Believe it or not, not all of the pictures I took when I started where keepers. I had a few happy accidents. You know... when you didn't mean to do some thing but it turned out favorable anyway. I find that life is full of those moments... for me at least.

I see this happen in relationships and various projects that I put my effort to. I can recall one time specifically when I was sitting down to do a little relaxing painting. I had one thing in mind as I run the brush over the canvas. I was actually pretty happy with what was happening. Then came the accident...

Have you ever felt like the bottom fell out? I mean your going along fine and then you get derailed? I used to get pretty upset when these things happened in my life. But after 2008 (I will share later) my perspective began to change. I found that God often times finds a way to take these accidents in life and make something truly beautiful out of them. A good friend of mine called Zo Smith said this. "God takes your mess and makes it your ministry."

That painting frustrated me... It did more... it reminded me of how good I was doing and then chucked a big piece of failure in my face. After staring at that thing with the ugly scar for quite some time, I put my ear buds in, turned on some music and started to paint. That scar became the base and framework for what happened next. I took that terribly missed stroke of the brush and began to paint a tree. A tall, leafless tree that seemed to be completely out of place. But it was beautiful... The mistake became a masterpiece. I wish I could show you that painting but it I don't have it anymore. You see, it was the first painting I ever sold. My very first. What the buyer loved most was the haunting tree that just seemed out of place. It "captivated him" is what he said.

So, I want to encourage you with this if you have read this far today... Allow the things in your life that knock you to your knees become the story of your triumph and not your defeat. Look for opportunities to have those happy accidents.

Here is an early picture I took that was simply accidental... but I like it:) I was shooting full manual... my first concert doing so... and I was in a jog to get to the opposite side of the stage. I saw something that I wanted to get and by the time my camera was up I had missed it. Instead, I got this right here. One of my favorite pics!

Happy Accident...