I Wish You Enough...

 

 

"I Wish You Enough Sun To Keep Your Attitude Bright...

I Wish You Enough Rain To Appreciate The Sun More...

I Wish You Enough Happiness To Keep Your Spirit Alive...

 

I Wish You Enough Pain So That The Smallest Joys In Life Appear

Much Bigger...

 

I Wish You Enough Gain To Satisfy Your Wanting...

 

I Wish You Enough Loss To Appreciate All That You Possess...

 

I Wish You Enough Hellos To Get You Through The Final Good-Bye..."

 

 

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE STAFF

OF DALTON PHOTOGRAPHY!

(That would be Beth and Myself)

Our Thoughts For The Coming Year

As we enter into our 32nd year of business, we would like 
to share with you a little of our feelings.

We both believe what we do can and will make a difference in
your life and your family's life.
We believe our photography is something of value and will become more valuable over the years.
Just like you, we have each other, our parents, our children,
our grandchildren, our siblings, and extended family.
Over the years, we have lost parents, grandparents and siblings.
Our most recent loss was the death of Beth's dad, Herman Waller.
Now, as I have been for many years, Beth is without her parents.
I know the pain of her loss and cannot help but remember something I saw at the funeral home.
This statement is so true:

"When Someone You Love Becomes A Memory,
Memories Become A Treasure".

For the New Year, 2014, our wish for you is peace, happiness, and health.  Please, hug the ones you love, spend quality time with them.  Do not let the days go by without a kind word, a gentle smile, and a very
simple "I Love You!"

Thank you all for your support!

Terry and Beth Dalton 

 




 

The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day is not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and two cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and fills it with golf balls.

He then asked the students if the jar was full.  They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured it into the jar.  He shook the jar lightly.  The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls.

He then asked again if the jar was full.  They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.  Of course the sand filled up everything else.

He asked once more if the jar was full.  The students responded with a unanimous "YES".

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand.  The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.  The golf balls are the important things-God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions.  Things, that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.  The pebbles are the thing that matter like your job, house, and car.  The sand is everything else--the small stuff". he said.

"If you put the sand in the jar first," he continued, "There is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.  The same goes for life.  If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the thing that are important to you..." he told them.

"So...pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.  Worship with your family.  Play with your children.  Take your partner out to dinner.  Spend time with good friends.  There will always be time to clean the house and fix the dripping tap.  Take care of the golf balls first--the things that really matter.  Set your priorities.  The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled and said, "I'm glad you asked.  It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Why We Do What We Do

Yes we love what we do, but there is a deeper reason for our love of photography.  It is the people we meet  and the families that touch our lives.

Most of our phone calls start with "How Much Is A Picture?"
Well a picture isn't much, but, a portrait is well worth more than what we charge.
Not long ago, I received a phone call late in the evening and the person on the other end knew what  the value of a portrait truly is.  Her question was not "How Much", but "How Soon?"

This is how the conversation went: " Hello, my name is Mary Hendrix and a friend of mine gave me your name.  I was wondering if there might be any way that you could do a family portrait for me tomorrow night around 7 PM.  My daughters will be in town and I would love to have a family portrait for my family. I have learned I have stage 4 cancer."

Well, of course we set up the portrait session.  This lady came into the studio, all smiles, and very happy to have her family with her.  You would never known anything was going on with her health.  Full of love for our Lord, her family, and life in general.

Now, for those of you who knew Mary Procter-Hendrex, I need to say nothing more.  My Wife and I could never tell you how greatful we are to have had what little time we had with Mary and her family.

Family Time

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie.She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you."

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.  "What's wrong, are you well?" she asked.

My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.  "I thought it would be pleasant to spend some time with you," I responded.  "Just the two of us."  She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much."

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous.  When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date.  She waited in the door with her coat on.  She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.  She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.  " I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed," she said as she got into the car.  "They can't wait to hear about our meeting."

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy.  My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.  After we sat down, I had to read the menu.  Her eyes could only read large print.  Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me.  A nostalgic smile was on her lips.  "It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said.  "Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded.  During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation-nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life.  We talked so much that we missed the movie.  As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you."  I agreed.

"How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home.  "Very nice.  Much more so than I could have imagined," I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive hear attack.  It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her.  Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined.  An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance.  I wasn't sure that I could be there: but nevertheless, I paid for two plates-one for you and the other for your wife.  You will never know what that night meant for me, I love you son.:"

MORAL:  No matter what, Take The Time For Family...

Relationships

Love, Family, Friends....where would we be without the relationships in our lives.  Our most valued being family.  What will this portrait be worth in 15 years, 20 years?  Are you doing your part to preserve the meaning of family and relationship?  Have you taken the time to do a family portrait to pass on?

Don't wait...the time will never be just right.  If you are missing some of the milestones in your life, start now and create a portrait that your children will cherish for years to come and remember the special relationships in their lives.

Sorry For The Delay

Well, it has been some time since we posted and we are sorry!  Business has been good and we are behind.

A lot of things going on, family portraits, weddings and babies have kept us busy.  We will try to post more often and keep you up on what is happening.