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A number of years ago I heard a great quote, it went something like this; “If you want to have a fulfilled life you need three things, (1) Something to Believe in, (2) Something to Do, (3) Someone to Love, (4) \u00a0and something to Look Forward to!”<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0I thought about that for some time and I think that’s why I feel so fulfilled and joyful as a person.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (1)<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0I believe in God. \u00a0I believe His only Son, Jesus Christ came to earth and lived to show us how to live, and died for the forgiveness of mine and your sins. \u00a0I believe He loves me, and you, that He orders my steps. protects me, encourages me, and give me lasting peace and joy, and will for you too! \u00a0I also believe in America. \u00a0I believe in what we once stood for, and can stand for again. \u00a0I think we are generous, carrying and kind nation, and I also believe we stand for what is right. \u00a0While many in our country have turned away from God, and from what our forefathers wanted to establish, I don’t believe it is too late to turn it around, and return to our former glory. \u00a0I pray we will! \u00a0I will work to do my part.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (2)<\/span><\/strong> \u00a0I’m officially retired from a 40 hour a week job, it was actually 55 to 60 hours a week! \u00a0I still get up every morning at 5:30, see my wife off to work and then go to my home office where I put in around 8 hours a day. \u00a0I write, plan workshops, and the thousands of other things photographers do, work on my stock file, process images, the usual. \u00a0I can’t just stop and sit down and wait to die! \u00a0As the old saying goes, I hope to die with my boots on!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (3)<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0In this area I am especially blessed. \u00a0I have Sherelene, the love of my life, my best friend, and my favorite person to hang out with! \u00a0I have my children, whom I love dearly and the fantastic grandchildren they have given me, Hannah, Ben, Cassidy, Cade, Elijah and Abigail. \u00a0I have, and this is where I’m going to get in trouble because I’ve blessed with too many friends to name them all, but I love Jim Begley, Jack Graham, Bill Pekala, Jim Haverstock, Stephen Hart, “Snake” Barrett, and the list goes on and on and on. \u00a0I’m truly blessed with sop many wonderful friends and brothers and sisters in Christ!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n (4)<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0Something to look forward to! \u00a0One of the greatest blessing of my life is all the great activities I enjoy and places I look forward to going to! \u00a0I am going to get to teach with Jim Begley, Jack Graham, Fred Sisson, Bill Pekala, Joe McNally \u00a0and Anne Cahill McNally, and “Snake” Barrett \u00a0in 18 workshops this year! \u00a0I’m really excited about going out to Peoria in early March and teach a big group of photographers a one day seminar! \u00a0Then I’m doing something I have wanted to do for many years, drive a portion Route 66 (some day I hope to drive every mile of it over a two or three week period of time!) \u00a0 I will leave Peoria the day after the seminar and drive to the New Mexico border and then follow Route 66 all the way to the turn off to Las Vegas, where Jack and I are doing a two day trip with students to Nelson Ghost Town!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am not telling you this to brag or boast! \u00a0There is a passage of scripture that states;\u00a0\u00a0“Seek First the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you, (your needs), and even the desires of your heart!”\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is the explanation for all the great blessings I listed above! \u00a0I have not done anything to deserve such blessings, I have only given my life, and heart to Him. \u00a0My Heavenly Father delights in giving us great gifts and he has overwhelmed me with His Blessings!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Starting March 12th I hit the road for a 19 day road trip to Peoria, then Nelson Ghost Town (Las Vegas) and on to Moab, Utah for a workshop with Jack at Arches\/Canyonlands, and then home! \u00a0That kicks off a glorious year of planned events and the chance to get to spend time with a \u00a0lot of great friends and students from the past workshops!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For now I am working on two new books; \u00a0The Fuji X-System User’s Guide Volume 2, and Learning to See Photographically ( an advanced Composition and Visual Arts book )<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Blessings,<\/p>\n <\/p>\n the pilgrim<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Coming Soon! \u00a0The latest updates on the Fuji X System, new lenses, the Firmware updates for the Fuji X-T1 and X-E2, dozens of new tips and and info ongoing the most out of your X System. \u00a0Value priced at $4.99 \u00a0Also the New Advanced Composition and Visual arts book,\u00a0 “Learning to See Photographically”<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/billfortney.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Screen-Shot-2015-02-11-at-9.37.30-AM.png\" "\\"Screen")
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