P52 Picture of the Week: Resolution

I have been wanting to make a trip to Mountain View since I got my camera for Christmas but due to being sick with Bronchitis, I was forced to stay inside. Today, I finally got to get outside with my camera and I headed straight for Blanchard Springs.

Most people know that I have worked as a tour guide at Blanchard Springs Caverns for about about 6 seasons. One of the perks of working there is having an extensive knowledge of the park and hiking trails.

As stated in an earlier blog post, my resolution for 2012 is to spend more time exploring the world around me. With that being said, here is my submission for the week:

This picture represents my  resolution because in order to really capture this waterfall, you have to leave the boardwalk and hike down by the creek then climb up a few rocks to get there. This year, I want to change my perspective of life from staying on the boardwalk and challenge myself to get off the beaten path of the world in order to follow the path the Lord has laid out just for me.

Week 1: Resolution

Resolution: the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.

Resolution is the prompt for the first week of photographs. I haven't taken my picture yet (don't judge! It's not due until Friday!) but I have been thinking a lot lately about resolutions so until I have a picture, I'll talk about my past resolutions.

It seems that all my life, my resolutions have always been the following:

1. Lose weight (in the fastest way possible)
2. Exercise More (in order to lose weight the fastest way possible)
3. Read my Bible daily (a good one no doubt but when I break this one, I feel incredibly guilty that I couldn't live up to the extreme standards I set for myself.)

This year, however, I am refusing to use this particular word to describe the changes I wish to make in the new year. Instead, Not only am I boycotting the word resolution, I am also boycotting the vicious (and shallow) high expectations that I put on myself. Sure, I still want to do all those things listed above but this year I want to explore the world God created for me. I don't just want to explore it for the sake of exploring either; I want to explore it in order to become closer to my Father in Heaven and find my place in His world.

Now-back to the picture of the week. I have a couple of ideas of how to portray this but I can't give any hints until I am able to get outside and work on it! Hopefully tomorrow I will be well enough to get outside and play with my new camera (HORRIBLE stent with Bronchitis has kept me inside for about a week now!)

I will, however, leave you with one of my favorite pictures from Christmas that I took on the very first day of having my new camera!

 All my Mom wanted for Christmas was family pictures. My younger sister, brother, and myself got together to surprise her with just that. This is her looking at these pictures for the first time.