A Story: Andy and Julianna

I first met Andy and Julianna many years ago. So many, that I don’t remember how long ago it was. 5 years? 7 years? At some point you stop counting and just enjoy the friendship.

I had the honor of being asked to be one of the photographers for their wedding back in September.

The wedding took place at First Evangelical Free Church in Austin, TX.

The ceremony…

The reception…

The getaway…

To see the rest of the photos, click here.

KitchenAid Mixer Comparison and Decision Matrix

Updated KitchenAid Mixer Comparison 5/21/2014

KitchenAid Mixer Comparison

I started this page in 2010, when I was doing all the research to decide on which KitchenAid mixer would give me the best bang for the buck. At the time, I spent several hours reading reviews, researching price, power and sizes.

In the end, I had all the data to create a KitchenAid mixer comparison matrix, and in lieu of other requirements (color, physical size, et cetera), I let price over power be the deciding factor.

The list has since then been updated a few times – most recently in May of 2014.

Lift Bowl Mixers:

Name            MSRP Price  Power   Volume  Watt/Qt  Price/Watt/Qt
Pro 610         $399.99     590W     6qt     98W/qt  $4.08/W/qt
Pro 600         $449.99     575W     6qt     96W/qt  $4.69/W/qt
F-Series/glass  $539.99     575W     6qt     96W/qt  $4.69/W/qt
Pro Line 7qt    $649.99     969W     7qt    138W/qt  $4.71/W/qt
Pro 6500/glass  $679.99     ??       6qt     ??      ??
Commercial 8qt  $749.99     969W     8qt    121W/qt  $6.20/W/qt
Pro 620         $899.99     575W     6qt     96W/qt  $4.69/W/qt

Tilt Head Mixers:

Name            MSRP Price  Power  Volume  Watt/Qt  Price/Watt/Qt
Classic         $229.99     250W   4.5qt   57W/qt   $4.03/W/qt
Classic Plus    $229.99     275W   4.5qt   61W/qt   $3.77/W/qt
Ultra Power     $299.99     300W   4.5qt   67W/qt   $4.48/W/qt
Artisan         $349.99     325W   5qt     65W/qt   $5.38/W/qt
Artisan Flex    $369.99     ??     5qt     ??       ??

.. all higher-priced tilt-head mixers come with the same 325W motor, and 5qt bowls.

In Conclusion:

If you have the budget, I would go with the KitchenAid Professional 610 for a lift-stand mixer, or the KitchenAid Ultra Power for the tilt-head mixer.

Otherwise, look at your budget (check the links for Amazon prices), and pick the best dollar/power mixer that fits within your budget.

Happy Hunting!

To our Veterans

SOLDIERS PRAYER

Dear Lord, please bless our soldiers
Protectors of our land.
Servants called to battle
When our country takes a stand.

Please give them strength and courage
and hearts that will forgive.
With peace and understanding
In a world for all to live.

Our country’s prayers are with them
No matter where they roam.
Please listen when they’re lonely
And return them safely home.

AMEN

To all of you who have fought for our freedom, some of which didn’t get to see the fruits of those fights,

Thank you.

Remembering God

Whenever we see God’s fingerprints in our lives, we should party hard.

We all too often forget to celebrate when God has worked in our lives. We’ll thank Him for how he’s worked in our lives, but we don’t truly rejoice.

I know I often haven’t.

6Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7The LORD appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.

8From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.

Genesis 12:6-8

God appeared to Abram with a promise, and he built an ALTAR in remembrance.

A what?

An altar.

Not once, but twice.

And then he worships and witnesses to those around him.

When was the last time you ran to tell all your friends when God worked in your life? When did you tell strangers?

I know I’ve never built an altar, that’s for sure.

What I do know, is that I’ve realized the importance of celebrating God’s work in my life. Both through worship to Him, and in telling others.

I have also realized that it’s important to to look back at the times when God did wonders in my life so that I remember how He changed my life.

Genesis 13 picks up again:

1So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him. 2Abram had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold.

3From the Negev he went from place to place until he came to Bethel, to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had been earlier 4and where he had first built an altar. There Abram called on the name of the LORD.

Abram went to Egypt, returned to the altar he had built before and remembered.

I think few things help our Faith like looking back at his ever-changing work in us. I know it blows me away each and every time.

How do you remember God’s work in your life? Do you tell others about the God-things that happen?

Do you build altars and party hard?

Surrender

During my drive home tonight, this song played on KLOVE. It’s a wonderful groaning-of-the-heart kind of song.

You stood before creation
Eternity in your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand
You stood before my failure
And carried the cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon your shoulders
My soul, now to stand

So what could I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart oh God
Completely to you

So I’ll walk upon salvation
Your spirit alive in me
This life to declare your promise
My soul now to stand

So what could I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart oh God
Completely to you

I’ll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the one who gave it all
I’ll stand
My soul longs to you surrender it all
I am is yours

— Hillsong United, The Stand