Your Perfect Holiday Photo

(photo via Unsplash)

Americans took an estimated 105 billion digital photos in 2015. Divided down to a 2 month period, let’s say November and December, our holiday season, that’s an estimated 17,500,000,000 photos. Who knows what the numbers are today?

Picture-taking in general has become so easy, too easy, fun, annoying, a reason to be thankful, a reason to scream, and for certain people it’s an outright obsession. Who, besides your 98-year-old grandma, doesn’t snap at least a couple of of pics during Thanksgiving or Christmas?

Yet even Grandma would agree, there’s one holiday tradition that’s never changed: the big family photo session.

We dress the kids up, sometimes in matching outfits, or we ask everyone to clothe themselves according to a theme. Blue jeans and white shirts were the rage a few years ago. And then that one cousin decides to stick his tongue out at the last second, and you have to do a retake. Only now, the toddlers are restless, and parents force smiles as they whisper through gritted teeth, “Hurry up and take the picture!” Meanwhile, Mom’s trying not to cry because one of her six children couldn’t be there, and the final photo captures Aunt Mary handing her a tissue to dab her runny nose.

To laugh, to cry, to scream. Your family has a holiday-photo story, too, which may include the one or two Kodak moments you missed by a split second.

(photo via Unsplash)

The Family photo

When our Father in Heaven snaps pictures of His children, He doesn’t wait for us to get seated in the perfect pose or ask us to coordinate our clothing with the rest of the family. Yet, He never fails to capture us during the moment we’re expressing our truest self. He loves us all the time, but imagine His joy when we realize our marvelous identity in Christ and actually walk in the fullness He intended. That there’s a Kodak moment.

“God saw everything that He made, and behold it was very good….” Your truest self is the most beautiful.

When you just can’t be there…

Have you ever had to miss a clan gathering, and that one family member makes sure you know your absence made the special occasion feel incomplete? “Mom and Grandpa sure missed you.”

The Father, however, plans the seasons we need to hide in Him. He’ll keep us out of sight for a period while He works on our hearts. And a time of healing the deeply wounded soul is a time to be sheltered, not exposed. His glory is your rear guard, and He only expects you to be in front of His lens during your refining season.

Still taking selfies? Our earthly photos are temporary, passing, fading. We cherish them today, but eventually, they’ll all disappear as heaven and earth pass away. Meanwhile, the Father is busy creating a lasting portrait, and it’s glorious!

(photo via Unsplash)

Indelible albums

The Father’s photo albums…these are eternal.

The photos accompanying those names written in the Book of Life remain indelible. And when the Father sees your face next to your name, He’ll only see the true and unique you, the one fully conformed to the image of His holy Son. Now that’s perfection!

No amount of photoshopping can compare to the Holy Spirit’s transformation of your life.

(photo via Unsplash)

Stress less

This season, as you take pics of family and friends, cherish your 2-D images, but remember, the Father is forever cherishing each of you in 4-D.

You are:
Created in His likeness.
Refined by His fire.
Bound for glory.

Braving the Holiday Photos Sessions