Every day I see the world through the eyes of others. For the most part, it’s a tremendous blessing! I love hearing how others “see” a sunset at the beach, or an outfit, or their friends, or God.
This week I saw so much through the eyes of my friends. I was at the beach with a family who is like family to me, Monroe and Kathy Jones, and their daughters, Clayton and Daisy. I first met the Joneses years ago, when Monroe produced my first record. In between vocal takes, Clayton, who was two at the time, would serve me pink, plastic doughnuts, and we’d play “I Spy.” Now Clayton’s in college, her younger sister, Daisy, is a junior in high school, and pink doughnuts and “I Spy” are things of the distant past. But these days, we’re having new kinds of fun together.
During our beach trip, Daisy helped me improve my photography skills. I post lots of pictures, because I know everyone loves pictures, but I must admit, I find snapping pictures of things I can’t see to be simultaneously amusing and awkward. I feel as if I’m communicating in a language I’ll never fully learn to speak. (Perhaps some of you reading this think English is a language I’ll never learn to speak.)
Daisy introduced me to an iPhone app where, she said, all the filters are hip, so I can’t go wrong no matter which one I choose. I’m fascinated by how much goes into taking a picture these days. Filters. Staging. Lighting. It’s all mystifying. I do believe if there is any advantage to not seeing, perhaps it is the opportunity to remember people and experiences without cool filters or perfect camera angles.
There are so many things I’d love to share with you from this week, but I realize none of us have time for that, so just one more fun little story. After dinner one evening, I asked everyone to show me how to make hand gestures. Like photography, hand gestures are one of the great mysteries of life for me. Not anymore! Now I know “come here,” “peace,” “hang loose,” and how to do both normal and pageant waves!!
I love how God sends incredibly special folks to show us more of Himself and His world, don’t you? Here are some special glimpses of the world from this week. Hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed learning to take them!
