[Do not take one single moment for granted...]

*This is bit long, but worth it, I think--Props to those who actually read it and finish...*

This last 5 days or so in Wisconsin have been full of so many amazing experiences and feelings I have to share them.

Most of you know, we went there for Ben's uncle Jim's funeral. It was a sad reason to go, but we wanted to be there for the family. I wasn't expecting the amount of encouragement WE got just by being there and seeing all the ways God was working though.

We got in on Friday night, and the funeral was Saturday. During the funeral, I don't know why, but I cried silently practically the whole service... why? I don't know. I didn't really get the chance to know Uncle Jim as much, but I now know Aunt Julie and her three kids much better, and seeing them go through this broke my heart. I thought of Romans 12:15: "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep."
I think the Lord gave me an ability to weep with them,  to feel some of the burden, and just to have understanding of all the emotions on that day.

Two things greatly impacted me during this service.
1) We have hope of a risen Savior, and hope of seeing those who were redeemed through Him again in heaven someday!
If you read anything at all in this post, read this!-->
Uncle Jim, in his last few days, wrote a 4 page letter that he intended to have read at his funeral, and it was.
I can't do a very good job of summarizing it, but it said something to the effect that, he was so blessed to have such an amazing wife, and three beautiful children. He didn't know what God's purpose was for creating this illness in his body, but the Lord must have a reason for it, because they had done every physical possible thing to try to save him. He talked about how he was blessed and happy to have lived his life this long, and that it WAS a good life, and it WAS a long life. The Lord gave it to him, and Jim was happy to have lived it. Though it was painful for his family, he could not argue against the will of his Savior.

The thing Uncle Jim talked about most in his letter however, is that he KNEW where he was going after he would die, he was secure in his salvation with the Lord. Yet, in his letter which was read to every single person in that church--he admonished them to be saved. To be reconciled to the Lord, and to not wait one single breathe more to do so, because the Lord could take any of them, just as quickly as he took uncle Jim to heaven. It was amazing to hear all these words written by a man who we all knew was standing in the courts of the Lord worshiping Him at that exact moment. I was weeping, and I think almost every other person in that room was too.

The second thing that hit me so hard that day is my Aunt Julie's response to the Lord's will, and to Jim's wishes after he passed on. We had a time of worship during the service, and she was standing there, holding her hands open, singing, and smiling...not just smiling, rejoicing in her Savior! Her strength and trust in the Lord for every thing was so obvious that day/week we were with her. Of COURSE there were tears, but she had a rested, and trusting countenance that said "The Lord is my Father and Comforter, I will trust in Him, His will, and His way, and I know that He will always be with me!!"

It was the most beautiful example of trusting in Him I have ever seen, and  that alone brought me to tears, realizing that I don't know if I myself would be that strong should I lose my own husband someday....
I realized that day that I needed a lot of help from my Savior to be completely dependent on Him and Him alone.

One other AMAZING thing about that letter that was read at the funeral was the fact that Uncle Jim and Aunt Julie had been praying for a man who was an unbeliever, and had experienced some hard things in life. Uncle Jim had sort of been a mentor to him, and wanted nothing more than for him to trust in the Lord.
That man was there at the service and heard the letter read. After the service, he told Julie that it had impacted him greatly, and that he wanted to talk to her. The next day, the guy came to Julies church and was talking to the Sunday school teachers and asking questions about this "salvation" that Jim had talked about in his letter. Julie was in tears with joy when she heard this....
Can you imagine?? Even through her husbands funeral, Julie (and us too!) was rejoicing that people were impacted by Jim's life and words!
Another thing is (and this impacted me as a wife)....even after Jim's death, Julie was still being submissive to him, in that she said things like, "I think Jim would've preferred this" or "No, Jim wanted such and such...not that..."
People were always giving her suggestions and trying to help Julie and the kids, but she always considered what her husband would have wanted first. I call that the most beautiful form of submission around.

After the funeral and for the couple extra days we could spend with Julie and the kids, we had a great time as a family, a mixture of tears, joy, laughter, and fun--times that will never be replaced.
I'll post some pictures later, once they're uploaded, of some of the silly things we did.

One thing Julie told us several times is, not to take one single moment for granted with each other. We don't know what the Lord's will is for our lives, or how long He will let us stay here on the earth, so in the mean time cherish every second you spend with each other. My life being married to Benjamin Jung has only begun, I hope I have learned this lesson quickly, and I thank my Aunt Julie for her faithfulness and encouragement that she was to us and the others who were around her.

We love you Julie, Ryan, Andrew, and Kayla!

[time flies]

Recently Ben and I celebrated our official "half a year" anniversary! It really was exciting, because half a year together has gone by in no time at all!
I'm so excited to reach the 1 year mark :) I know I sound cheesy, but, its true :)

In the mean time, we're struggling to find time together! Or...maybe its just me.

Ben has so much school work on top of his work at the bikeshop; so it always feel like he goes to work comes home, eats, does homework for the rest of the night and then its time to get to bed. Repeat....*ugh*
He's probably a looot more stressed out than I am with all these crazy engineering classses, but goodness, this is teaching this new wife a lot about patience and just trying to help him as much as I can while he finishes his classes (which are almost done!!!)

I suppose it is a good thing, I am learning, and it makes the time we get to sit and talk or play a quick round of monopoly deal ever more sweeter :)

Ps-monopoly deal is amazing and oh so addicting...haha! You must get it! :)

Anyway,
I'm excited for spring/summer to be here, and for the pool at our apartment to open!

I'm currently working on finishing up the last two shoots I did for some families, and have an engagement, family session, and wedding booked so far. I need to finish my website and business cards too! Leah Jung photography I think will be the official name. I thought about LKJ, but my full name just works better. Although my logo will have only the "lj" in it :) And here is the first official viewing of it! Consider yourself lucky:

I reallly like how it has come out! As a designer though, I'll probably end up tweeking it here and there once I stare at it long enough, but I need to get started with something! :)


Oh, I'm working on a brochure for our church....even if they don't use it, it's fun to work on some design again. Good for my brain. :)
Nope, no pictures of that yet :)

Spring has sprung and I'm excited!! I planted a garden! Er...a potted garden?
Here's some more pictures...because everybody likes em...

I looove this daisy, the center of them is sooo colorful! :)

This stuff is called fiber optic grass...isn't awesome??? ^

My favorite birdy :)  Just because. Her favorite new perch is a hanger :P



Okay, enough pictures for today. Takes up too much time...haha!

Enjoy :)

Super Blessings :)

Can I just say that God is amazing??????


Ever since I got my camera, people, out of nowhere have immediately begun to call/email/ask me to come do shoots for them!!! Oh, and may I say--I had done no advertising yet??
I officially have two (maybe 3!) weddings booked, an engagement session, and I've already done a family session, an event, and a shoot for a business. (In less than a month of having my new camera!!!!!)

Coincidence?

I think not.

I am completely overwhelmed every time I think about it. God is SOOO good!!! He knows the desires of my heart, and He is fulfilling them! (Ps. 37)
I can't believe how blessed I am. There is nothing I did to deserve this, nothing at all.

He takes my breathe away! He makes my heart jump! Jesus is mine, and I am His. All glory and honor goes to Him!

Now....If I could just get a logo for myself finished...who knows what'll happen then! ;)

Adventures in this temporary life!

I'm tired, and work is in about 1hr45min. or so...and while my rice is steaming on the oven, thought I'd jot down a few thoughts since I promised I'd write more :)

This weekend is gonna be busy-ish. My Friday night consists of working and maybe cleaning up the house a bit with my hubby, Saturday I go to my old church and clean, (brings us some extra income!) and then Saturday evening I have my first ever photo shoot/hire out with my new camera!! Its from 7-11pm or so, and since we have to get up early for church the next morning I'll be tiiiired. Sundays we don't usually get a break to relax either. This Sunday is the 4th Sunday of the month, and the REAL college group always goes over to a retirement center to do a mini-service for the elderly/shut ins over there. Its such a blessing to have so many regulars every time we come, and to hear them say they really appreciate us coming out to do that for them. Ben and I aren't sure yet on what we're doing Sunday night yet either, we have an invitation to hang out with my best girl friend that night, so we'll see.
Its a good thing I don't work Monday....haha! I'll have lots of photo editing to do, and papers to finish for school!

I'm soo excited to start more photography projects! If you know someone who needs a photographer for anything refer 'em here! I'd love to do it all!!!! I wasn't able to advertise myself much for the longest time because, well, duuurrr!-- I didn't have a camera of my OWN yet. I'm working on my logo/bus. card/other advertising projects that probably will get put off till papers for school are done :P

Here's a few of my fav. photo's from our trip to Galveston Beach for Sp. Break :)

I want to start posting some more photos, I figure a blog is pretty boring without em'....and since I want to be a pro-photographer well, I suppose I should :)

Until next time--
LKJ

God works in crazy ways...

You know when you get those chances to try and share the gospel with a lost person you'll probably never see again?
That happened to Ben and I last night, except, it was crazy after the whole thing, to ponder how God worked in it....I don't believe in just "coincidence" ..God has planned every second of our lives for a reason.

[Insert funny thing that just happened-- my cockatiel just climbed down my arm and onto the keyboard and is right next to my fingers demanding my attention...she likes to be scratched behind her ears....lol! Okay...on to what I was saying....]

Let me start with this (planned out) meeting of the girl walking down the street in front of our apartment building.
Ben and I had just gotten home from my cousin's senior recital, and it was about 10pm. We were both kind of tired and had some stuff to unload out of the car. As we were pulling into our parking space, I noticed a girl walking down the street in flip flops, a long blue dress, and a coat she was pulling close to try to keep warm. She was a very petite girl, and was clutching a whole box of cigarettes. I had never seen her before, and by the way she was dressed, I thought she had just run down a few apartments to visit someone in the other complex and was just walking back.

However, as we got out of our car, she turned back and started walking towards us, and she looked at me and said "Hey..."

I wasn't sure if she was talking to me at first, but she was, so I asked what was up?
She began explaining she needed to get home, but didnt have a car, and her phone was dead so she couldn't call anyone to come and get her. She told us she had been wandering around in the cold for about a mile looking for someone to take her.
I wasn't sure what Ben was thinking, and I really wanted to help, but I didn't want to make the call and usurp his authority.
We kinda looked at each other for a minute though, and then accepted, but she lived way across town, so Ben had to pull out a map to find the route.
She sat kinda of hunched over in the back of our car, probably half frozen and who knows what else.

As we pulled away, I knew exactly the reason God had us in that situation, and that she was another opportunity to share the love of God with her, and to ask her what her eternal future held.
Ben struck up that conversation a few minutes into the drive after some vague conversation, and to my surprise, she didn't shoot down the topic or refuse to answer any of our questions-- but I always think it so sad all the excuses that people make up these days.
She kept saying she would never die, and that she didn't have to worry about heaven or hell.

We obviously explained the opposite the entire car ride to her duplex, and I'm hoping she was receptive enough last night to remember everything we told her.

We left her with a promise to pray for her, though she told us she didn't want a bible upon our offer.
I don't know why, but my heart always goes out to people I meet like this.
I always wonder how someone's life like Renay's would change if only they accepted Jesus and lived with a different purpose.

We did pray for her, and I prayed some for her on my own at home too.

Ben and I talked about the whole situation on the way home and have wondered whether God sent us that girl for the benefit of her, or for ours. We were sobered in remembrance of our most important task on this earth, and reminded of what it was that God saved us from!

After we left too, we realized what had happened in order for us to be at the apartment the exact time that girl showed up.

That night we had been at my cousin's senior recital, and for some reason, we milled around and were the last ones with her and her family.
We ended up taking her back to her apartment on campus, and I decided to run in and get some stuff I had left there.
After we left her apartment, I had a bit of a queasy stomach, so I asked Ben if we could stop and grab some 7up or something from the gas station. We did stop, and it wasn't until we were done there that we pulled into our apartment complex.

Think of all the things God allowed to happen so we could meet that girl and share the gospel with her!!
God works in such amazing, mysterious ways, and I am continually astounded at how He works in our lives. Though we may not understand His purposes, we can still praise Him for how He works in our hearts and lives to make us and sanctify us to be more like His Son!!
Praise God!
Eph. 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!

[My dress named "precious"]

There's this thing thats been hanging in the back of my closet for the past 4 and a half months. It taunts me everytime I see it all wrapped in its special bag-- but I usually ignore it. Don't have the time or reason for it.
But, today I couldn't ignore it any longer, especially on a day off....not something with so much memory in it.

So.

I'm sitting in my wedding dress.  :)

And a thought ran across my head-- for all you married people-- why does life get crazy or different than it was the second your wedding attire is hung in the storage room?
I mean, if you saw your loved one every day, in that beautiful tux or gown, wouldn't you treat each other completely different? Wouldn't you love like you loved each other the day you said "I do?"
And to expand that thought towards Christ--
Why don't we don't worship the same way at home like we when we're in church?
Why don't we act like we do when we're around friends vs. when we're in our homes?

I think we should think of ourselves as brides all the time. Brides of Christ. We should be always dressed in our beautiful garb waiting for His return to call us to be with Him forever! I don't want to be caught in my dirty worn out clothes, with no thought or anxious desire for Him! What if Ben came home and I told him I didn't want to be his bride anymore?? Crazy thought eh?

Wow. Didn't know putting on a silly dress would conjure up all these emotions and questions in my head.....I should stop now before I go on a tangent or something.

Anyhow...

It is raining outside...probably the first and longest gorgeous rain this spring, and I looove it. Nothing more soothing to my ears. I just wish it didn't make me so sleepy!

On another random note---

I love it when God brings you what you need when you need it!! He's so loving and cares for us, more than we can fathom!
I was struggling with something in my mind last week, and didn't know how to handle it or what I should do about it, or how to even think about it properly.
But randomly I stumbled on a passage one morning that opened my eyes so I could see! I could understand what it was I needed deal with!!
He knows the desires of our hearts, and if He desires, He will give them to us! I was so excited the more I reflected on this. I don't think anything is just "happenstance" ...God knows what we need, when we need it, so I give Him thanks!
Oh, and you should go read Esther! I read it in one sitting....just an amazing book of God's sovereignty and provision for his people through a young and willing heart.

Okay, I'm done for now, I gotta keep up with this writing thing though, I think its good for me to think more often. :)

LKJ


ps-- My first DSLR camera is on its WAYYY!!!!! Should be here on wed. the 10th, SOOOO excited!! I'll try to post pics! :D :D :D

It's been one of those days...

It's a GORGEOUS day outside, definitely a beautiful break with even the sun making his appearance today. I can't wait for old man winter to leave for good!

I wish I felt as good on the inside though.

I got a 79 on my West Civ. history test :( I was hoping for MUCH better, despite the difficulty of the test. Overall I still have a high B in the class, hopefully that will become an A in the near future.

And on another note, an instructor has accused me of something that I don't believe I committed at school, I'm trying to figure out what to do with it. It would result with an academic warning on my part if I just comply and sign papers, but it really bothers my conscience to just do that because I believe I'm being wrongly accused.
My instructor isn't answering some of my questions, and it's equally upsetting because she waited so long to accuse me of such a thing anyway.

I'm not sure why the Lord is letting this happen, because it is definately making me frustrated....I have no CLUE what do do. And in turn, I find this difficult to communicate to my husband or anyone else with, because I don't think anyone really understands how I feel about this!
*sigh*

Anyway, I should go clean up my kitchen.

Until next time...