What are you afraid of?

Sure some are afraid of spooky stuff, dying, failure etc. but most of all, what really cripples us is the fear of others. What they think of us, what they might say, if they'll accept us or reject us.

In the entire history of the world there has never been, nor will ever be anyone that has reached their FULL potential while still holding onto the "fear of man" or what others think about them.

As I'm putting together my thoughts for a possible photo seminar I'm compelled to face this reality.

We will NEVER be all that we are created to be as photographers or anything else in life if we live by our fears and what others think of us!

WOW, WHAT A WAKE UP!

I don't believe for a minute that the "good old" days didn't have flaws and there are always ways we can improve upon what we have. And I don't think that the Bible or Christianity should be forced upon students etc. We live in a multi cultural and diverse society. But we have gone to an extreme by completely trying to eliminate any trace of God and morality from our school systems. I think the following below really puts it in a concise pattern and clear thought flow that makes alot of sense.

Enjoy. Jim

____________________________

Dear God:

Why didn't you save the school children at ?. .

Moses Lake , Washington 2/2/96 Bethel , Alaska 2/19/97Pearl , Mississippi 10/1/97 West Paducah , Kentucky 12/1/97Stamp, Arkansas 12/15/97Jonesboro , Arkansas 3/24/98 Edinboro , Pennsylvania 4/24/98Fayetteville , Tennessee 5/19/98 Springfield , Oregon 5/21/98 Richmond , Virginia 6/15/98
Littleton , Colorado 4/20/99 Taber , Alberta , Canada 5/28/99 Conyers , Georgia 5/20/99 Deming , New Mexico 11/19/99 Fort Gibson , Oklahoma 12/6/99 Santee , California 3/ 5/01 andEl Cajon , California 3/22/01

Pennsylvania 2006

Virginia Tech College 2007

Sincerely,
Concerned Student
-----------------------------------------------------
Reply:
Dear Concerned Student:
I am not allowed in schools.
Sincerely,
God
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How did this get started?...
-----------------
Let's see,I think it started when Madeline Murray O'Hare complained she didn't want any prayer in our schools.
And we said, OK..
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Then, someone said you better not read the Bible in school,the Bible that says "thou shalt not kill,thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbors as yourself,"
And we said, OK...
- -------------- --
Dr. Benjamin Spock saidwe shouldn't spank our children when they misbehaved because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem.
And we said,an expert should know what he's talking aboutso we won't spank them anymore..
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Then someone said teachers and principals better not discipline our children when they misbehave. And the school administrators saidno faculty member in this school better touch a student when they misbehave because we don't want any bad publicity, and we surely don't want to be sued.
And we accepted their reasoning...
------------------
Then someone said,let's let our daughters have abortions if they want,and they won't even have to tell their parents.
And we said, that's a grand idea..
------------------
Then some wise school board member said, since boys will be boys and they're going to do it anyway,let's give our sons all the condoms they want, so they can have all the fun they desire, and we won't have to tell their parents they got them at school.
And we said, that's another great idea...
------------------
Then some of our top elected officials saidit doesn't matter what we do in private as long as we do our jobs.
And we said,it doesn't matter what anybody, including the President, does in private as long as we have jobs and the economy is good....
------------------
And someone else took that appreciation a step furtherand published pictures of nude children and then stepped further still by making them available on the Internet.
And we said, everyone's entitled to free speech....
------------------
And the entertainment industry said,let's make TV shows and movies that promote profanity, violence and illicit sex...And let's record music that encourages rape, drugs, murder, suicide, and satanic themes...
And we said,it's just entertainment and it has no adverse effect and nobody takes it seriously anyway,so go right ahead.
------------------
Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, classmates or even themselves.------------------
Undoubtedly, if we thought about it long and hard enough, we could figure it out.I'm sure it has a great deal to do with...

"WE REAP WHAT WE SOW,"

On May 30th, Scott and Jenny Shine will be taking off on a 5000 mile self supported tandem bike trek!

There journey is twofold:

1. Raise awareness regarding the world water crisis.

2. Raise funds to help save lives and change the world.

3. (secretly Scott say's there is a third "get out of my cubical :)

There journey will take them from Washington state across the northern border of the US and Canada, down into Michigan and south from there until the loop back up to somewhere in Utah.

This incredible journey is unbelievable and we commend Scott and Jenny for their efforts in this journey they are about to begin!

Scott and Jenny will be riding, camping, cooking, riding, camping, cooking, maybe stopping by the Oprah show if that works out, did I mention riding? Anyway, they are doing the hard part!

All we need to do is help them by:

1. Raising awareness ourselves via your blogs, friends, churches, networks etc.

2. Sponsoring Scott and Jenny on a per mile basis.

You can lear more about their journey at www.teamhydrate.net

100% of all their procedes go directly to Thirst Relief International and you actually make the donation at our site www.thirstrelief.org

If your wondering why your reading about this on your photographer's blog it's cause I serve as the volunteer President of Thirst Relief International