Coincidence or Divine Intervention?

coincidence or divine intervention

Is it coincidence or divine intervention?

Hi, on Sunday I made good on finding a good Bible based church and Bible study. This is my #50 of my 101 in 1001 goals. I personally do not believe in coincidences. Let me explain why.

During my cancer journey, so many coincidences happened at just the right time. Coincidence 1: Commercial construction had slowed down. Kevin had been laid off from work. He had just returned to work and three weeks later I was diagnosed with cancer.

Coincidence 2: With the lack of work prior, Kevin did not have his 700 hours in to qualify for his insurance premiums to be paid. We had to pay the premium out of pocket for 2 months, still less than the chemo I was getting each month. There was plenty of overtime work for Kevin to reach the 700 hours.

Our family went thru a dark time. It was during this time more coincidences happened. Our son was self medicating. The doctor said it was not a concern of being addicted to ‘drugs’ rather a mental issue.

Coincidence 3: Adam had the same therapist and case manager for 2 years (our darkest). Since then, he has had new therapists about every 6 months. Same with the case managers.

The featured image above was taken at the church I went to this past week. Part of my #50 of my 101 in 1001, attend Bible study. A new church for me. When I walked in, I actually knew several of the members. I felt immediately welcomed, like I was meant to be there.

These were the biggest coincidences with so many more that I have experienced. Too many to ‘not’ believe in God.

For this reason, I say I experienced divine intervention.

WW Update:
Since Start Date; -27.2 lbs

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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Reminiscing

aunt Phyllis ashes

Reminiscing | Wonderful Memories

Hi, this week’s post is inspired by the images taken during our trip to my Aunt’s celebration of life in Seattle, Washington. We flew out to visit my cousin and attend the celebration.

reminiscing
Aunt Phyllis

It was during this time we decided to venture out and do a little site seeing. My cousin, Kristi, lives in a smaller community a short drive from Seattle. On the way to Seattle we stopped at the Cedar River Trail in the City of Renton. It was beautiful.

reminiscing
reminiscing
reminiscing
family

WW Update:
Since Start Date; -25.6 lbs

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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ge•ner•ic Linkup Party #2

generic linkup party #2

Gma’sPhoto | ge•ner•ic Linkup Party #2

Hi, welcome to Gma’sPhoto ge•ner•ic Linkup Party #2!

This Party’s Theme is Generic.

Each Friday a new ge•ner•ic Linkup Party will open and end the following Thursday. Link up any family friendly post, health, diy, recipes, home decor, parenting, wordless, crafts, sewing, you get the idea.


Important things to know:

-You may add up to three family friendly blog post links, linked to specific blog posts.
-Please say hi & add your link post number when commenting below.
-Those leaving post entry numbers are eligible to be featured at the next party!
-Be sure to visit other links and leave a kind comment for each link you post.
-Party opens Friday and ends Thursday.
-Thank you for participating. Have fun!

By linking to Gma’sPhoto Party LinkUp, you give permission to share your post and images on Gma’sPhoto blog and social media. Proper credit with a photo and link back will be provided.

Let’s begin the fun at Gma’sPhoto ge•ner•ic Linkup Party #2!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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Gma’sPhoto LinkUp Party #9

Gma'sPhoto LinkUp Party #9

Gma’sPhoto LinkUp Party #9

Hi, welcome to Gma’sPhoto Linkup Party #9!

spotlight

Gma’sPhoto LinkUp Party spotlight is on:

How I Did on My Summer Bucket List | My Slices of Life
An End of Summer Epiphany: My Walls, My Door, My Rules | Shelbee on the Edge
On the Go with the Grands! I Spy Fall! | Our Grand Lives

This week’s theme is: LinkUp Your Own Party!

Important things to know:

Posts not adhering to the theme will be removed.
-You may add up to three family friendly blog post links, linked to specific blog posts.
-Please say hi & add your link post number when commenting below.
-Those leaving entry numbers are eligible to be featured at the next party!
-Be sure to visit other links and leave a kind comment for each link you post.
-Party opens Thursday and ends Wednesday. Each week’s theme can be found here.
-Thank you for participating. Have fun!

By linking to Gma’sPhoto Party LinkUp, you give permission to share your post and images on Gma’sPhoto blog and social media. Proper credit with a photo and link back will be provided.

Let’s begin the fun at Gma’sPhoto LinkUp Party #9!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter


Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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Gratitude | Weight Watchers Weekly Theme

gratitude weight watchers weekly theme

Gratitude | Weight Watchers Weekly Theme

Hi, have you ever had a love hate relationship with your favorite hobby or past time favorite? One of my friends had asked me, “What will happen when you don’t like taking pictures?” I never imagined that would happen to me. However, it did happen. Since I was 19 when I bought my first 35mm Minolta camera, my camera was always at my side. I carried it everywhere. Co-workers I worked with began to ask me to take engagements pictures. My boss had me take the store’s Employee of the Week pictures for our store’s bulletin board.

My daughter’s senior year, the empty nest syndrome began to affect me. Oh, I laughed it off, but this was a serious thing for me. This is when I really became active in taking images for a profession. High School senior pictures was my focus. Most of Erika’s classmates let me photograph their senior pictures! The humbling feelings I had at the graduation ceremony when the students images were displayed on the gymnasium wall was immense.

High School Senior Pictures soon evolved to include Family Sessions and then on to Wedding Portraits. The photography took the place of the time I had spent up at the school house while both of my children were participating in their after school activities, my social time. At that time I dreaded the nacho chili cheese from the concession stand. What I would give to have that now!

Fast forward to the present. As I sat in my weekly Weight Watchers meeting, our group leader wanted us to think of the things we were grateful for throughout the next week. I am grateful for my photography! Presently I am not marketing my photopraphy services. Two of my high schools friends were going to get married. One of my 101 in 1001 goals is to be a wedding crasher. My goal fulfilled! My nerves had gotten to me. At one time I could work my camera blindfolded. The day of their wedding, what once was automatic, I had to concentrate and some I forgot. Thank goodness, I did take more than one camera with each camera having a different lens size, focal length. This post’s images were taken with my iPhone. Later I will post the album I have designed with my “main” camera of the wedding day.

gratitude
Lidia’s Italian Restaurant

Lidia's Italian Restaurant

I would have never thought about having my wedding at a restaurant. This was both the bride and groom’s second marriage. Their wish was a simple wedding with family and close friends. They were successful! It was just that and more. Beautiful setting, wonderful weather. The room for the wedding was the back porch area that was opened to the outdoors. The doors were left open, and the fall breeze drifted thru. If I were to market my services for weddings, middle age couples getting married for a second time would be my targeted demographic! 🙂

WW Update:
Since Start Date; -19.6lbs

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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Follow Up Post

follow up post

Follow Up Post

follow up postHi, generally I schedule my posts for Monday’s. However, this week I wanted to have a post with a follow up to a few of my ongoing goals. And in doing so, I will be able to provide a photography tip I discovered just this weekend and would love sharing with you! Let’s begin with the photography tip.

It was while working with the picture to the left. It could be the image at the top if you are reading this on your phone. It is my selfie taken in the grocery store! 🙂

portrait mode follow up postThe following screen shots were taken on my iPhone 14 ProMax. The Portrait Mode is available on the iPhone 11 and up. I am not sure about models before the 11. I recommend the Portrait Mode in your camera for selfies or when your subject is two to eight feet in front of you. The Portrait Mode is available in the built-in camera app. Once you have the camera open and the Portrait Mode selected, frame the subject to take the shot. When the camera screen displays Natural Light, you can then take the picture.

Notice the background on both pictures. In Portrait Mode, the background is blurred. Looks pretty nice doesn’t it! The Portrait Mode is one way to emphasize the subject. This is especially handy when your background is busy or unattractive. There is more to the photography tip I wanted to share.

Let’s say after you take the picture, you decide you do want to see more details of the background. You can change the background to see more detail. Yes, you heard me correctly. The background can be edited after the image was taken. Let me show you how.

Open the picture you want to see more details in the background. Click the Edit button.

edit portrait mode background

At the top center you will see the word Portrait that is highlighted yellow. Click it. When it is no longer highlighted, the background will not be blurred. Click the word Portrait again, and the background goes back to blurred. Pretty nifty!

portrait mode

Remember the rule of thirds as well. Both of these tips will make your images look better!

Ok, now for the follow up 🙂 This picture is the whole reason for the post today! I have now been an active Weight Watchers member for seven weeks. And yes, I am loosing weight, yippee! However no one seems to have noticed. I notice small changes like today getting in and out of my husband’s truck is easier. My rings seem to be spinning more on my fingers and it is hot outside!

After getting home from the grocery store, I was looking thru some of my past selfies. And lo and behold, I ran across a picture taken just this past May. It was the day I went to the KC Zoo with my daughter and her family. Visit the KC Zoo here!
weight loss

My very first week, I had signed up for Weight Watchers (WW) in the phone app. The service I selected was the online option. Any classes I wanted to take would require me to upgrade services. And eventually I did just that. The meetings have been very instrumental for me. After seeing the two pictures above side by side, I wonder how much weight I lost that very first week. I never weigh myself at home. My weight was only checked when I went to the doctor and now at my weekly WW meeting. In the post, Looking my Best tells the story of my WW discovery.

And with my WW journey I am successfully implementing #69 of my 101 in 1001 goals, avoid or eat less junk food. That’s a win, win for me!

Loosing weight is not easy. Never has been for me. However, the WW point system and the ability to scan bar codes while at the grocery store makes this process for me easy. I will continue with Weight Watchers and post my progress, good or not good here. I need accountability!

Take Care. Best wishes, Debra
Gma’s photo

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