j simon

Blog Pause

It is wedding season and my world is very busy right now. Business is fantastic! I am so grateful and simply want to do the best work I can do for my clients. 

I need to make some life adjustments for this season. I need to trim the unnecessary so that I can deal with the essential.  So, my blogging will be on hold for a while so I can focus on the business and personal parts of my life.

I'll try to make quick hit facebook posts. I'd like my blog to contain thoughts that are more complete. 

When you think of me, pray that God will give me strength and clarity.

I'll see ya later this summer.

Thank you friends.

Blessings,
Jess

Life Altering Gratitude

"No amount of wealth will please one who cannot not find riches in what is free.  Find the beauty in your life today!" -Tony Robbins

 

I buy into this mindset big time!!! It's not about walking around in denial and muttering to oneself that "everything is good and nothing is bad". It is living very aware that the good and the bad are BOTH true... but your focus is a choice. Relentlessly seeking out the good and beautiful...then being intentionally grateful is powerful living. Gratitude is a life changer and far from being shallow, uninformed and naive.

 

"If anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8

10 Phrases That Bring Healing

Phrases that heal hearts when spoken from authentic hearts and spoken with no agenda other than truth. 

1. "I'm Wrong"

2. "I'm Sorry"

3. "I don't define you by your weakest moments."

4. "I'm proud of you."

5. "I forgive you."

6. "Talk it out, cry it out. I will listen."

7. "Tell me honestly what you see in me... that may be blind spots for me."

8. "Thank you"

9. "I will become someone I am proud of."

10. "I love you!"

I have heard it said that "I love you" is a phrase overused. I don't believe that. I am not saying all "I love you's" are created equal. Some use the phrase as a casual way to end a phone conversation with someone they care for. I'm good with that. Some statements are like the one I had yesterday when I took Canton to preschool. He did not want to leave Papa. He looked directly at me, shook his head and said "Papa, NO, Canton weeuydth Papa" (I didn't ask him for a spelling.. just spelled it like it sounds). I told him that I had to work and he had to go to school. His response, "sad" (he has just added that word to his vocabulary). When he grabbed my neck and said "wub u Papa", it was a high impact "I love you" that was both a heart-breaker and an incredible heart-healer.

I had someone else take him into school.... I sat in the car and cried (Yeah I know I am a wimp... and I can live with that). How could a 2 year old boy have such impact on a 46 year old man? LOVE! It's better than ice cream!!!!

New Year New Me

I love a New Year! It is a perfect time to end some things and begin others. It's a perfect time to turn a page, complete a chapter and begin another.

Here is my focus for 2010.

I am dedicating 2010 to building jSimon Photography into a business that I am extremely PROUD to have my name on. For me that starts with taking fantastic pictures. It also includes great customer service, integrity, dependability, consistency, honesty, creativity and financial viability. I have no desire to be the largest. I want to be small on purpose. I also want to be known by my peers and clients for being meticulous and delivering only the highest quality products and service. jSimon must mean great photographic art that you can't get in a mall or by a cousin with a digital camera. It must also must mean my clients "get" me. I have missed being hands-on and directly working with people to deliver excellent service. I am returning to my roots and passion.

I will get around the best photographers in the country and learn from them. I will help a few serious newbie photographers learn the craft.

I will spend time every day doing something specific that will move me toward better health. I will enter 2011 at 225lbs and in significantly better shape.

I will read at least one chapter in a book or periodical every day. I won't go to sleep until I learn and grow a little.

I will physically get down on my knees, beside my bed, and pray out loud at the end of every day. I'm not recruiting or saying it's a better way for you. It does help me focus and get specific about time with my God.

I will spend time every day with my camera in my hand shooting. I will set aside one picture from every single day and see what those 365 look like at the end of the year.

I will write down on paper something for which I am grateful every day.

I will on-purpose love and treasure moments with Kandice, Ross, Josh, Tiffani, Canton and Simone. I will do the same with my Mother, Father and my sister Joy.

I will spend significantly less time worried about what other people think of me. I will spend significantly more time asking if I am happy with what I am bringing to the table and if it would make my Heavenly Father smile. If those two things are true I am going to get good with it. This is going take work for me. I have spent too many years trying to please too many people. I'm changing that. 

I am going to be more consistent on this blog. I may have to make adjustments depending on the business but this is what I am diligently working toward. I am going to try to roll out an article every Tuesday. These articles will be my take on life, love, work, leadership, family, faith, the pursuit of excellence, failures, authenticity, healthy living, and other rants and ramblings from the odd mind that occupies my skull. I will also roll out a photograph of the week on Friday. If you aren't on facebook get there! :) It is where I daily post bits of the unfiltered goofiness that is my life and thoughts. But if you start getting judgmental or critical I WILL de-friend your butt! I'm not a Pastor... I can de-friend you and I can say "butt". Get past it. :)

I stumbled across a book this past year that is going to be a big part of 2010 for me. It is called Monday Morning Choices, by David Cottrell. In it he talks about 12 choices that we can make to go from "everyday to extraordinary". It's not a "go faster, do more" book. I'm not at a point in my life where I want to go faster or produce more. I want to slow down, savor moments and deliver excellence.

Here are the 12 choices he talks about and I am sure you will hear me reference throughout the year.  

1. The No-Victim Choice ... don't let your past eat your future

2. The Commitment Choice...be passionate enough to succeed

3. The Values Choice.... chose the right enemies

4. The Integrity Choice... do the right thing

5. The Do Something Choice ... don't vacation on someday isle

6. The Persistence Choice ... learn from failure

7. The Attitude Choice ... take the enthusiastic approach

8. The Adversity Choice ... conquer difficult times

9. The Relationship Choice ... connect with success

10. The Criticism Choice... embrace tough learning

11. The Reality Choice... face the truth

12. The Legacy Choice ... give your gift

 That's my focus for 2010. I will succeed. I will fail. I will fall and I will get up again. So goes life.

My quote for the year "Life is an occasion, rise to it!"

My verse for 2010 ... “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”- Micah 6:8

I will see ya on Friday with a photo and next Tuesday with an article.

Blessings, Joy and Peace
Jess

Image Management

"When man found the mirror, he began to lose his soul;
for he became more concerned with his image
rather than his self."
-Stephen Covey

I love this quote! We can so easily become more concerned with image management than authentic living. WHO is more important than DO!!!

Colin Powell and Joe Jackson

Michael Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, is a piece of work. I have decided that considering his father... Michael turned out as normal as could be expected. Geez! What a self-consumed goober!

Check out the video clip of Joe and his advisor, the always entertaining and puzzling Al Sharpton.

“He was loved in every country in the United States” …and “I extablished a record company....."  "He tried his hard to please everybody.” ????????????????????

Compare that to this quote from a brilliant and gracious gentleman Colin Powell. "Yes, there were some challenges in his life, Yes, there was a great deal of controversy about him. But he's now passed on. Let's celebrate his art."

What a class act! I love Colin Powell! He is filled with grace, strength, integrity and courage. Truly a man's man, and his own man. A black man unafraid to be a republican because he thought country came before race. A republican unafraid to endorse Obama because he believed country came before politics. An Obama supporter unafraid to disagree with his domestic policy yet applaud his foreign policy. A man who loves soldiers, hates war, would rather talk than shoot but has and would risk his life to go to war if that is what it takes to win peace and freedom. When I grow up I wanna be like Colin Powell.

If you haven't read the book Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell, it is a MUST read for all leaders. If you are in any way a leader of people... of many or of few... stop everything you are doing... go get the book... and read it NOW. I'm watching you on your web cam. I'll wait here till ya get back.

Wonder what Michael Jackson's life would have been like with a class act like Colin Powell as his father?

My July 4th prayer: God send more men like Colin Powell to lead our country. Help me to be more like him. I want to be unafraid of what men may think of me and simply live out my convictions with courage and grace.

blessings, joy and peace
jess

Words I Like

"The greatest freedom in the world
is having nothing to prove."
-Mark Batterson

Mark Batterson is a cool pastor from DC. I am a fan! His passion for life and God are obvious. But, he seems very comfortable being human and uniquely himself. I like that.
 
Follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkBatterson
Mark Batterson blog: www.evotional.com

My Friend

I have a dear friend having very important surgery today.

She is a newbie Christ Follower. She is also a world class mom and human being. God was doing very cool work inside of her for a long time, long before she even knew it was Him. You can tell when you get to know her awesome heart, it has His fingerprints all over it. 

Her surgery is very private. Her life is very public. I wont give you her name, God knows....... but please pray for my friend M.T.

My take on Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson.

Obviously, a very troubled soul. Obviously, one of the great talents in our nation’s history. Obviously, a weird dude with some strange ideas and behavior. Obviously, an easy target for jokes. Some in very poor taste. Some just freakin' hilarious! I passed one MJ joke along to my closest friends this weekend. It made me literally laugh out loud. What’s the harm? Well, unless you were Michael Jackson, his family or friends. But why let that get in the way of our sport?

Not so obvious, was he a pedophile? If he was... then I say fry him! In my book, it doesn't get worse than harming a child for one’s personal, perverse satisfaction. Small problem though: I don’t know if he was and you probably don’t either. Some say he was, but I DO KNOW that "some say" things on a regular basis that just aren't true. I don't think that most times they are trying to lie or injure. They are just stating as true - things they believe to be true - but don't KNOW to be true. Kids, this is called gossip and in my life I have found it to be unreliable, devastating to many, and I believe very unpleasing to our Heavenly Father.

My opinion? Oh will I ever catch flack over this.... I don't think Michael Jackson was a sexual predator. I think he was a disturbed child. Even at age 50 he was still a disturbed child. I think he had a kind heart. I don’t think he would harm children. He was weird. But when I listen to the words of the credible people which were closest to him, those that didn't have a financial agenda, it makes me think he was just was just odd. We didn't know what to do with his brand of oddness so we called him a pedophile.

I do think he did things that are highly inappropriate. Considering the dangers in our society to children, 40 year old men can't have 10 year old kids over to the house for "sleep overs".... much less sleep in the same bed with them!! I put the blame for that on star struck parents. Parents get a clue! Don't let your 10 year old kid spend the week with a 40 year old plastic man that lives in a place he named Neverland, has a ferris wheel, and has toys and tents in his bedroom! Here's your sign that the dude is odd and not a potential friend or role model for your kid!!!

Time for a little uncomfortable. I think the number of people harmed today by gossip will be higher than the amount of songs sold by MJ his entire life. I have been both a victim and a participant. I need to stop being a participant. Maybe you should consider opting out yourself. Instead of judging Michael Jackson for things we know nothing about, maybe we should deal with the stuff in our own lives that needs attention.

At the top of this blog post I used a picture of Michael Jackson as a smiling talented kid to remind myself and you that he was more than a plastic weird man. He was a human loved by God. I am sure a lot of things contributed to the man he turned into. Things we will never know. Everybody has a story.

As for me?

I'm Starting With The Man In The Mirror

I'm Asking Him To Change His Ways

And No Message Could Have Been Any Clearer

If You Wanna Make The World A Better Place

Take A Look At Yourself,

And Then Make A Change

My Dad

My Father is a great man. That isn’t Fathers Day hyperbole. It is the truth. I would not have always said that. There was a time I just didn’t understand him. He was hard driving, hard working and expected that of me. I wasn’t a fan of hard driving or hard work. I thought he was too hard on me as a kid. WOW! I’ll bet I was the first kid who ever thought that. :)

My perspective has changed a great deal through the years. I grew to appreciate his value of hard work. I tried to pass it on to my kids. I even became thankful for his strong discipline in parenting me. So much so, that I practiced a strong disciplinary style when raising my own children. (Not angry child abuse- don’t email me.) I am writing a book with my kids (who are now parents) tentatively titled “We Refuse to Raise a Brat” or “Do the world a favor and …just spank the brat, PLEASE!”. I’m sure Oprah will want to have us on her show to discuss how spanking a kid's hiney might break their little spirit. :)

Anyway, back to my dad. I understand him now. He has mellowed through the years. We have both grown. In many ways I have become like him. I am proud of that. I love him with all my heart! I have moved into a house down the street from him just to be near him.

My dad loves his God, his church flock and his family. He has been a faithful pastor for over 50 years. He is the real deal!

I was so afraid to retire (I prefer that terminology to “couldn’t hack it”) as a pastor because I didn’t want to let him down or embarrass him in any way. How do you tell a guy that has been a pastor for 56 years that the job is too hard for you? That you have officially failed at following in his footsteps and carrying on his legacy? He is a world class pastor! I sucked as a pastor! Don’t take that wrong. I am not beating myself up. I am just a fan of honesty and that’s the truth. I do many things well and I really like the human I am becoming. But, I reached a point where I was a terrible pastor. When I told him I was resigning I was so afraid. He was so kind, gracious and understanding. To my surprise he didn’t give a rip about me being a pastor. He just wanted his son to be ok. I will be forever grateful for those conversations. They poured strength and courage into me.

Watching my Dad love my grandchildren has been one of life’s all time great pleasures. He loves them and they love him. Watching them together is a beautiful thing.

This is an uncomfortable truth. I have been planning my Dad’s (and my mom’s) funeral for the past 10 years. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t intend to use the material for another 20 years or so… but I have a folder of stuff that contains plans for his memorial service… and when he goes home to be with Jesus.. I am gonna make dang sure we honor him well.

There is a song that will be sung at both my parent’s funerals. It was written by Vince Gill and best sung by Michael English. It is a sad and soulful song that is overflowing with joy. It is a song written to a person who has died.

The lyrics to the chorus are “Go rest high on that mountain. For your work on earth is done. Go to heaven a shoutin’. Love for the Father and the Son”.

I love that picture. Go rest high on that mountain.  My dad loves the mountains as much as I do. Your work on earth is… done. How beautiful!!! To live your life in such a way that your death is not a tragedy… simply a completion. Go on to heaven with a big smile, fist pump, and a “done”.

My dad has lived that. He has done his work on earth. DONE! I find that remarkable because I live in a world of started, procrastinated, considering, paused, in progress, workin’ on it, have an idea… but rarely DONE. I hope my father hangs out for another 20 years or so, simply because I love him and want his company. But, he has nothing left to accomplish.

Faithful to God? Done.

Faithful to my mom? Done.

Fantastic father? Done.

Great pastor? Done

Great preacher? Done

Extraordinary grandfather and great-grandfather? Done.

Gave his family freedom to be truly themselves without trying to “live up” to the standard he set? Done.

Gave everyone of his kids a significantly better start at life than what he had? Done

Dependable, steady? Done.

Generous, kind? Done

Full of grace, forgiving, accepting and loving to imperfect and broken people? Done.

Dang! My parents are a very hard act to follow! But the most beautiful thing about them is they don’t expect me to do so. They just want me to love Jesus and be my quirky, imperfect, very flawed self.

When my parents go home to be with Jesus I will do everything in my power to have Michael English himself sing that song at their funeral. I will be blogging asking for donations to pay whatever it takes to get The Man to come and sing that song for the 2 people it best describes.

I love my father! I love him more than those words can describe. He is my hero and my friend. One of these days, when my dad goes home to see his Father, he will hear Him say “done” … no... he will hear Him say “Well done. Very well done”.
 

BONUS
Click below and turn up the volume to hear Michael English sing "Go Rest High on that Mountain". Or, better yet, go to iTunes and buy his "Gospel" CD. Then email him and tell him I told you to buy it so he will owe me a favor some day. :)

Click Here to listen to - Go Rest High On That Mountain