sometimes…

a person (in this case me) can be impacted greatly by a brief interaction with another human being. sometimes the impact is so powerful, that for days it continues to enter your thoughts often, and might even change a person forever. we all have that power of influence…which is crazy, right? this happened to me on sunday when i photographed father don shane’s 40th anniversary of his ordination as a priest. i had met him briefly in june of this year when i photographed john and ashley harbison’s wedding. i was impressed at that time, but my focus was on the bride and groom and all the festivities of the wedding at that time, so i wasn’t able to fully absorb what a great man of God father shane is. and that is what he is and why i’m so in awe. he loves the Lord and that love just overflows out of him. he is probably one of the most charismatic men i’ve met, but his charisma is of the Godly sort. as an observer of the day, i witnessed how much everyone loves and respects him. he goes out of his way to let people know that they are important. i would guess that everyone attending, felt like they were his favorite. he has an uncanny way with people. i also thoroughly enjoyed his sermon. he spoke of God’s love and grace and told a story of what pushed him to be ordained. everyone was riveted as he spoke….he injected humor and love as naturally as anyone i’ve heard. one thing that has stuck with me this week, was his reason for becoming a priest: he wanted to be the kind of priest that he himself would have wanted…loving, kind, full of God’s grace, not judgemental, or harsh. and he is.

God bless each of you!