Jennifer Hudson

Dinner date under the Five Guys stars‚Ķa pick me up for my sweet hubbie who has been sick all week.¬† The Jr. Cheeseburger hit the spot.¬† Next, off to Blockbuster to rent the couple flick, “Fireproof” – can’t wait!

Pic:  0306091805.jpg

Originally uploaded by Jenn Hudson

Dad’s wordle today from gradyrussell.org – it’s so cool that God is in the "Center"

Originally uploaded by Jenn Hudson

Keith’s Wordle of his Twitter – so Cool!

Originally uploaded by Jenn Hudson

When scanning on flatbed scanner at a high resolution, one scan can take up to 10 minutes or longer.¬† Here’s a few shortcuts I started doing to save time:

• ROUND 1: Fill up the flatbed with as many pics as possible, around 4 – 6.¬† Then scan all of the images at once, using the “auto number save” feature (on the Epson Scan Software) to store the multi-pic original scan doc.
• ROUND 2:¬† Once all of the pictures are scanned in, then I go to the folder where the images are stored, and preview the first “original” image with my multiple pics in one .jpg file.¬† I have 4 pics on my “001″ file, so I copy “001″ (ctrl+c) and paste (ctrl+v) to the folder THREE additional times, giving me FOUR versions of the original file “001″ – “001 – copy” – “001 – copy1″ & “001 – copy 2″ – or however your systems stores identical file names.
• ROUND 3:¬† Open each pic individually in the edit software (i-photo or Preview).¬† Crop out each individual pic & save.
• ROUND 4:¬† Rename each file as needed.

Even though it creates a few more steps on the back in – it truly speeds up the process!

My favorite picture of Grandma & Grandpa

Originally uploaded by Jenn Hudson

Yes, W-O-R-D-L-E, like “turtle” with a W Рmy new tech addiction. A wordle is basically a “word cloud” of the most used words on a site, powered by some fancy code.  I love the genius of it, and the addictive nature of seeing “how it will turn out” ALONG with the creative license they give us to graphically design our own unique “cloud” with fonts, colors & layouts.  If you need a fun, quick break from monotony, give it a try!

So here it is…the official “Wordle” of JennBlog Рfrom today 3.5.09.

jennblog wordle 3.5.09

Originally uploaded by Jenn Hudson

It started last fall, visiting Grandma one weekend, hearing her tell an interesting factual story of her “daddy”, my great grandfather, who worked at Green Lumber Company in Laurel, MS and never missed a day of work.¬† It was very inspiring to hear this story, realizing that if this man who is my G-grandfather can work with such diligence, everyday no matter what, a man of integrity, what have I to complain about, ever. To hear these stories especially from her, with her charming southern accent and delightful way of recanting these stories from her past, started me on this photo legacy discovery.

At first I planned a project to just sit behind the computer and write her biography, maybe chart out the family tree, but then I started thinking about where I should start & that’s when I went to the photos. She has an amazing collection of old, historical photos.¬† Most of them have been placed into a Creative Memories album by my Aunt Gloria and documented very well.¬† So its a great point of reference.

So here’s the journal of my progress…or not so much thereof:

• Scanner:¬† Mom’s Flatbed Epson Stylus cxS7400
• Software:¬† Epson Scan Software on my MacBook Pro
• Settings:¬† Professional mode, 24bit color, 1200dpi

Monday evening, March 2nd – arrived @ Granma’s House in Montgomery with scanner in hand, suitcase to stay the week and a pile of ambition ready to start this project!

Tuesday afternoon, I piled the dining room table with my equipment and Grandma’s piles of pictures from the past scattered all around me – not realizing that scanning at a higher resolution takes about 10 minutes each:¬† placing, previewing, setting & scanning!

As of Thursday, March 5th, I have officially scanned 40 photos!! With about 964 to go! haha!

Lately I’ve been pouring into worship songs more than ever.¬† It seems like for the past year or so, my heart has been literally closed to moving into using my voice through the realm of worship.¬† I was not even looking at worship songs or music or anything for over a year or so.¬† I know there is a purpose in the waiting.¬† In this time God has taken me from singing to “listening.”¬† Some Sunday mornings during the worship time, God has taken me into a place of literally not singing with the worship, not performing for him, but rather just standing and being just captivated by His presence.¬† At first I wanted to pour my gift out to Him, but as the Lover of my soul often does, he just quieted my spirit with his love.¬† He longs to love me and longs for me to love him in new ways, from places deeper within my soul, that no words or song could express.¬† So now, I just long to go there and stay there.¬† So “out of the normalcy of me” I quit singing and started feeling, started listening, started being captured by His presence…Even Music was distant to me in this place.¬† I began worshiping him through the word, through prayer and fasting…really a new place for me.¬† It’s the place He’s been longing for me to go, the true worshiper in me that he is calling to rise up in these last days, the one “in spirit and in truth.”¬† I’m still in boot camp for that day and need Him more everyday.

Well, a new thing has taken place inside of me just in the past week.¬† I sang at my parents church on Sunday – hesistant even to sing this Sunday because it’s been so long & I had a head cold starting up, but as Dad often does he said “you can do it!”¬† So I did, but I felt the Lord with me and renewing me.¬† Singing “Refuge” by Jared Anderson….‘You are the source of life, I can’t be left behind, no one else will do, I will take hold of you, I need you Jesus to come to my rescue, where else can I go, there’s no other name by which I am saved, capture me with grace, I will follow you…this world has nothing for me, I will follow you.’

Now, I’m digging back into worship for the first time, back into music – with a new passion. Here’s a latest favorite:¬† When I speak your name

My Valentine – O he is mine

An amazing man – who could find!

A beautiful diamond in the rough

One look is just never enough.

His heart so full of love and care

A whisper of tenderness in his stare

My heart is alive each day

He finds new way to say

Just how much he loves that I’m his

In a card, in a word, in a hug, in a kiss

Forever I will be a wife so blessed

With a husband who is truly the best!

I love you Baby!!

The Gulf Coast Women’s Celebration this year was more special than ever for some reason.¬† Last weekend, February 5 – 7, I dove in with a sheer expectancy that I was going to come home changed.¬† The speakers were spectacular & anointed.¬† Susanne Cox & Jenny Collum, two Kingwood A/G gals – sparked the services with the bold word of God.¬† I loved it.¬† The guest singers were amazing; Paula White (a black girl from Ashford) brought the house down with “Because of Who You Are, I Give You Glory.”¬† One special guest that touched my heart was a worship artist Aaron Hunt, who painted a 6 ft canvas of the face of Jesus during worship.¬† There is such an amazing element of worship with the arts -¬† its like we become close to the heart of the creator.

On Monday – before my trip I started feeling this lull, like I wasn’t sure I wanted to go.¬† Later that night I started praying about it and the Lord showed me that I was feeling the heart of the women, and he was calling me to intercede for them.¬† The next day I had the opportunity to speak to one of the speakers named Jenny, & she was so fired up, the word was just pouring out of her.¬† The five minute phone call was just the spark I needed to bring me through the week!¬† I began to tell every lady that I talked to that this weekend was going to be a weekend of miracles, to expect something BIG!!!

Since we’ve been in Montgomery I was able to help Mrs. Cyndi prepare a few things for the event.¬† This is my specialty!¬† And of course, I love working with her and helping organize ministry events like this.¬† And I really enjoyed having a new purpose…since I felt like I was getting a bit board at home everyday, just waiting on our next assignment.¬† It was tons of fun getting back into doing a few designs and helping her organize the arrival of the speakers and the service schedules.¬† She asked me to have a sort of portfolio or display ready for her to present at the conference, to show case my giftings as a business.¬† I did not pull it together, maybe just feeling like I wasn’t ready yet – I’m not sure.¬† Also, I told her that I did not want to take away from any of the services by her announcing or promoting me.¬† I did not even get a business card!!!¬† The #1 rule of business – and I did not develop one.¬† yikes!¬† I have no idea what’s holding me back.¬† When I get an idea, or a passion or desire – there is NO holding me back, but for the life of me actually starting this thing and making it into something tangible is a bit daunting right now, since my focus this year is about Keith and I becoming prepared for full time Evangelism.¬† So anyway, that one’s still simmering.

Valerie Hudson was my “packing partner” this weekend and we had a blast.¬† She really was a great roomie and I love staying with someone I can be myself with.¬† Since Keith and I are not working yet, she was a huge support to me in helping me get to the conference.¬† And she was a fun roomie…encouraging me to get out of bed @ midnight to go to the hot tub and go swimming in the heated pool.¬† She’s right, we would have regretted not taking up this luxurious opportunity!¬† So as she piles back into the bed @ 2 am – I decide that I’m so fired up from the Holy Ghost Ladies Conference, that I’m ready for an all night bible study on the beach…which went about as far as a 1 hour bible study on the balcony. LOL!¬† it’s the thought…

We visited Lulu’s for lunch one day – Jimmy Buffet’s sister’s restaurant – a deliciously fun spot!¬† Flip Flops, Open Air, kicked back beach theme, with lots of curly q’s and pastel colors. ¬†¬† On Saturday we took the long way back to Saraland: Ate lunch @ a Pizzeria at The Wharf, rode the Ferris Wheel & crossed the bay via the Ferry to Dauphin Island, a few things I’ve never done before.

Anyway, God did a work in my heart this weekend, one that I’ve been needing for some time.¬† A fresh start for this new journey.¬† I had so much fun that I caught a cold this week that developed into a full blown sinus infection & bronchitis, sleeping for 3 days!¬† Keith has been a KNIGHT in shining armor, doctoring my every need.¬† What an amazing husband that can tell you that he loves you no matter what you look like, just when I KNOW my bags under my eyes are barking and my hair is truly a mess!¬† He is amazing and I thank God for him everyday.

It was about this time 6 years ago, (January 23, 2003) that we met for the first time @ the Gulf Coast Women’s Conference in Perdido Beach!