Thinking Out Loud

So my photography business is keeping me REALLY BUSY which is a blessing and a ton of fun! I'm trying NOT to neglect my Thinking Out Loud blog, but I have to admit that my photography blog has been seeing a lot more action as of late. Just so you will know what's been keeping me so busy and away from blogging.....We did these photos yesterday of some of our dear friends. Here are a few of my favorites.

I ADORE this photo with all my heart.....

I guess you could say, I heart this photo.

I LOVE this photo....mainly because Ashley is in a tree (whoop)

with the help of her dad all the while never taking off the stilettos.....AND because Ryan (the youngest standing beside his mom)

was a winking machine. See him winking! Help Me Henry....pinch that boy's cheeks.

I absolutley adore this photo as well.

What a sweet family.

Then there's Ashley again.....Super ~~model~~ student!

I mean seriously....can she work it or what?

She is not only gorgeous but so much fun!

So....many of you know that I love my church, and I love the pastors at my church. And most of you know that I really love Cindy....our associate pastor. She has been at our church, since before we joined; so honestly I have no idea how long she's been there....but it's been a long time. She baptized NPayne, she has been my shepherd many many times; and I respect and love her. In fact, I want to be her when I grow up....even though she is only a few years older than I....she ~~seems~~ is much wiser. She is truly one of the funniest, kindest, most honest people I have ever met. She is a fabulous speaker and writer, and she writes a column for our local newspaper every other week. On November 4th, she wrote an article....this article caused quite an uproar by some; but it also caused most people to realize that what they had been thinking all along....she was bold enough to say out loud. So below....is her article....

Wednesday, Nov. 04, 2009
Ban the Mums, Feed a Child
Now that homecoming season is over, I can no longer hold it in.
How did the homecoming mum situation get so out of control?
Surely no one will argue with me that homecoming mums and garters have become increasingly hideous-looking, over-sized, over-the-top and expensive. I saw some that probably cost $250 — with lights and boas an entire stuffed animal collections attached. Did you see all those high school and middle school girls bowed over by the sheer girth of these mums?
At the game I attended, I saw two girls with what I call four-plex mums approached by a mom who said, "Girls, your mums are beautiful."
She was lying, of course.
One answered in a strained voice, "I can’t wait to get it off."
Somehow we’ve created a bizarre custom where for one, maybe two days, guys and girls spend too much money trying to outdo each other with giant, ugly things that everyone despises.
Here’s my problem: I’m a pastor and sometimes I see the world through a different set of lenses. Lately, I’ve been painfully aware that we have hungry children all around us — not I-need-to-go-to-McDonald’s hungry — I’m talking about starvation hungry.
Our church partners with the GCISD schools in a Weekend Food Program where certain children, identified by the school nurses as the poorest of poor, receive a packet of supplemental food in their backpacks for the weekend. Why? The school nurses were seeing children arrive on Mondays lethargic, with stomach cramps, unable to concentrate. Why? They hadn’t eaten since their free school lunch the previous Friday.
Currently, we are supplying weekend food for 450 kids for $6 per child, per month. These aren’t starving children in Africa, they are right here in the classroom with your child and mine.
The cost is the same for feeding children in at least one program in Africa with local ties.
A former Colleyville resident started a children’s feeding program in Africa because his heart was wrenched by children in Kenyan schools lying on the floor, faint from hunger. Steve Peifer feeds a child for a month for $6 through www.kenyakidscan.com.
This year, each outrageous mum represented to me 33 hungry children who could be fed for a month. 33 children fed for a month! If just one high school gave up mums and fed children instead, they could feed almost 17, 000 children for a month in Africa or provide Weekend Food for all 450 children locally for over three years!
If you are a florist or a have a mum business, don’t bother to e-mail me an angry letter; we all know traditions are not easily moved or shifted. Instead, get busy designing the cool ribbon or button everyone could wear instead which says, "I banned a mum and fed 33 children."
Something needs to change.
Dr. Cindy Ryan is a pastor and writer.

After the article was published, she was swarmed with emails from all over the world....yes ALL OVER THE WORLD....about this topic. Most were very encouraging and full of gratitude but some were....well NOT! Below is her rebutal article....

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009
Real Life
"Ban a Mum, Feed a Child" ran in this column two weeks ago, on Nov. 4.
In it, I suggested homecoming mums and garters are an over-the-top, expensive tradition which seems crazy when we have hungry children around us.
I highlighted programs that feed children locally and in Africa for $6 a month in which 33 children could be fed for a month for the cost of a homecoming mum.
To me, it was just an interesting point and allowed me to vent.
I was surprised then, to receive e-mails and phone calls from all over the world, because of the power of the Internet.
Overwhelmingly, the e-mails were positive. The column seemed to put into words what others had been feeling, too.
"These mums are a sign of excess and are ridiculously ugly."
"We are surrounded by children who need help while most of us have more than we need."
"This bizarre custom is so wasteful."
"How do students feel who can’t afford outlandish mums?"
"A quaint tradition has been hijacked by a tendency to spend whatever to make it bigger and better than everyone else’s."
"You were being conservative when you estimated the most expensive mums were $250; one in Southlake was documented as costing $650."
A 10-year-old, Benjamin Singel of Grapevine, designed a homecoming button the same day the article published which read "I fed 33 children."
This little guy has his own button business and got right to work.
I learned in the past, students have already attempted charitable alternatives to mums, including giving to Make-a-Wish Foundation, Water is Basic for water wells in Africa and an organization supporting injured Marines.
The negative e-mails mostly came from florists reminding me their income feeds children and supports charities.
"Why pick on hard working florists and not those who drive a Lexus, buy $200 bottles of wine or Rolex watches?"
"Why not write about what is spent on band or cheerleader uniforms?"
"Why not knock on doors of some of the mansions around here and ask them to downsize?"
I heard from flower growers everywhere who think Texas homecoming mums are made with live flowers.
One flower farmer from Ecuador wrote, "Growing and selling baby’s breath feeds my 1-year-old."
I didn’t have the heart to tell him I had never seen baby’s breath on a homecoming mum — stuffed animals, boas, lights, yes, but not baby’s breath.
Flower growers were shut out of homecoming long ago.
Florists insist that their homecoming mum business allows them to purchase fresh flowers from growers.
Could we ever go back to one simple live mum and a few ribbons? One ribbon could read, "I supported an Ecuador flower grower and fed 30 children."
That would be a pretty long ribbon, but, then again, we’re used to that.
One friend coached me saying, "Don’t you know the world economy depends on Americans buying stupid stuff they don’t need?"
For the record, I love fresh flowers.
I buy them.
I give them to friends and family.
Our church uses fresh flowers in worship every Sunday and lots and lots of them on holidays.
I’ve even written entire columns about the power of a single flower to change one’s outlook on life.
I don’t recall hearing from even one florist then.
A few attacked me as arrogant, harsh and found my "remarks were not becoming a pastor."
"You are what is wrong with society," one said.
"You do not have a clue about much ... but then again, you are Methodist."
"Divide the price of new synagogues and sanctuaries by $6 and see how many children you could feed."
One criticized me for being too slow in realizing we had hungry children in our area.
Some had no problem banning mums, but didn’t want to feed needy children.
"Stop sending food and medicine; you are enabling them"
"We have starving kids because we are a nation cursed by God."
Or, the stunningly racist e-mail declaring we not feed Africans, nor black people in the United States, and said "our African president will turn the U.S. into a third-world country in four years."
He closed that charming e-mail asking me to pray. I am, but not for the reasons he thinks.
My latest insights:
1. When you speak your mind, watch out.
2. Even good traditions can continue past the sensible point.
3. Don’t mess with florists.
4. This seems to be a heated dialogue between parents and florists. I wonder what students think?
5. We all have excesses we could give up to help others, me included.
6. We are all connected. What we do here, matters to people in Ecuador, Africa, all across the planet.
7. And, I’m certainly not alone in believing something needs to change.
Dr. Cindy Ryan is a pastor and writer.

No matter if you agree or disagree, it definitely gives you something to think about. I know that we are not here to judge, but we are here to serve. I also know that I believe there is absolutely nothing wrong with kids celebrating homecoming....getting dressed up....going to a football game....having dinner....even buying a mum....it's all about perspective and moderation. That's my opinion. I also know that if my girls go to homecoming, I will dig this article out to remind them; and I know.....without a doubt....that they will agree to donate to hungry children. Will they wear a mum....maybe....but it won't cost $250! That I can guarantee you.