Beyond the Morning Blues

Yesterday was a great day in many regards for Solid Rock Photography and for me personally. In addition to that, it was a good day for the Austin Area Art Center. Both are making strides forward and are grateful for those taking leadership in different areas according to each individuals gifting. That is what makes any organization run well–each member serving out of their giftedness. Speaking of that, I can honestly say I am excited to be closing down Solid Rock Photography, a one man operation, in order to be part of the larger network of artists in Austin and beyond.

This morning I woke up really early and could not sleep. I wanted to go back to sleep but it was not working to say the least. For whatever reason, the Lord said get up so I finally gave in. What did I do with all that time? Slowly but surely my mind took off on the tasks of the day–checking my stats, checking in on Facebook for both the Art Center and for my own photography endeavors, when all of sudden I felt like I should set aside the computer items for a while. Yet my tendency to not let go very well kicked in. Good or bad that is what I did. I started back up my images to DVD again and finally got of this years photos all on DVD backups now. That was something I should have done all the way along when I finished images. in the process of doing that, I found ones I had not even gotten out there yet. That just goes to show you how the year went but I still had a nagging feeling I should, after working on the computer for several hours already stop for breakfast. The nagging was more than just that I was hungry however.

So I stopped to eat and then said, “Should my bull dogged nature win or shall I stop for a little bit to have some devotions of my own.” Oh but, my nature said, “You have things to do, deadlines to meet, and photos to write about, blogs to do, articles one can do, an MNartist.org profile to get updated, pictures to post on  Christian Mingle.com and…” The dog pile method of if you can’t knock them down from what they are doing just bury them with it. An old trick from the darker side! But then I heard the still small voice saying, “Those things can wait a half hour or so at least. The world will still go on without those things getting done in the next half hour.” I settled down in my lazy boy, an old but still decent recliner, to pause in my journey as John Eldredge mentions in Fathered by God. Much to my calmed but still tenacious spirit, God was at work helping me to realize that it is indeed alright to take time out for ones own growth in order to help grow others.

Yesterday I mentioned Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great. In Chapter two of that book, he goes into details about what is that much dreaded answer to what makes a good company great–leadership. He talks about what a Level 5 Leader is–A Person who is ambitious for the cause, the company, the work not for him or her self and they have the will to make good on it. They embody a mix of personal humility and professional will. They are often in a leadership role at the pivotal point in an organizations lie. They set up their successors for greater success in the next generation then they had. Level four leaders do the opposite. They practice modesty and are understated. They do not have personal egos but that is not say they cannot be charismatic. The they have a fanatically incurable driven need to produce sustained results.  They do what it takes to make the company great no matter how hard the decisions. The show a diligence to do the work much like plow horse rather than a show horse. They look out the window to point to successes other than themselves and blame themselves when things go wrong. They attribute success to good luck rather then personal greatness.

As I sat down to do my devotions, the first question that John asked me today was, “What offices do fulfill as King? List them all. And so I did.

The next question and the point is… Look at each of the items on your list and ask yourself, “Is my heart in the Hand of the Lord in this office or role?” Are you so yielded to him, so completely surrendered, that you heart is easily moved by the Spirit of God to the purposes of God? And what area of your life have you yet to yield or surrender? Is it time to do so now? 

Many things came to mind answering those and that’s where the Level 5 comes back to point. It takes utmost humility to look at the above traits of a Level 5 Leader to answer the questions that John poses. It takes a fortitude to put oneself in a posture when in leadership to remember that we were put there to serve rather then be served. It takes a similar posture to have your heart yielded to the Lord to let him direct the watercourse where He pleases. (Proverbs 21:1) “Not that God will force us to do things but that He would much rather have us choose to serve Him freely–Joshua 24:15. What God is after is a man or woman so yielded to him, so completely surrendered, that his heart is easily moved by the Spirit of God to the purposes of God.” That posture of the heart makes for a great Level 5 Leader!

Backing Up to DVD–Never Before Released Images from Solid Rock Photography


Like I stated, I was backing images up today to DVD! In that process, I found some images I had not released yet to the public. And so, I am doing that now!

  1. St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church on Fine Art America.Photo Shelter Personal Archive Gallery of St. Mary’s of the Lake Catholic Church.  Keep in mind, there are more on Photo Shelter then Fine Art America. I only put the more artistic ones on FAA. The photos in these galleries were taken special for the churches directory when I was working my regular job as a portrait photographer for their church directory. I thought they turned out really well and many loved them at the church.
  2. Wildflower Class Field Day Adventure on Fine Art America Photo Shelter Personal Archive Gallery, Wildflower Class Field Day Adventure 
  3. Rainbow of the Band Shell in Austin Minnesota! or Frame it yourself on Fine Art America.
  4. Photo Shelter Gallery of Oxbow Park. Choose any image from this gallery and get it in a print on aluminum for as little as Glossy Metal Print for Under $31 plus tax and shipping. Make sure to use Coupon Code 40%GOBS to get that rate! Regular rate is only $56. This is wonderful way to display such a photo. It’s just one of the ways you can get this image and it is under my products tab under the cart! You will see that option and more under products not prints as it comes ready to hang on the wall unlike a print that must be framed.
  5. Fine Art America Gallery of Oxbow Park.Pick any image here and custom frame it on the screen in either one or two mate or no mae! Make sure to use code SBUKVT at check out to get the 35% off! Put it on a canvas of your own selection. Lot’s of options here and they are at 35% off! Many people have “liked” this page and it now appeared on their own Facebook pages! Thanks to those who have done that of late.
  6. I have one more to do yet but I am going to get this out first! Follow my Twitter Feed to see the other galleries when they are ready!

Inventory Reduction Sale

If you have been following me on Twitter, you know that I am having a great big reduction in present inventory sale! I have too much on hand and am Tweeting the deals throughout the day! Matter of fact, I just sent out the Tweet on this photo! I have it as a 5×7 matted to 8×10 and it is ready to frame. It is at 40% off for only $11 plus shipping and tax.  Now some say my prices are too low to being with but now they are even lower! To get that deal on this and others on my Twitter Account, contact me via email at dustin@solidrockphotography.org or by phone at 507-219-8371! Great deals on all framed art as well! Use the 40% off the framed fine art gallery on Photo Shelter buy using the coupon code

40%GOBS!

And if that is not enough, get 40% off anything on Photo Shelter yet through December 25! Get the deals while the deals are hot!

Maybe you like to frame art yourself and want to have it all sent right to you as you see it on the screen. Better yet, maybe you wish to save 35% on framing, printing and more! You can by using coupon code SBUKVT! My mother loves to play on FAA just to relax and see what she can all frame! Just ask her, she loves it! She is my best marketer of that site in face to face conversations with people. You will just have to believe me on that one. Then again, she may read this and comment that she does indeed love to do it!

Art Work Sponsored Pages by Solid Rock Photography

Just to remind you, we are sponsoring art work pages on FAA! Our list keeps growing in hopes of people seeing our work along with other great Fine Art America Artists!

Our list includes:

What a list of pages! For now that’s all of them. More tomorrow of course!

Limited Time Promotions still going on!

Good through 12-22-11 at 5pm EST! Three such drastically good ways to save money!

  1. Stargazer Lily 11×14 or only $70! 25 Available at that price. Get them while you can before they are gone!
  2. Christmas Red Rose 20×24 also for only $100! 25 of them are available but after that, the price is history!
  3. The Blessing–another favorite of mine for only $125 as a 24×36! Exception deal for this great blessing or if you have been following my blog a Kiss From Heaven detailed in my book which is at 40% off if ordered through Photo Shelter via the coupon code.

There You Have…

That’s right, I just asked another question without you being aware of it! How did you finish reading the heading above? What did you fill the blank in with? Is it something that you have in your realm of leadership that is to be used for the benefit of those all involved? Remember the biblical examples of Moses, David, and Jesus as Kings/leaders who ruled out of a yielded and surrendered heart concluding: regardless of age, position, or natural abilities, a man is ready to become a king/leader only when his heart is in the right place. Meaning, yielded to God in all things. Starting each day in a posture of yieldedness is essential; otherwise we just live in the matrix of his word! John Eldredge, Fathered By God