Questions from Krystal...

I got a couple more questions from Krystal at A Beautiful Life. Krystal is my newest blog friend - i love reading her blog. She is really cool, you should go check it out (plus she's engaged to be married, so send her some well wishes!!) ;)

Here are my questions from Krystal.

1. What kind of camera do you advise a beginner buying?
Um...wow...really? LOL. I was kinda surprised (& a little confused!) at this question, because well, i have no clue about anything having to do with photography, really. I mean i've always loved taking picures, but i have only just recently gotten really interested in photography. Right now i just have point & shoot. It's a Kodak EasyShare C913. I like it;  it's a good little camera. I've also recently gotten onto paint.net & learned a few things about editing & my pics are starting to look better because i'm paying more attention when i take the picture & i'm doing more editing.

So i'm interested in photography as well & i am saving up to get a Canon Rebel which i hear is WONDERFUL! My bloggie friends Laura & Jenna (who are more into photography and take awesome pics!) have one of those & i'll be bugging them a lot asking them questions when i finally do get mine!

On to your other question...

2. Other than God & your husband, are there any other people in your life who have influenced you greatly?
Ah, yes.
Of course, there are many who have shaped & transformed me to become the woman i am today. But the main one - the one with the most positive impact on my life was my youth pastor growing up, Pastor Ron Erickson. I was bigtime involved in our church & youth group when he came. He moved to our church to be our youth pastor when i was in 9th grade. He remained my youth pastor throughout my youth years, & was still considered my pastor as i got older & was serving in that youth group as one of the youth leaders. And then i later was what they called "youth advisor" (really the same as youth leader, just older with more responsibilities). I also attended his college/career group, & learned a TON about God's word during that time. I learned so much through his ministry. He left that church in 2006 & began his own church. So he was a HUGE part of my life for about 13 years.

Bro Ron taught me a LOT about the word of God. I have so many journals filled with notes from his sermons...the man could PREACH! i learned so much through his teaching, especially in his college & career class. I was never bored (which is saying a lot for me!) & always left with my mind BURSTING with all i had learned out of God's Word. But really, the main impact he had in my life was during some tough times as a teenager. I do not know where in the world i would be today without his influence & support & encouragement during the hardest years of anyone's life - those awful teen years! I had almost no self-esteem & he is the one responsible for helping me to build up my confidence. He encouraged me, counseled me through some tough situations & he was there for me. The main lesson i learned from him was about the importance of FORGIVENESS. I have taught lessons on that topic at a home for troubled girls and I have used his words of wisdom in explaining forgiveness to friends. My philosophy in life is "Always Forgive Instantly" & it is truly an important lesson that i learned from him! I was on my way to becoming a very bitter woman & if it were not for his influence in this area, there's no telling where i'd be today. I certainly would not have the blessed life that i have!

I thank God he was in my life & even though i don't see him that much anymore, I am always thinking of him & his family & wishing them well. =) (Thank you, Bro Ron & family!)

Great questions, Krystal! Thanks!!
I have two more questions that i will answer in upcoming blog posts.