This is me: Everything comes down to God – who he is and what he wants to do in and through my life.

All my values are driven by the perspective that my earthly life is temporary, and that eternity is the only lasting reality.

All my thoughts, attitudes and choices are influenced by the love, mercy and grace that Jesus lavishes on me daily.

All my words and actions flow from a desire to be obedient to God’s will and conformed to the image of Christ.

That is the heart of who I am – not perfect, but perfectly loved and forgiven.

As to life and other stuff, first things first.  I’ve been a wife to the same man for over 4 decades. He and I share 5 kids and 15 grandchildren, so far, all of whom fill my life with joy!

I love going on adventures, learning new things, and trying new experiences.  On my 50th birthday, I decided that every year for the rest of my life I would try something new, something I had never done or thought to do.  In the fifteen years since then, I have gone on motorcycle road trips, played in a 3-on-3 volleyball tournament, gotten a couple of tattoos, ticked a couple of travel destinations off my bucket list, finished a master’s degree, and started a small photography business.  This year’s venture is this website that my daughter talked me into trying.

What I brought with me into the senior side of my life is a passion for writing.  My elementary school-through-college notebooks are filled with story ideas, character descriptions, snippets of dialogs, and poetry teasers.  I love words!  I love crafting them, manipulating them, bending them to my will!

Photography produces the same kind of thrill in me.  Taking pictures just flat out makes me happy.  Don’t know why, but love it!

So when my daughter and I were playing with an idea for a website, I naturally leaned toward two of the things that give me the greatest pleasure (playing piano is the third pillar in my triumvirate of joy, but we just couldn’t figure out how to incorporate that in a way that flows naturally).

Visit Simply Joy Photography

See Vivian’s Available Books