Project 2:10

So I briefly mentioned Project 2:10 the other day. What is it? Where did it come from? What will it do? I can't wait to tell you!!

What is it?

Project 2:10 is a company that my husband and I started. We are buying vehicles (motorcycles at the moment) at auction and repairing them, making them shine like new and giving them a new chance at life. We are then selling them. Half of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to charity. The other half will be put back into the business so we can continue to grow and give more.

Where did it come from?

The idea actually started with Jason. He loves motorcycles and has rebuilt a few with friends. He also had to fix his own after a "somewhat minor" accident in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 2009. He has often discussed owning a "bike shop" when he retires from the Coast Guard so this was just a little push start.

One Sunday we had a sermon on making a difference. Our pastor, Brother Larry, talked about how we could make a difference in this world and the things we can do to change the lives of others. God has abundantly blessed us. We have never gone hungry or cold. We have always had a roof over our heads and clean clothes on our backs. We have struggled, but we have always had enough. That cannot be said for everyone.

Through Compassion International, our family sponsors a boy named Kelvin in Tanzania. We have donated to several charities such as The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Paralyzed Veterans of America and a few others. What breaks my heart is when they keep sending letters in the mail, thanking us for our help and asking us to donate again. I always want to do more, but we can't always donate to every cause, every time. Jason started putting the pieces together and came to me one day with a plan. We talked it over, decided we could do it, that we should do it and most importantly that we had a responsibility to help others.

"If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother." 
-Deuteronomy 15:7 

When it came time for a name, Jason left it up to me. He says I am better at things like that. ;o) I turned to the Bible.

For we are God’s workmanship, His masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good works He prepared for us long ago.  -Ephesians 2:10

And so, "Project 2:10" was born. 

What will it do?

We ARE God's masterpiece, and just as we are restored, we are restoring these machines and giving them new life and new purpose. Everyone, everything, every BODY deserves a second chance (human body or mechanical body). So God's masterpieces will now create their own, for His greater good, for His purpose, to care for His people. 

The money will go to both local and nationwide charities that help many groups of people; the homeless, disabled, unwed mothers, crisis centers, and more. We will keep everyone posted when money is donated. We are SO excited to be able to do this and we look forward to seeing it grow. 

We bought our first bike at auction last week and without half the work done, it already has a potential new home! We are making many new business contacts and have spread the word about our mission. Love, hope and compassion are guiding Project 2:10 and with God at the helm we can't wait to see where He leads us next!

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HERE ARE THE "BEFORE" PHOTOS: 

Inspiration!

What inspires you, in terms of creativity?

For me, inspiration often comes from the wind! I will be sitting somewhere and *POOF*, an idea!! I swear it came in on a breeze! OK, so maybe it wasn't the wind. Maybe I'm just listening a little deeper these days and allowing God to guide me in the direction He wants me to go. (i.e Project 2:10, but we'll get to that tomorrow)

I've also been drawing inspiration from Pinterest, as I has mentioned before. That site is genius! I now have quite the gathering there and it's so much fun to share ideas and "finds"! I used to look at the amazing pictures of all the creative crafts and rooms in magazines and think, "I can't do that". But now I AM doing "that", AND I'm taking the photos, too! (Pssst! You can do it, too!!)

Lately I've seemed to notice a lot more of what's around me, too. Maybe it's just that I can take pictures of everything with my new iPhone 4s (shameless plug here, LOL) but things I see in stores, on the street, everything seems to be a source of another idea!! The problem I have now is having the time and money to put all these ideas into play! I have about a million crafts I want to make and home projects I'd love to do!

I've been very pleased and honored to see that this blog has been a source of inspiration for some of you. I'm so glad you've tried (and loved) the pumpkin muffins and many of you have since joined Pinterest!! :o) I also greatly appreciate the feedback on other subjects, and religious inspiration. (You know who you are.)

So, be inspired! Listen to that inner voice, wherever yours originates, and do something creative at least once a week! You'll be glad you did.

With heavy hearts...

We were very sad to hear the news today about the loss of Italian MotoGP rider Marco Simoncelli. Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends.

At church this morning, we learned that a young man who is friends with several members of our youth group committed suicide over the weekend. He was a senior in high school.

As we were pulling in the driveway after church, my son's girlfriend got a call from a close friend of hers. The friend just found out she has a tumor in her brain the size of a quarter. This young girl is only 16 years old.

We are in prayer today for many other reasons, but these are brand new. I ask you all to join us and pray to God for comfort and strength, for whatever lies ahead in the lives of these families.

Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. -1 Peter 5:7

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. -Matthew 5:4

Thank you, and have a blessed week.

Get Ready!

PROJECT 2:10

Because every body deserves a  second chance.

For we are God’s workmanship, His masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good works He prepared for us long ago.  -Ephesians 2:10

More info coming soon. ;o)

Busy, Busy!!

Oh WOW this week has been a wild one!

Jason is home on leave (vacation) so we've been enjoying a little extra time together. I've been working like crazy between my two jobs, studying for my certification exam, volunteering at B's school, editing pictures from my last two shoots (one for fun, one for money) and I have another shoot for senior portraits this Saturday. I am really excited! I like staying busy, especially in this situation, because "crazy" means "money"! ;o)

Speaking of money, we won the lottery last night!! Yep! I bought $8 worth of Power Ball tickets on my way home from work yesterday and we hit the Power Ball!! Well, one number and the Power Ball. But hey! We won $20, and I can still say we won the lottery! LOL We just didn't win BIG! ;o)

While Jason was cooking dinner the other night, I made another batch of the Pumpkin Muffins, but I used Spice Cake this time instead of the Vanilla Cake. They are REALLY good! The kids said they like these even better! You guys really HAVE to try these!!

And speaking of Jason... he will complete his Bachelor's Degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University this December! We are so incredibly proud of him! It's been a long time coming but he's worked very hard to get here, AND has maintained "honors" status the entire way!!!

Ok, off I go! Today is my "off" day, so that means it's another volunteer day at B's school to work on reading and comprehension with the kids. LOL (But I love it!)

See you on the next one!

Heal The Wound, But Leave The Scar...

Scars. Each one tells a story, usually not a happy one. The song "Heal The Wound" by Point of Grace is amazing. It talks about finding beauty in suffering, not being able to rewrite history, carrying our scars and being reminded that God is merciful...

Click here for Point of Grace "Heal the Wound" on YouTube

Here are the lyrics:

"I used to wish that I could rewrite history
I used to dream that each mistake could be erased
Then I could just pretend
I never knew the me back then

I used to pray that You would take this shame away
Hide all the evidence of who I've been
But it's the memory of
The place You brought me from
That keeps me on my knees
And even though I'm free

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

I have not lived a life that boasts of anything
I don't take pride in what I bring
But I'll build an altar with
The rubble that You've found me in
And every stone will sing
Of what You can redeem

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar

Don't let me forget
Everything You've done for me
Don't let me forget
The beauty in the suffering

Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar"

The types of scars they talk about in the song are the ones we are ashamed of, that follow acts we are ashamed to admit. By leaving the scar, we are detailing God's mercy in the fact that He forgave us for this act, whatever it was, and He healed our wound, but left the scar as a reminder.

There are all types of scars, and many of them are emotionally painful reminders of God's mercy in one way or another.

We all have scars. Some are deeper than others. Some physical, some emotional. Some are self-inflicted. How we choose to carry them is important. We cannot hide from them because God knows every hair and freckle (and scar) on our bodies. By sharing our scars with others, and caring for each other we can help others to heal their wounds, and in turn most likely heal some of our own.

We are often "torn apart" by things in life that are suppose to be wonderful, but they end leaving us broken and scarred. When we are most vulnerable, it can be the hardest to open up and allow people into our heart, but that's when we need others the most. At the point that we are broken and in the rubble we can come together with others to share our scars and begin to heal those wounds.

What are some of your scars? What things in life have impacted you in such a way that left you feeling broken and scarred? Some of mine include poor decisions, a broken heart, loss of loved ones, prayers that weren't answered the way I hoped they would be, and actual physical scars from accidents or illness, and subsequent surgeries.They remind me how lucky I am to be here. There have been many points in my life, for various reasons, that I may not have survived to write this blog. It is by God's grace and mercy that I am alive, and for that I am eternally grateful!

So tend to your wounds, and try to embrace your scars. Hopefully you can get to a point that it all starts to make sense. I am still trying to figure out a few of mine, but I have faith that it will come in time.

Peace be with you...

Il Divo (Divine Male Performer)

I am in LOVE with the music of Il Divo, which in Italian, means "Divine Male Performer", and they ARE divine!! I cannot get enough of this group, they are absolutely amazing! I have always loved classical music, but this is a little different. Their voices blend with the music in a soothing, almost therapeutic way... it's magical.

Il Divo is a quartet of male singers: Spanish baritone Carlos Marín,42, Swiss tenor Urs Bühler,40, American tenor David Miller,38, and French pop singer Sébastien Izambard,38. They have been together since 2003 and sing in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Latin. The genius behind this creation? None other than Simon Cowell.

The song "Hallelujah" has long been a favorite of mine. Il Divo does the most majestic rendition I have ever heard! It is powerful! Don't take my word for it...

Il Divo - "Hallelujah" on You Tube

And if you didn't follow the additional links on You Tube, you don't want to miss "Amazing Grace"!! Another of my favorites, and another amazing rendition. I was absolutely breathless, and in tears, while this was playing. Their power, their energy, the full dynamic and sheer magnitude of their performance is overwhelming. It makes the hair of the back of my neck stand up!!

Il Divo - "Amazing Grace" on You Tube

They have performed duets with Celine Dion (what a dream!!), Toni Braxton, Barbra Streisand and Mariah Carey. They have appeared on many television shows including the Oprah Winfrey Show, American Idol and America's Got Talent. They captivate audiences by lending their unique blend to familiar songs. They continue to deliver magnificent performances all over the world. It's no surprise that they have sold more than 26 million albums worldwide!

Their seventh album, Wicked Game, will be coming out in November. Count me in!

Semper Ride & Semper Fi!

The 2011 Semper Ride in Belle Chasse, LA was AWESOME! As you may know, the Marine Corps is near and dear to my heart, so this Ride was especially great for me! Hangin' with "Jarheads" is always a plus! ;o)

I took over 500 pictures that day, and many of them will make it onto my website, a few will be in this blog in a minute, so be patient. Most will be of my favorite rider, the man on the Repsol... my sweet husband.

To get things started, let's show you what Semper Ride is all about. Check out this video, and don't forget to watch for the Repsol! ;o)

Click to watch video

So, did you see him? Now you get the idea! It was a great day, the weather was perfect and the riders had a fantastic time! In between taking pictures I sat in on some of the courses and they were VERY informative! The riders learned how to adjust their suspension, navigate corners with tighter precision, ride more defensively and be better riders overall.

Now to the pictures...

 

 

Yep, that's my hubby! *swoon* Oh, did you want to see some of the other bikes?? LOL Well, OK.

 

If you want to see the rest, you'll have to visit my website. Go to Moving Still Studio and check out the Semper Ride 2011 album in Gallery Two.

See you on the next blog!

**And HEY! No stealing my pictures!!**

Thanks, Frank!

I took my first loss in Fantasy Football this week. I'm now 3 and 1. Thank you, Frank Gore! I benched ol' Frank because he wasn't do anything for the team and he was questionable at best! How does Frank repay my benching? BY SCORING 19.90 POINTS! Thanks a lot, Frank!

Drew Brees pulled in 6 points less than expected and even my back up QB, Colt McCoy (who was on the bench) got a point more than he did! Antonio Brown, who I picked up this week, did well, but that's who I put in for Frank. Brown's 7 points didn't hold a candle to Frank's finally-come-to-life 19 points. Ugh.

By the way, I lost by less than 5 points. So if I'd kept Frank, or Drew Brees had played a smidgen better, or any of my other players had... I would have won. I choose to blame Frank (because it can't be my fault for benching him!! LOL). If he'd been doing better this season I wouldn't have benched him in the first place and I'd still BE in first place! Now I'm in second place.

The best part... the funniest part... the most BRAG WORTHY part... JASON IS IN THIRD PLACE! Ahahahahaha!! I am beating my husband in Fantasy Football! And if you remember, this is HIS work league, the Air Station League, and HE is the Commissioner. HAHA! I know it's early and anything can happen, but I've been ahead of him since the beginning, and even if it's only for this moment, I am ahead and it's fun!


Hey, Jason- I have a book for you... LOLz.