is it bad...

that i have yet to change my watch from herrnhut to grand rapids time.

that i spent a good ten minutes staring at the german food section in meijer.

that i then proceeded to picture where all those things were in penny.

that i freaked out for five minutes because they had paprika chips and curry ketchup.

that i was angry that they had rittersport in english.

that i came home and ate said paprika chips with said curry ketchup.

(whoops. that was a mistake)

ich liebe deutschland.

home.

top five things that i can't quite get used to:

1. a refrigerater full of things i can just take

2. cell phone and texting

3. toilet with a little lever instead of massive wall mount button

4. sleeping alone

5. hearing a tv in the background.

top five things that make my heart want to burst with joy:

1. deep conversation with my sisters.

2. being in a full house of dogs and cats. i missed my pups more than i thought.

3. conversations with my parents that don't involve skype or email. thankyou God.

4. this new bed that defines comfort.

5. driving. okay, i haven't done it yet but today is the day!

this seems unreal.

after twenty six hours of travel, i finally arrived home late tuesday night. 

i wish i could explain how it felt to be around things so familiar to me, but i just have no words. it was much more strange than arriving in herrnhut seven months ago. this was different. this was a place i knew like the back of my hand, and now after this entire experience, i'm living it again.

i must say, my mom is the most wonderful woman in the world. one of the bigest challenges i knew i would face in walking through the door of my house, would be to go to the same bedroom i had had all these years. the same things staring me in the face. reminders of how much things have changed in my life.

but i walked through the door and was looking at something entirely new with maps, and things from paris and herrnhut sprinkled around the room. a new bed that feels like an absolute dream. a new layout.

and although it may be something so small, it's really not at all. a new enviroment will be key in helping me usher in this new chapter.

key in renewing my mind of what home means to me.

i find myself getting a glass of water and glancing out the window thinking i'll see car lights pulling in, and a familiar face. and in an instant i'm reminded how different it is this time around. so i take a deep breath, and pray the prayer i've been prayed a thousand times, that God would continue to be my strength. 

and He is. He always is.

He has been so faithful to me, and i feel it constantly. His constant goodness.

so i know that this will continue as i'm home, as i figure out what these next few months look like.

i trust Him completely, that He has me, He has my entire life in His more than capable hands.

 i don't have to be scared.

i can't wait to see what adventures await for me here!

hey michigan, 

 see you tomorrow.

atom magazine.

introducing...

the atom v.2 2012 magazine. 

click here to see the online version!

in this magazine contains stories, art and photos from staff and students of the marriage of the arts dts that i've been a part of for the last seven months. a handful of people worked tirelessly to put this magazine together in a short time frame, and i think they did an incredible job.

i'm so excited to finally share after weeks of anticipation, that one of my photographs was chosen for the cover! i can't explain how honored i feel that they chose this photograph to represent the face of the atom magazine... seriously, it seems unreal.

my desire to be a photographer has gone through it's stages, but this was a huge boost to just keep going. to keep pursuing the passion God has given me... to keep using my art for Him.

through printed copies circulating and the online version, the magazine is estimated to be seen by tens of thousands.

that's incredible!

please take time to read through each story and pass this on to anyone and everyone!

our goal is for this to be seen, to inspire, to share our art and a taste of what God has done in our lives in these last seven months. 

GRADUATION NIGHT TOMORROW

a night of dressing up, sharing, eating burritos, probably crying but definitely laughing.

 and yeah.. bringing these last seven months to a close.

i can not believe it.

beginning of the end.

my heart is so full of bavarian goodness right now. 

BAH. 

tour was incredible. my group of ten left last saturday and headed to a village 28 km outside of Hof, Germany. we had a full week of speaking in front of youth groups and schools about who we are, what we did and really just got to spread God's love and truth to literally hundreds of people. 

we also got to hike around the countryside, and eat alot of wonderful german home cooked food. 

seriously incredible. 

bavaria is beautiful, and i'm sure i'll be back there someday.

one thing i did find out the hard way this week..

you don't have to be ninety years old to get shingles. 

yes, 

shingles. 

i have it. 

 it's just as painful as people say.

 apparently you can get it from stress, and i wouldn't say i'm exactly stressed, but it has been the most intense seven months. this last month especially has taken it's toll on me.

it's actually pretty funny to me, because all along i thought this was only something for the elderly. but it is what it is, and i mostly just see it as a red flag that my body needs to rest.

which is perfect timing because i fly home next tuesday!

yup. 

dts has come to an end. 

i can't believe it at all, and have a trillion different thoughts swimming through my head. 

a trillion different emotions when it comes to going home. 

 but i'll be there in seven days, and no matter what, i'm going to make it a really good thing. 

this next week will be a week of preparation.

a week of packing. 

a week of goodbyes.

ohhh my goodness.

new season.

as i'm standing there, alone but not alone at all. i look around and see this beautiful wooded area masked in fog. there is a path that goes straight ahead, it's narrow, but i can tell it's there. as i take my first few steps on the path, an excitement grows within me to keep going. to want to see what's next with each step. ahead is so thick with fog that i can barely see, yet my heart trusts and as i go forward the fog clears around me. the further i go, the more beautiful the wooded area becomes. dense with lush trees, needle covered ground, warm sun dispersing through the branches. i still can't see more than a few steps ahead of me, but with each new clearing, i feel a joy bubbling from the depths. a joy that can't be contained, a joy that can only be from Him. as i keep walking, i don't even bother looking at my feet anymore, what use is that? if i look down at my feet i'll miss all there is to see around me. looking at what really matters and trusting my feet know where to step. trusting that i am not alone, and that 

i am His, and He is mine. 

my Beloved. 

i want to run. 

run freely down this path, with wild flailing arms. i want each step, each leap to be intentional. i'm never alone. He sees my pain, and gives me peace. He sees my joy, and delights along with me. He sees my weaknesses, and gives me strength. He sees my heart, and He claims it. He sees my love, and He gives me more. He sees me cry, and He gives me hope. He sees me laugh, and His heart bursts. 

when i look down the path and see fog, He sees clarity. 

when i start to watch my feet, He reminds me to look up. 

when i start to slow down and question where i am, He brings revelation of His love. 

i want to run. 

...........................

the last few days have been incredibly interesting. 

God sees clarity where i see fog.

the fog doesn't scare me, doesn't make me anxious. 

i'm rather excited to see where this path goes...

in two weeks, 

i get on a plane and embark on yet another adventure.

one that will take me who knows where.

i hope it takes me to every corner of this earth and to the depths of God's love. 

yes, 

that's what i want.

www.brittanymahoodphotographyblog.com

herrnhut weekends.

what do weekends in Herrnhut look like lately?

well...

sometimes your beautiful musician friends ask you to take photos of them for projects. 

sometimes you're having a not so grand day, and then you find your friends at the side of the castle.. dressed in ridiculous outfits.. playing this. 

 

sometimes one of your favorite german friends asks you to take photos of him post-africa, to send to mom.

in twenty-one days..
 i leave these fantastic people,
and return home.