Chicago Pics

Life Update

In the last year I have lived in three different cities, worked three different jobs, plus some freelance, as well has wedding photography with Logan Clement.  It's called updating for a reason, and I have been very bad at it!  Anywho, let's post some new stuff!

So for recent stuff check out my secret tumblr that I have been making.  zacharywgilbert.tumblr.com  This will be all photos FYI.

Let's be frank.

That is not my name, first off, and second, I think I can finally articulate what God is perhaps doing in my life right now.  I have done some reading by Richard Foster and Oswald Chambers.  Foster has several amazing books and you should check them out.  I just wrapped up "Spiritual Disciplines" and I will read that book over and over until the other side of eternity.  Phenomenal. I just started his other book called "Prayer" and so far it's like he wrote the book just for me.  Oswald Chamber's, "My Utmost for His Highest" is my daily read. All this to be said, I do not know what or where God is leading me and I am very much in the dark compared to any other time in my walk with the Lord.  But since reading, I can at least use their wisdom to aid me in understanding how amazing God is.

I say the following to paint a picture of my walk with Christ, and am in no way wanting to come across as braggadocios, if anything I am in fact more incompetent, misunderstanding, and sinful than ever.

Life has been awesome!  And all over the place, and everything in-between.  So I will just shell out a quick update.  As I mentioned above I have been moving and working, and am now settled in Sherman Hill in Des Moines, IA.  I love living here.  I have an "adult" full time job doing marketing, graphic design, and some sales.  The company is small, growing, and my two bosses love the Lord.  So blessed!  I am now in a state in my walk where I read my bible everyday, as well as My Utmost For His Highest, pray more, and am fasting 24 hours once a week.  God has opened my eyes and given me a hunger to know Him more through these avenues, and is really blessing a deeper relationship with Him.  BUT, I feel nothing.  There is a void, emptiness, and real lack of emotion.  I feel awkward just being, nonetheless being with other people, and really have no idea what God is doing, and have no sense of direction.  People, church, work, etc. you name it.  Nothing.

Now pray for me, yes, but I do not require your sympathies... but I might take those too :)

So here's what I have read and would be my guess as to what may be going on:

God is wild, powerful, and He comes and goes as he pleases.  Think of Aslan from Narnia.  Lucy is completely lost and full of doubt during their return to Narnia and Aslan is nowhere to be found.  Then Aslan returns!  He is bigger, more ferocious, and wilder than ever.  That is the God I serve.  I feel as though I am doing all these "good Christian" things, in the best that I can discern, and He is nowhere to be found.

Foster says that we are always creating an idea of who God is in our head as we go along.  And what we are really doing is making an idol.  Soooooo, God will always come in and destroy these false images we have made, thus leaving a void.

I think this is what's happening, and I can hate it as much as I want, and in the same moment faithfully hope that God is more than I could ever know and understand.  He will come and go as He pleases and sometime, even years from now, I will understand how much mercy and grace He has been raining on me during these dark days.

That is about it.  Thanks for reading!

Handmade Reclaimed/Up Cycled Oak Antique Style Lamps. (I love lamp).

My buddy Ben Schwartzenburg spent the weekend in his Dad's shop.  We were inspired by some sweet old school Edison Style Lamps we found on the interwebs.  Neither of us are professional woodworkers by any means, but it was a ton of fun.  When you blow your nose and sawdust comes out, that means you are workin hard doing man stuff.
"Whatever your hands find to do, do it will all your might..."  Ecclesiastes 9:10

Here's what we were working with.  These used to be some solid oak palettes.  Ben and I pulled them out of a 3ft snow drift out by his folk's place just outside of Marshalltown, IA.  We made "reclaimed" or "Up Cycled" or "One Man's Trash" or whatever trendy buzzword that means make wood into lamps.

A yummy close up.

Ben.  Doin his thing. 

It's a tape measure.  I know things like that.

Low and behold!  It's beautiful on the inside.  Kinda like most people (including myself).

Different Minwax stains.

Typical shop table.  Thanks Monolith for the sick all wood replacement iPhone back.

Hand wired with love.  He may or may not have gotten shocked.

Boom!  Finished product.  Old American Minwax finish.

Antique style plug and red/white Herringbone cord.

I also made myself a matching desktop pencil vehicle.

Left to right:  Rosewood, Old American, and Cherry Minwax.

Photos from the last month.

Morgan and Logan.  We call them Mogan.

Morgan and Logan.  We call them Mogan. 2

Here's one of my posters in action from our conference in Anaheim, CA.

Trying to help Logan Clement win a Badowers gift card with this pic.

Samsies.

Amazing interactive infographic from Column Five Media

by Column Five Media. Browse more data visualization.

First Days with the 5D MarkII

rainy day #vsco

Drove around in the rain for about 45 mins.  Just because I can.  Check out these wonderful colors!  Wow.

#vsco

Would have had way more sweet pics, but I slashed my toe open while we were scouting!  Thanks Logan...

Mock Ups

Mg Biologics Photography

Some sneak peeks from my photoshoot last week!

Theology Of Work Poster

Made a poster woooooo!

Theology of Work Class.  Park Church, Chicago.

Current Design Work

Here's what I have been working on this last couple of weeks.

Free Lensing.

Other than a bag of coffee, this was my second attempt at free lensing.  Thanks Bri, perhaps I should tell you I'm putting your Sturgis hat on the interwebs...
No editing done other than making it black and white.  A nice little trick I picked up from Logan.