Chasing After Dear

Name: Chasing After Dear
Address: Denton, TX, 76208, US
Telephone: +19405363348

Chasing After Dear – a journal devoted to the Smith Family’s happenings, design projects, reformed theology, and a sprinkle of ol’ fashioned frivolity. What’s that all about?” Well first, it’s “D-E-A-R,” as in “beloved” or “precious,” not “D-E-E-R,” the adorable / defenseless mammal who was famously martyred in Bambi. This phrase comes from the Midlake song “Chasing After Deer” (yes, the Bambi va

riety). When I first met my husband in the early Spring of 2007, we listened to Midlake all the time together. “Chasing after Deer” was one of my favorites and it very quickly became our song. When we were planning our wedding in 2008, I purchased the URL chasingafterdear.com for our wedding website, an intentional play on words referring to my dear, Justin R. Soon, this name became part of everything that I did as a freelancer. Even my short-lived design agency used a derivative of this phrase–Oh Dear! I think “Chasing After Dear” fits my life impeccably for three very crucial reasons:

Item the first: As a wife, my heart, mindset, and daily goal should be pursuit of my dears–God, Justin, and my sweet boys. This relentless tenacity, never tiring, never ceasing, always striving, upholds the entire structure of a gospel-centered life. Item The Second: The word chasing implies pursuit but not necessarily attainment. That’s important for me as a believer who often stumblers to grasp. My worth comes from Christ and Christ alone. I will never reach perfection this side of heaven, but rather will always be chasing him, getting back up when I fall and starting again. Item the Third: In chasing, you leave all other distractions behind. This is really important for me, since I’m so easily side-tracked. on my monitor at work I even have a sticky note that reads “No Rabbits!” (a pathetic nod to my horrible tendency to go off on “rabbit trails”). Chasing means dedication, speed, and full attention. You can’t pursue someone if you’re strolling, eating, talking on the phone, or updating facebook. Pursuit = single-mindedness and the humility to believe that the prize is worth both the exhaustion and the missed opportunities abandoned on the sidelines. The Chaser

I guess this is where I kind of introduce myself (a little late, I know). Smith, Wife, Mother, Web / App / Video / Graphic Designer, and follower of Christ. I’m 27 and live in steaming-hot Carrollton, Tx with my handsome, mountain-main husband Justin and our two weasle-boys, Jude and Noah. My passion is sharing the things I love: Christ, photography, inspiring visual design, and the day to day happenings of our very full lives. In the Office: my desire is to share Christ and spread His love through serving others and through diligent, high-quality work. We believe that all content on the web should be freely accessible, easy to use, and beautifully designed.

07/12/2021

«Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.»
‭‭James‬ ‭1:17‬ ‭

07/02/2021

You’re most likely more mature than me, but I feel so inferior on Instagram sometimes. As in:
💭why can’t I keep friendships longer than a few years?
💭why am I so bad at parenting compared to others?
💭why do I feel so isolated?
💭why can’t I get “over” disordered eating?
💭why am I not more spiritually mature?
💭why am I not more likable/normal?
💭why is everyone hanging out without me?
💭why is the art/design/photography I produce so inferior to that of my friends?

🌿Are you noticing anything about my internal monologues? Yeah, they’re pretty ME-focused. It’s naval gazing at its best.
I read this book as a teen that had a quote I really like:

🤍“No one is thinking about you. Everyone is thinking about themselves, just like you.”

It’s a good thing to remember. Also that neediness like this should be pointed upward not internally. I can’t “solve” this brokenness. But I can rest in the truth that I don’t know what’s right for me and am a terrible self-judge. These are God’s domaine, and I’m so thankful for it. It’s better that he calls me to bigger things than me. Bigger than my personality, my willpower, my “togetherness”, my parenting, or my friendships.

Maybe I can be lonely, but he’s always with me. (Matt. 28:20)
Maybe I feel friendless, but he’s always my truest friend. (psalm 113)
Maybe I’m bad at following through with personal goals, but he’s my helper (psalm 54:4)
There’s such joy in his presence.

«The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? "I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."» - Jeremiah‬ ‭17:9-10‬ ‭
Photo cred:

06/29/2021

These are some of my favorite photos of Jude and Noah. Tonight Jude was reading John 11 to us (we take turns reading before bed each night), and I was struck again by the magnitude of being his mother. He’s weeks from 11 and I’m still seeing him as this little blonde 2 year old causing trouble and grinning gleefully. It’s too much for one heart to hold. God’s steadfast love never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They’re new every morning.

06/28/2021

“Dear dairy, I feel weird calling you diary like you don’t have a name. I’ll just call you Gus. Dear Gus, I met this boy at camp and his name is John and I think I like him. Ok, bye!” *1 week later* “Dear Gus, I DO NOT like John!!! Boys are stupid. Ok, bye!” - Excerpt from 9 year old me

06/25/2021

Ah, who doesn’t love a good texture shot? This face self Tanner is so great. I don’t even consider myself one to “self tan” but I love how it evens out my skin tone. It’s buildable so just a little gives my face a gentle glow without looking orange or weird compared to my body. A+ in my book, !

06/25/2021

Had waaayy too much fun shooting these last spring. I’m such a sucker for citrus. The color and vibrancy is unparalleled. God makes such beautiful things. 🍊🍍🍋🥥

06/24/2021

I stumbled on this picture of the kiddos of two of our dearest friends, and it made me incredibly happy. Hoping your day is filled with Harper-level wonder!

06/24/2021

«Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.»
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-7‬