmother! What a sweet thing it is to pass down through multiple generations a passion for Bible reading. The word “urge” is means to try earnestly or persistently to persuade someone to do something. My grandmothers were creating a strong desire in my heart to pursue the Bible. It wasn’t a forceful judgemental instruction but one of loving tenderness that was felt through their kind words and gentle urging. I never felt shame for not reading or when I slipped up. Forgiveness and mercy was also a character trait passed down through their actions. I am grateful for their influence.

Instructions

The verse clearly outlines:

  1. love your husbands and children
  2. be self-controlled and pure
  3. be busy at home
  4. be kind
  5. be subject to your husbands

Now for my SO WHAT WHO CARES?

As a mom scouring the internet for information about biblical marriage and motherhood advice I would find entire articles for each of the five instructions above. For today, I am not going to elaborate on each of them. However, I will offer what I have found to be true in my marriage and motherhood journey thus far.

  1. Loving my family comes first even when things get rough.
  2. I attempt to pray before I speak out in anger, therefore, practicing self-control (through a whole lot of help from the Holy Spirit).
  3. As a married couple, we set up boundaries and restrictions to enforce purity.
  4. We made the decision that I would stay home to pour into the children during their foundational years. (I didn’t even start blogging until my oldest was seven years old.) The work wasn’t satisfying in the beginning though my heart and mind simply needed to mature. NOW, I can see the fruit of my labor in our children.  (Wanna know more about the first years leave a comment below).
  5. And finally, YES, I am subject to my husband because he is the head of our household. He doesn’t govern or dictate me nor use me as a doormat, etc. My husband is a loving man of Christ who cherishes ME like Christ loves the church. He is self-sacrificing, caring, kind, and understanding. He provides for us spiritually and physically. He leads us through the valleys and rejoices with us on mountaintops. Is he perfect? No. Neither am I. We love Christ first then each other than our children. We understand the unity we have in Him and the covenant we made with one another. So, Yes, I am subject to him because HE is subject to us through Christ Jesus.

If you are a new mom or a hurting mom I would encourage you to turn to the best instruction manual, encyclopedia, and Google search available – the Word of God. It is a wonderful book full of stories that will encourage the weariest heart. And if you need prayer please do not hesitate to reach out.

 

Additional reading:

https://articles.titus2.com/titus-two-encouragement-for-young-mother-part-1/

A book list: http://titus2mentoringwomen.com/books/

Start a mentoring program: http://titus2mentoringwomen.com/

How tangled hair teaches patience

How tangled hair teaches patience

by | Sep 17, 2018 | Faith, Family | 0 comments

Today was a true test of being a mother of multiples. It was how tangled hair teaches patience. A tangled knotty nightmare all wrapped up into a patience testing situation.

Do you know what burdocks are? Oh, you are in for a treat! The nightmare of knots is enough to drive anyone mad!

However, we face every trial with patience and a strong reliance on a higher power.

SOOOOOO, this story began at a pee wee football practice.

 

Patience and Burdocks

Three year old with Upstate NY burdocks entangled in hair.

First practice of the season with FOUR children in tow.

Snacks: CHECK

Water: CHECK

Toys: CHECK

Patience: CHECK

You see, my little girls have reached an age that is so exhilarating and wonderful. They find joy in the smallest things and everyone is a friend.

I came to practice all prepared and ready to visit as did my girls. They found their friends and flowers!  Watching from distance they were enjoying their freedom and each other. The youngest was on the edge of the public area where the weeds and shrubbery were tall and overbearing. She was picking flowers. It was so cute.

Then she silently walked over to me and touched my hand. As I turned to see what she needed I GASPED!

Burdocks (Spurs):

The entire TOP of her head was locked into the biggest burdock dreadlock ever.

If you aren’t familiar with burdocks they are this prickly ball of hooky things! That can be a living nightmare for your clothes, your animals and especially your hair! Just to give you an idea, the inventor of VELCRO used the burdocks bur design for the hook and loop fastening mechanism. So yeah, these things mean business when they hook into something hopping a ride to spread their seeds.

She was just picking flowers and didn’t realize the danger sitting right above her head. And sometimes we also live like that.

Living life while danger is lingering all around us. BUT why live with all the worrying about potential danger, risks and ‘what ifs’? Why allow the anxiety to control our lives?

Patience:

 A recent song by Blanca turns our controlling, worrying and sometimes pessimistic mindset around with the simple question of “what if”.

What if we trusted the lord completely and gave it all to him? Really, what if?

People ask me all the time “how do I do it?” “How do you handle having four kids and stay sane?” Or they say things like you are a super mom. Literally, in the middle of the burdocks apocalypse, a mom said “look at this champ”.  She had yet to see the knot on the top of my little girl’s head.

Ok, so keeping it real. I am not a super mom nor have I got it all figured out.

Seriously, this household runs on Jesus and A WHOLE LOT OF COFFEE!

So what keeps me sane, calm, cool and collected through it all including this burdocks fiasco?

Jesus. I give it all to Him. (BTW, if you are looking for more mom inspiration that is God centered check out: Risen motherhood)

Things have changed over time including the number of people in our family to the depth of my faith.  My faith has deepened and transformed my motherhood. The anxiety, worry and unknown that once paralyzed me is slowly losing its grip and being replaced with peace.

Patience and burdocks. Just another reminder in this thing called life to calm down and just go with it.

Knotty Head:

 Now, if you want details of the burdocks episode. Wait no longer.

  1. Her hair was initially in a ponytail. Therefore, the top hair along with the ponytail got completely knotted and matted with about 15 burdocks completely rolled up into one giant knot
  2. We slowly pulled away the hair in small pieces exposing some of the burdock and breaking them into smaller pieces since they had dried out, thank goodness.
  3. I slowly pulled the hair away from each “bur” piece by piece and breaking open the pods releasing seeds.
  4. Eventually, I was able to take out the ponytail holder and expose the hair that was matted.
  5. However, the breaking down of the burdocks was releasing the tiny prickly things that make you itch.
  6. She started complaining of the itch and since we weren’t home I had to stop to gather all our things (meanwhile I am still wearing the baby).
  7. Friends noticed and offered help. One just so happened to be a hairstylist and couldn’t resist getting all the burdocks out so that I wasn’t tempted to cut her hair super short. She patiently removed the rest of the burs.
  8. Meanwhile my other little girl decides to investigate the area AND gets two burs in her hair. She literally look down then raised her head right up into the burdocks and they immediately latched.
  9. Eventually all the burdocks were gone from both heads.
  10. We rush home for a quick wash and more hair rescuing which included coconut oil, wide tooth brush to separate the knots followed with a very fine tooth brush to get the tiny knots.
  11. And finally, hair washed and conditioned with detangler.

Blogging for YOU

Blogging for YOU

by | Aug 2, 2018 | Faith | 0 comments

Blogging is still new in our lives.The journey started as a “blogging for me” project in September 2018, after my fourth child was born, yet it never seemed to flourish throughout the first year. I had it all wrong. The project wasn’t meant for me but for YOU! Blogging for YOU is the goal and intention behind this digital wall. Let’s break this down.

 

Let’s narrow it down to a few pitfalls.

 

BUT WAIT!

 

Let me share real quick that my constant excuse making is a mentality that I’m trying to shed throughout this blogging experience and SHARE how I did it with others. Ok, rant over.

 

So pitfalls. Essentially, blogging for ME fell into the same category of everything else in my life – procrastination, perfectionism, and quite frankly, it felt selfish.

 

Blogging, or my web log, was meant to be a place to:

  1. Share God’s truth
  2. Provide a place of rest through a creative outlet during the years at home with four littles
  3. Serve others with my spiritual gifts of faith, knowledge, truth, and teaching thus glorifying the Lord
  4. And finally, technology tutorials! I aim to bridge the gap of digital literacy for those who feel “left behind” when it comes to screens and the new-everywhere -you-look-today software! 

 

[Disclaimer: IF Knitting Our Story eventually brings in some type of income I will be forever grateful but it was never and will never be the number one goal of this blog.]

 

Let’s breakdown the MYTHS [cough obstacles] that stood in the way followed by the TRUTHS that have reshaped my heart and the work that goes into BLOGGING for YOU.

 

MYTH #1:

IT HAD TO BE PERFECT.

The words had to be perfect. The website immaculate. The video tutorials had to be spot on because “hey, I am teaching people how to make videos so mine need to be top-notch”. However, this paralyzed my progress. It stopped me in my tracks. Constantly sitting down for hours with nothing to share because I couldn’t get off the train of perfectionism. I was going nowhere fast. 

 

No effort = no growth

 

I had a vision and mission in mind but was struggling to fully surrender it by placing it into God’s hands. 

 

Do you ever feel that conflict? 

“Here God you can have this decision, task, project or [insert whatever you are holding onto tightly].”

“Oh Wait GOD! Let me take it back from you and try to go it alone.” 

 

TRUTH:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 

in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

 

NOBODY is perfect outside of Jesus. NOTHING will ever be perfect! I had to stop putting on a show (for myself) that I had this “blogging” thing all figured out and STOP obsessing over the details. How would that serve YOU? How would my “faking it” help YOU? It won’t.

 

Proverbs even provided a road map on HOW to do this: 1. Trust God > 2. Lean not on my OWN understanding > 3. Submit to God > 4. He will make my paths straight

 

I do not have to fear anything because the LORD has my back! I can’t let the fear of “not measuring up” hold me back from doing His will. I will stumble upon this path of life and life will knock us down. Our recent life development has proven to us that we certainly are not in control of ANYTHING!

 

MYTH #2:

IT HAD TO BE SECULAR.

Hey, it is the internet so this blog needs to be applicable to everyone. It shouldn’t ruffle any feathers nor should it speak so boldly about my faith. The internal dialogue was saying…. Don’t share your struggles or areas of weakness. Do not stand on your convictions because someone will try to knock you down. 

 

The FEAR was debilitating. 

 

TRUTH:

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” ~ Psalm 27:1

 

Again, another situation to place firmly into the hands of God.  I [extreme emphasis on “I”] was placing unwarranted pressure on myself to make this blog a business and ‘professional’ which undermines my WHY for starting this in the first place. 

 

If someone is offended then let me go ahead and say “I am sorry” here and now. Blogging is a sharing platform thus I am only sharing MY personal beliefs. You are welcome to yours and can visit other platforms that are more aligned to your personal beliefs. 

 

MYTH #3:

IT HAD TO BE CONSISTENT.

Ok, this one is trickier because I certainly do want a high performing blog therefore it needs to be consistent. However, in quantitative terms my ability to push out content is relative to what MY schedule will allow NOT SOMEBODY ELSE’S. 

 

The first two myths were fueling a desire to get up earlier than needed or stay up late [even all night sometimes] to create this ‘professional’ blog that brings in no revenue of any kind [as of 8/1/2019].

 

TRUTH:

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; 

yes, establish the work of our hands! ~ Psalm 90:17

 

Blogging is a process for me. It will take time to refine and master. Placing this task into the hands of the Lord means that HE will establish the work of my hands. 

 

HE will ESTABLISH the work of my hands. 

 

Choosing to blog was intentional. A platform to share and teach while also creating a task that will enforce more discipline and time management on my behalf. The Lord knows my heart and my nature he “knitted” me in the womb. He knows my weaknesses and strengths. He orders my steps.

 

So to create more consistency here there has to be more consistency in my daily life thus TIME MANAGEMENT > DISCIPLINE > PRODUCTIVITY are elements that will also have to adjust to this new project. It will benefit the entirety of my life! I love how the Lord orchestrates the simple things in our lives to create a grandeur end product than we could ever imagine.  

 

SO WHAT WHO CARES?:

What is the application of all of this?

We can create plans but the Lord will order those steps. He will also remove all fear and doubt when we LET Him establish the work of our hands. Trusting the Lord with my blogging journey from the beginning will allow it to always be in His will while also making it a joyful experience vs anxiety driven. 

 

So what are you holding onto today? What can  you give to God? What work of your hands has He established? Share with me how this helped or inspired you.

Why and How you should film a first time event

Why and How you should film a first time event

by | Jul 31, 2018 | Faith, Family, Tech Tips, Video Editing | 0 comments

The day had come. 

We recently experienced a first in our household. Our firstborn daughter had the joy of attending her FIRST Daddy Daughter dance! I am sharing why and how YOU should also capture the “firsts” in your family with the technology at your fingertips.

Prep:

How wonderful it was to see the joy in my little girl’s eyes over a special evening with her father.

She instantly understood that a date with her father meant that she would be the center of attention. As an avid capture the moment momographer (mom who films or takes videos of her family so frequently she is given an imagined made-up title/role), one might think that I initially planned on filming this night.

NOPE!

I could have just went through the motions and the significance of the event would have slipped through our fingers which would potentially lead to a missed memory.

Now, it is all on screen! Her eyes lighting up as her special request for “make-up” was granted. It was so apparent that she too needed something to cement the evening.

It was a first and firsts always hold a special place in everyone’s heart.

Her first date with Daddy.

Her first time preparing herself for an adventure focused on deepening a relationship with someone else while loving on herself with dignity and integrity.

It was a proud Mama moment watching her pick out the clothes, shoes, and finishing touches to prepare for her father.

(Filming it allows us to treasure these memories long after it’s gone.)

For us personally, it is the beginning of many opportunities to show our children the love of Jesus through the love of their earthy father.

The bar will be set high for whomever her potential suitor will be because it is our job to build up her confidence – in the Lord – and accept nothing less in a husband.

As she grows up this video will become a memoir of her innocence and venture into becoming a lady.

Build up her confidence-in the Lord.

 Execution:

I recommend that you make the decision to make a “film” or a “highlight” video ahead of time. It will dictate what you will need to capture. When it comes to events like this you can put a little more effort into styling the scenes and setting up the environment.

Now, if you have chosen to make a film you will want to capture the details like the intricacies of the clothing, shoes, flowers and the invitation. I approached this film as though it was a wedding prep ceremonial film.

Get multiple angles. It is recommended to get three different types.

Full, Mid, Close-Up [check out this post to learn more about these terms]

Add voice. SOUND can make a film come to life! I added a small interview and placed it over some of the scenes using L- and J- cuts [here is another post to explain these terms]. 

FOUR Reasons to Capture Your Story NOW

FOUR Reasons to Capture Your Story NOW

by | Jul 5, 2018 | Cancer, Faith, Family, Tech Tips | 0 comments

Four Reasons to Capture Your Story

 

This video passion project has been a work in progress since I first picked up a camera as a high school yearbook photographer.  Then (and still now), I knew that capturing a story was something worthwhile. There was something about being behind the lens of a camera that opened my eyes to the beauty around me while making my heart flutter with excitement. On Friday evenings during football games, I would run around the stadium capturing the intensity of football players, the joyfulness of the band and the school rallying around our school. It was exhilarating and my movements flowed effortlessly  maneuvering into crazy positions always trying to capture the perfect shot!

Over ten years later I am still trying to capture “the shot”! Though the players and settings have changed the desire to capture the moments has not! The passion has transcended from photo to video since it also flows vs freezes the moment. I enjoy how it gives life and movement to an event and evokes emotion.

Reason No. 1: Legacy

For my wedding day, we purchased a budget friendly handheld camcorder.

WHY? Because there is this deep desire in us to preserve our story, our history so that we may pass it on to others. We used that camcorder to capture our ceremony, dances and special messages from our guests. It also captured the moment we found out we were expecting our first child!

One day, our children will be able to look back on our younger days to reconnect to our youth to better understand their own unique history.

So now that we have several children, the following passage is constantly tugging at my heartstrings because the old adage is true… “the days are long but the years are short”.

“For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together

in my mother’s womb.”

Psalm 139:13

God knitted together each of my babies in the womb and their story was already written before they arrived. I can’t help but capture each and every delicate moment of their first years with us.

Reason No. 2: Connection

As the years started to roll by and the miles between my family grew I knew that sending photos sporadically wasn’t enough to convey the full sense of our growing family. AND when my 80 year old grandmother said that she felt like she didn’t know her great-grandchildren it started a fire within me. I created a 15 minute slideshow for each of my three young children just for her and burned them onto DVDs to send through snail mail!

Nowadays, the ever innovating technology field is changing the game on how to share our memories with family. Are you familiar with FaceTime? Google Photos? Facebook? Snapfish? Bound photobooks printed and delivered to your door? Giant canvas prints at reasonable prices?

You see? There is a gap in digital literacy and our children and grandchildren only know screens! Not print. So we need to catch up to stay connected BUT I also feel that there is something to the tangible and want to teach people the new techniques on how to get photos back in your hands and on your walls.

Reason No. 3: Life is Short

I am not done yet. This is the most sobering reason and the hardest to discuss.

Tragedy can strike anyone at anytime. We are no exception. [Read about our very personal battle with cancer here.]

First it was my Uncle.

He had a stomach ache and begrudgingly went into the hospital. He came out with a diagnosis of stage 4 colon cancer. The next two years flew by as the cancer did what it is so infamous for…. It slowly took away another loved one from the embrace of a family – a wife and daughter.

During this same time period, my teenage cousin also went to the doctor complaining of a “pain” in his leg. Once again, a loved one walked out with the diagnosis of cancer – Osteosarcoma.

 “Nick Widner fought a courageous battle with osteosarcoma.

Cancer didn’t define him. He lived free & easy.

His spirit will live forever in our hearts.”

Things moved so rapidly after these initial diagnoses.

Within a year, I received a call (about my Uncle) that hospice was on the premises. I desperately placed an order for a digital voice recorder for him to record a few conversations for his precious daughter (i.e. words for right before she graduated, first dance, first boyfriend, first breakup, marriage, etc). My heart ached at the realization that he would no longer be here but I clung to the fact that technology could somewhat ease the pain.

If she couldn’t have him there physically then maybe having his voice would bring some solace during those pivotal moments in a young girl’s life. He fought a good fight and went peacefully to the Lord.

Within the year, my 17 year old cousin lost his battle with Osteosarcoma.

His family continues to fight the battle against childhood cancer through fundraisers for other families still in the fight. His legacy will live on through the heartwork and hard work that his mother does in his honor.

I have learned that cancer does not discriminate; young, old, married, single, rich, or poor it is not prejudiced with its victims nor does it relent. We must be the ones preserving our memories and proactively capturing them to share with others.

But to fully grasp the gravity of this “life is short” I have to share the next story. It also happened during this timeframe and rocked a small town and countless families with aftershocks still being felt today. Here it is from one of the victim’s mother:

“On Wednesday, December 7, 2016, exactly 4 years after Jody and Nick graduated from the police academy, they responded to a domestic disturbance call, and were murdered by a career criminal with a 32-page rap sheet.”

The Jody and Nick from the above statement were my brother’s dearest friends. The day this all happened, our wedding anniversary, is still burnt into my memory.

You can read more about both young men and how the community continues to love and support the thin blue line through the The Smarr and Smith Foundation.

[Yes, I bleed black and blue for ALL our law enforcement, first responders and military personnel who put their lives on the line every day to serve US. I recommend following Kyle Reyes and his new venture Whiskey Patriots.]

 Life is short.

I don’t want it to pass me by. SO, I pick up my phone, camera, or recorder to capture, document, and treasure each fleeting moment we have here, just in case…

How about you?

Four Reasons to capture your story now
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 Reason No. 4: To Glorify the Lord

To Glorify God and love others sacrificially.

The Lord has equipped us all with talents, gifts and passions.

Mine happens to be creating heartfelt films, photography, constantly exploring user-friendly technology and teaching. All of these talents allow me to find joy in the number one role of my life which is being a dutiful wife and mom. By no means am I perfect. The dishes and laundry constantly gets overlooked plus my organizational style isn’t the best – just being real [ask my hubby].

Now how does this serve the Lord and you?

By creating this blog and using my talents, I am pleasing my Lord and Savior with the talents He blessed me with by being fruitful while giving HIM the glory. At no point, now or even later, will I take up the boasting in my own strength. Dear Reader, Let me serve you. I want to share all the tips and tricks I have learned and much much more as I continue to learn myself.

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