Be Careful What You Wish For!

I shared yesterday about a chance, (actually a God planned),  encounter with some people in the Sky Room on my way home from New Orleans.  In the conversation the older of the two gentlemen ask me a question that has resurfaced continuously since it was asked,  “What do you want in your future?”   I couldn’t stop thinking about that question.  The more I mulled it over in my mind the more I realized what an important question it was.  I decided to pray about it, consider it, and come up with a list of what I really want in my future!  I even shocked myself!  I would pose the same question to you,  “What do you really want in your life?”  Here is what I came up with in order of importance;

1.  I want to find myself closer and closer to my Lord Jesus Christ every day.  I want to develop a deeper relationship with Him that makes me more of what He wants me to be.  I want my closeness to Him to spill over into the world around me.  I pray that people I meet and get to know,  want to get to know Him because of what they see He has done in my life.  I want Him to get all the glory.

2.  I want to see others the way God sees them.  I want to feel the compassion, and love my Heavenly Father feels for others.  I want any judgement I may feel to fade away and be replaced with the same love, and gentleness He has offered me.

3.  I would like to wake up more mornings next to Sherelene!  I travel way too much, and I miss my bride.  I want to not only spend more time with her, but I want to be a better husband.  I want to consider her feelings, needs, and wishes more carefully, and work harder at being the kind of man she needs in her life.  I want her to know how very much I appreciate all her sacrifices and hard work, love and devotion.  She deserves the very best husband I can be, and more.

4.  I want to spend more time with my children, grandchildren and brother Homer.  I love my family, and this life keeps me too busy and too separated from all of them.  I love the time I do get to spend with them, I want more of that in my life.  The Christmas season reminded me again of just how much joy they bring into my life, how very proud I am of each of them!

5.  I love being with my friends, and sharing our love for photography and our faith.  I want to have more time spent in their company. When I’m feeling tired, stressed, or over loaded,  all I have to do is close my eyes and go back to New England, or Shaker Village, Savannah, or Arches/Canyonlands and remember all the great times with my brother Homer,  Jim Begley, Chuck Summers, Richard Small, Snake Barrett, Chuck Barnes, Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski, Jim & Sue Haverstock, Raymnond Jabola, Ricky Skaggs, Tim Isaacson, Susan S., Lynn R.,  Larry W., the Obers, and I better stop now before someone gets their feelings hurt.  I truly love the folks that share and learn with us at the workshops, I am so looking forward to the ones to come and more time with my buddies, brothers, and sisters!

6.  I want to have more success at taking care of myself.  I need to exercise more, eat better, and get enough rest.  I’m totally at fault for not doing a better job at that, I need to put a better plan into action!  God has miraculously kept me on this side of the grass with little help from me!

7. I want to be the kind of employee at Nikon, that when it is time to leave, they will genuinely be sorry to see me go.  I appreciate my job and the people I work with, I want to make them glad they hired me ten years ago!  I know we do important work and I appreciate getting to be a part of this team.

8.  I want to do more Kelby Training Classes.  Nikon has asked me to not teach anymore, until after I retire.  They see it as a conflict with Nikon School and other classes Nikon offers. I have really enjoyed doing them and look forward, in the not to distant future, to resuming.  I still have one unreleased class that will be coming up this year, after that I hope to continue adding to that list of classes well into the future!

9.  I want to become a better teacher.  I love photography and I really enjoy sharing that love, and my experience, with other photographers, I want to work hard to get better and better at it.

10.  I  don’t ever want to loose my enthusiasm and love for the craft and art of photography.  It is a wonderful thing to get to this age and still be so excited about photography.  I hope I stay this motivated until the moment I go home to be with Him!

* Bonus one:  11.  I want to get better and better as a photographer.  Not better than any other individual, just increase my skill, vision, and joy!

So there are my top ten + 1!  I know the more I think about the more things will be added.  Give it a try, start thinking about what really matters the most to you and make your own list!

Be blessed,

the pilgrim