The gift of freedom

Normally, my blog posts include my latest photo shoot or greeting card template designs to preview. Not today. Today is simply a writing day for me, and hopefully my words will capture you as much as my pictures do.

My dad is a big Dave Ramsey fan. I mean big. He goes to the website, the radio show, the whole deal. He's even starting Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University at our church. I think for Christmas I might try to find a shirt that Dave Ramsey used to wear over on Ebay, just so that he can be close to him (but that would be kind of gross, so maybe not). To try and understand his enthusiasm a little bit, I signed up for the Financial Peace class and decided to do a little bit of research as to what I am getting myself into for the next 12 weeks. And what I found was not bad....in fact, it down right makes sense. There's this cool slideshow over there about how we can all learn how to pay cash for our cars for life - and it's totally doable. So now, I'm starting to get excited about what Dave Ramsey and others like him have to say as well. I'm not to the point of buying that t-shirt, but maybe a mug with his name on it wouldn't be so bad.

Anyway, one of the big themes through all of this that Ramsey (and my dad) promote is all about freedom. Financial freedom AND the freedom to give and be generous. And today, as I am able to stay home to take care of my daughter while she fights the flu, I realize what a gift that type of freedom is. I am truly so lucky to have a job that I love, work on my photography business and meet new clients who share with me all kinds of perspectives, and to do both at the same time. I am blessed to be able to financially afford to choose both or one or neither - whatever works for me and my family. And I marvel in the knowledge that I'm not even all the way there yet. I still have miles to go before I'm completely at "peace" - where I can give what I really want to give, both financially and to the world in general. But until I can share my wealth and really make a difference that way, I am humbled in the knowledge that I can also give my time and talents to truly inspire others and provide them with a snapshot of a memory; a frame of their story put into a picture that they can cherish forever. The gift of freedom is not just financial, but also an intrinsic undefinable motivation that pushes us to do better and be more for all those we come in contact with.

It's funny - in photography, so much is based upon angles, perspective and light. So as a parent, as a child and as a citizen, I send this post of thanks out to Dave Ramsey and to my dad for bringing me to this new perspective within myself. May the light I have to give be framed to make my next "picture" a stunning one.

~ Susan