Heinz Hall

One thing I love about this city of Pittsburgh that I call home is its rich cultural district downtown.  

Besides providing numerous options for amazing photo shoots :), there is a lot of history behind many of its buildings and structures.  Heinz Hall has always held particular fascination for me - many times as a child I attended free day-time concerts for school children there, and remember being somewhat awed by the ornate decor.  Originally built as a movie house, it was considered to be the most magnificent theater between New York and Chicago.  After being forced to close its doors in the 60's, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra saved it from being replaced by a parking garage and completed a 10 million dollar renovation on the building in the early 70's.  Since then, it has been a center for the Performing Arts and home to the PSO and the PYSO.

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to photograph the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra for their 2011- 2012 season yearbook.  It was such a great experience to see a little behind the scenes of this gorgeous building, and photograph these talented young people.  The architecture outside the building is beautiful as well, and I had fun taking a few shots here and there when I had a break...

Oh, and happy first day of Spring!! :)  I'm so looking forward to getting back outside with my camera!

Blessings,

Rachel Elisabeth

March Ramblings

I recently rediscovered Oswald Chambers, and his wonderful little book, "My Utmost for His Highest."  

The book is divided, devotional-style, into short articles - one for each day of the year,

and it takes about one and a half minutes to read each morning.

Can I highly recommend this book to you?  You will be blessed and challenged, I know. 

I certainly am.

Here is yesterday's article:  The Time of Relapse, March 9th

"Will you also go away?" (John 6:67)

A penetrating question.  Our Lord's words come home most when He talks in the most simple way.  We know Who Jesus is, but in spite of that He says - "Will you also go away?"  We have to maintain a venturing attitude toward Him all the time.

"From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him."  They went back from walking with Jesus, not into sin, but they relapsed.  Many today are spending and being spent in work Jesus Christ, but they do not walk with Him.  The one thing God keeps us to steadily is that we may be one with Jesus Christ.  After sanctification the discipline of our spiritual life is along this line.  If God gives a clear and emphatic realization to your soul of what He wants, do not try to keep yourself in that relationship by any particular method, but live a natural life of absolute dependence on Jesus Christ.  Never try to live the life with God on any other line than God's line, and that line is absolute devotion to Him.  The certainty that I do not know - that is the secret of going with Jesus.

Peter only saw in Jesus Someone to minister salvation to him and to the world.  Our Lord wants us to be yoke-fellows with Him.

I know there hasn't been much photography on this photography blog of mine lately, and for that I am sorry.  Soon, I hope...in the meantime, I've been grateful for lengthening, sunny days, the birds singing outside my window, and peaceful, prayerful morning coffees. :)

Everything Good

It's almost here...I know it.  Spring is only a few short weeks away, and that's a happy thought that makes my heart smile.  I love this time of year, when the earth seems to be holding it's breath, awaiting glorious new life and growth.  Today was one of those "teaser days", and I took full advantage of it...grabbed my camera and my bike and headed to my favorite trail up the river.  

Usually I'm a firm believer in social exercise (who doesn't agree that running and swimming and skiing are much more fun with friends? :), but biking is my absolute favorite way to exercise, and I don't mind doing it by myself...it's such a great time to think, and talk to God, and hear from Him.  And today I took my camera along because the photographer side of me can get a little starved by the end of winter - I'm looking for any excuse to use my camera that I can find.

So...I decided today that it's still a bit early in the season to capture any stunning landscape photos. :) But, God did speak some things to my heart as I was enjoying the warm air and sun.

He reminded me, again, that there is beauty in every season of life, if I am looking for it.

And sometimes, we do have to look for it...hard.  It may look like winter in your soul, feel like winter in everything that is going on around you.  But, I guarantee you, because our God is so very good, there are good things happening, too...promises of the spring that is just around the corner.  We just have to look a little harder for them...slow down, get off the bike, stop rushing through each day...and look for the beautiful bits of life that are persisting in spite of the deadness we feel.

I've been listening to a song lately called Everything Good, by the Christian group Ashes Remain.  I heard it on the radio a week or two ago, and the lyrics, especially the chorus, stuck with me, reminding me of Truth I need to be thinking on at this time in my life.  Here is the chorus:

You're everything good, everything True

When all the world is fading, You're everything new

You are my eyes, when I can't see

When all the world is broken, You will always be

Everything good.

Everything good.  I can only speak for myself, but knowing this about God...that He is good...brings such peace and trust.  He is good, and is working all things in my life to be good in the end (Rom.8:28).  And in times of my life when I feel like "spring" is never going to come, days like today remind me that it's just a season...signs of spring are all over the place. :)  

And somehow the road ahead isn't as scary...unknown, yes, but I know the One Who walks it with me.

"Taste and see that the Lord is good..." (Psalm 34:8)

Rachel Elisabeth