Kevin Scott Banks

Meet Ascend the Hill.

They’re an incredible group of “musicianaries” whose music I stumbled onto while traveling in New Zealand. What’s a “musicianary”, you might ask?

According to their website:

“We choose to share music and profit as a humble example of radical generosity. We live simply to give generously, encouraging others to do the same.”

They give away their music for free because they want you to hear it. Click here to visit their website and download their albums for free.

I hope it changes your life the way it’s changed mine.

Contentment – rest or quietness of the mind in one’s present condition

It cannot be found outside of us, and isn’t tied to our circumstances.

We cannot…

Earn our way to it
Learn our way to it
Play our way to it
Sing our way to it
Buy our way to it
Shop our way to it
Read our way to it
Plan our way to it
Organize our way to it
Travel our way to it
Explore our way to it
Climb our way to it

Contentment is a decision that starts inside of us. It starts in the secret, quiet place of our hearts. Between our Creator and us.

Then and only then can it work its way to the outermost parts of our lives.

I think we can…

Share our way to it
Give our way to it
Love our way to it

Are you content with your life right now? What can you do to change that or to remain where you are?

Technology today can make the world “seem” smaller. Being able to Skype home for Christmas from New Zealand last year was just plain cool. But leaving America and traveling abroad has made me realize two things:

1. The world is actually huge and very diverse, and
2. I am tiny in comparison

Climbing mountains, skydiving, and exploring big, busy cities have all added to this realization. Some people might thrive knowing that they’re part of a massive world, just one piece in the chaotic puzzle we call Earth. Not me. I often struggle with feelings of insignificance.

I have the desire in my heart to do something big, something great. But how can I hope to accomplish anything significant in a world this big? How can I ever stand out amongst the billions of people on our planet?

I’m very grateful for the reminder in Charlie Dodrill’s song called “Littleness”:

What if I’m not the guy who stands
On the stages of the world
With 20,000 screaming fans
What if I’m a no one to speak of
Well fame has no benefits
And littleness is no obstacle to love

What if you’re not the girl who stands
In front of the multitudes
With power words and screaming fans
Looks like your as helpless as a dove
But strength has no benefits
And littleness is no obstacle to love

What an amazing truth. Sure, I may feel small and insignificant in a world so big. But what if I flip the coin around and look from the other side? I can do something great, I can changed the world, because I still have the capacity to love, no matter how small I am. What if instead of worrying about being rich and famous and conquering the world, we just started small, with the world around us. What if we starting loving each other a little more?

P.S. I highly recommend Charlie’s music. You can check it out here.

Do you ever get overwhelmed by the size of the world around you? How do you stay focused on what matters most?

I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure I sailed through a little corner of Heaven. I know, I know, Heaven’s going to be way better than anything on Earth. But seriously, after visiting Milford Sound I’m starting to wonder…

A scenic boat cruise in the late afternoon…

Leaving the harbor, immediately greeted by a majestic waterfall…

The famous Mitre Peak. The most photographed mountain in New Zealand…

In the distance, a daunting sight…

Shear size…

Mountains that made me feel microscopic…

Double rainbows all the way…

Cascading walls of water around every corner…

Furry friends sun-bathing lazily…

Can I have another rainbow?

How about another waterfall?

I wonder if I should get up early for pictures…

Yeah, that was a good idea.

A really, REALLY good idea.

I hope you’ve enjoyed riding along through this little corner of Heaven called Milford Sound.

Would you consider sharing my pictures and stories with a few friends who haven’t seen them yet?

Exploring an unknown countryside in search of the next extraordinary photo is what makes me tick. I’m in my sweet spot in those early morning and late evening moments when the light is golden and no one else is around. There have been countless moments like this during my travels in New Zealand. Unfortunately, one of them went sour last weekend in Wanaka.

I was driving back from a walk in the country with a British buddy of mine.  The evening light was illuminating the beautiful autumn colors of the trees. I pulled off the road when I noticed one particular bay just beckoning me to come and explore. I hopped the fence(probably onto private property) and scampered up the hillside. I remember thinking, “this is it, this is what I love doing the most!”

I slung my camera around my back so I could maneuver down the hill. I could hardly contain my excitement as I looked ahead to the lake. All I had to do was make my way down the steep, rocky bank of the hill and I was home free. Right then, my footing completely gave out. I fell with full force straight backwards. Only one thing was there to brace my fall against the solid rock: my camera!

Suffice it to say, I’ve invested a lot of money into my camera and lenses. Photographing the beauty in New Zealand is one of the main reasons I came here. In one instant, all of my weight had fallen and smashed my camera and favorite lens on the rocks. I didn’t even have to look at the evidence. I could tell my the sound that I’d busted my trusty camera. It was a sobering moment as I turned and recovered the poor thing. Sure enough, the lens had cracked completely. I turned and started walking back in stunned silence. Finally my zeal for the next great photo had caught up with me, and now my adventure was ruined.

A few minutes later, I came to my senses. After further inspection, I realized that my camera itself was completely undamaged. Then, I remembered that I had a filter(lens protector) covering my lens. Maybe, just maybe, that was cracked but the lens wasn’t. Sure enough, I removed the filter and the lens was still in mint condition. Praise God!!! Replacing the filter will be small beans compared to replacing the camera and lens. It’s also a testament to the aces over at Nikon, who have designed camera equipment sturdy enough to withstand even the most wicked fall.

Relief flooded my mind as we headed back to town. I won’t let this experience stop me from being a zealous photographer. I will, however, be taking extra good care of my camera from now on.

Question: How much do you value your material possessions? How do you react when they stop working or break?

…Mayor Island, that is. As many of you know, I’d hoped to find a part time job on a sailing charter company when I arrived in Tauranga at the beginning of the summer. Instead, I found a part time job doing repair work(sanding and painting, painting and sanding, sanding and…you get the picture) on the South Sea Vagabond, a 60-foot catamaran owned by Captain Simon Hamer. All summer I was hoping that the boat would be repaired in time for us to go sailing on it. This past weekend, my last one in Tauranga, I got the last minute chance to go out on the maiden voyage of the new and improved South Sea Vagabond. It was a weekend trip to the gorgeous and unspoiled Mayor Island. What a victory it was for me and especially for Captain Simon to finally be out on the high seas in his beautiful catamaran!

I had an unbelievably relaxing and enjoyable weekend as I slept on the beach and hiked all over the island. Enjoy the photos I snapped on this rewarding end-of-summer oasis getaway.

Finally the South Sea Vagabond is in the water!

Brings back memories from my Trilogy days in Maui…

The stunning Southeast Bay on Mayor Island

This was my tent for the night: a tarp, some string and some rocks…oh yeah

View of the crater towards the top of Mayor Island

I sat and stared at the wonder of God’s creation for what seemed like an eternity

The famed “Devil’s Staircase” climb, a very narrow walk with the crater on one side and the ocean on the other

I didn’t actually sleep at all since the sand was not comfortable. But at least I was awake for the spectacular sunrise!

In many ways, I felt like this trip was the calm before the storm in my life. The next season has already kicked off with earthquake relief in Christchurch. Crazy!

(Click on the image above to view it at full screen)

This is the gorgeous view of Tauranga Harbour with Mount Maunganui looming in the background and a little rowboat lying idly in the foreground. I won’t tell you how much time I spent stitching this image together! The photo is a combination of 2 different photo techniques I’ve been working with lately: HDR(High Dynamic Range) and Panoramic Stitching. The result is an incredibly vivid and slightly dramatic image meant to wow viewers and give them an appreciation for the beauty in the shot.

I’d like to ask for your feedback:

Would you hang an image like this on your wall?

How much would you be willing to pay for a stretched canvas print or framed photograph like this one? Click here to leave a comment.