Kinsey Mae

Kinsey's two great passions were horses and Jesus. She had a smile that would light up the room.

I was asked to cover the funeral of Kinsey Mae Smith, just nine years old. Her family, dear friends of ours from church, lost her in a freak accident on October 25th. The event reminded me of the power of a picture -- just a simple, candid image -- taken in passing to capture something larger we deem "important". I try to serve by covering various church events, such as VBS and Awana, but I have been severely lacking lately due to health and life-craziness. The news sent me scrambling through my images, trying to find any of this sweet little girl. I wish I had taken more, but I realize that it would never be enough. Nothing replaces the real thing, but, if I were her mama, I would want every small glimpse I could grab.

What weight a single image holds. And we take it for granted.

Hold on to your loved ones while you have them, because we are not promised tomorrow. And take pictures often. That random snapshot may mean the world to you someday.

As for the service itself, I'll echo my post on Facebook: "Honor was given. A family was loved on. Tears were shed. Hugs were had. The gospel was heard. A little girl was laid to rest. Rainbows graced the sky. God was glorified."