See the good, serve, smile & never forget to love big.

Hi & hello there!

If we haven't met yet, my name is Clara D., and I am the owner and photographer at Designs by Clara D. I am from Chickasha, Oklahoma. I am a senior at Oklahoma State University, getting ready to graduate with a degree in agricultural communications in a few short days.

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I'd like to begin my first-ever blog post with my personal mission statement, which I have integrated into my business as well:

See the good, serve, smile & never forget to love big.

I came up with this mission statement three years ago, when I was running for Oklahoma FFA State Office my senior year of high school (more on that later). I wanted something that would encompass my faith and personality into a singular sentence, and here's a breakdown of the meaning:

See the good:

In every single situation, there is some good just around the corner. Every day, we must choose to find joy in the Lord and the little things He has given us. If the Lord never does another thing for me, His goodness and salvation are enough. Nehemiah 8:10 says, "...Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." This is the last half of the verse, but even out of the full context, it is a reminder of the strength that comes from the Lord, not our own might. (Go read the entire chapter for context!)

Serve:

The ultimate example for how I live my life is Jesus Christ. A verse I feel as though encompasses this aspect of my personal mission statement is Mark 10:45, which says, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus didn't come to be served, and that's not my purpose on this Earth. I am called to serve others in the big and little things, and I must remember this every day.

Smile:

Long before I was a photographer, I had very strong feelings about the power of a single smile. One smile can say a million words. It can serve as a source of comfort, telling the person receiving the smile, I'm here for you, I see you and you matter to me. If you haven't yet, smile at someone today. In the Bible, laughter is mentioned often, and I believe even a fraction of a laugh (or smile) is a gift from the Lord. "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:22

Never forget to love big:

Our actions come from the outpouring of our heart posture. When my heart is full of love, I give love to others in a big way. When I forget the love I have received, I fail to show love to others. 1 John 3:16 says, "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers." 1 John speaks on love a lot, and this book of the Bible will come back up as a theme in my life.

Let me be clear: By no means am I perfect at upholding this mission statement. Each day, I fail to live up to the expectations set before me by the Lord, my closest mentors and myself. But when I fail, I seek forgiveness and accountability. I come back to the Bible and my mission statement (based on scripture), and I seek ways to improve.

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Now that you know a little more about my mission statement, I hope you know more about why I do what I do. I hope you follow along to see my journey as I share exciting (and some not-so-exciting) updates here and on Instagram!

Keep a lookout for my next post, where I dive into my theme verses (Hint: They're in Ecclesiastes)

See the good, serve, smile & never forget to love big,

Clara D.

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