It’s strange to see this new type of “crop” in fields that used to grow corn, and although they are interesting, they aren’t nearly as beautiful to me as a field of lush green stalks with huge ears of sweet corn inside. This ‘near and far’ view is just a sample of the row upon row of windmills in these former cornfields.
I like the design in this brick patio, and the way the flower-pot full of rainwater on the far end reflects the tree behind it, as if the bowl is transparent on that side.
The fountain at the far top of this rock garden sends water singing down a narrow path of rocks, where it pools at the base before spilling into a crevice between the larger rocks.
This peaceful scene of pretty flowers near the edge of a lake, and snow-capped mountains in the far distance, was captured by a friend. (Used with permission)
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Purple
This week’s Photo Challenge from WordPress is to “Share a picture that means PURPLE to you!” I love the color purple, so that part is easy. The hard part is choosing which photos to use, especially the flower photos, since we have several types and shades of purple flowers this year.
Purple Petunias
Purple Heart Plant
Purple Happy Birthday napkin
A Purple Bow decorates a Birthday cupcake table
Purple flowers in a bouquet
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Arranged
The photo challenge from WordPress this week is: “Arranged…find something in your environment which was arranged by a human hand for others to enjoy!”
In my photo Lilies were arranged in the form of a Cross for Palm Sunday, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday services and events.
A Rare Delight
If we view prayer as a constant fellowship, an unbroken audience with the King, it then loses every vestige of dread which it may once have possessed; we regard it no longer as a duty which must be performed, but rather as a privilege which is to be enjoyed, a rare delight that is always revealing some new beauty. ~ E. M. Bounds
When I took this picture I wanted to stop for awhile and sit on the swing. It was so peaceful and beautiful there, and would be a wonderful spot to sit and spend time with King Jesus. But it’s not the place that makes the time wonderful, it’s the unbroken audience of the King.
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Our hope is not hung upon such untwisted thread as “I imagine so,” or “it is likely”; but the cable, the strong rope of our fastened anchor, is the oath and promise of Him who is eternal verity. Our salvation is fastened with God’s own hand and Christ’s own strength to the strong stake of God’s unchanging nature. ~ William Rutherford
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Weekly Photo Challenge: Through
Each Friday Sara Rosso posts the WordPress weekly photo challenges; here is what she said about this week’s challenge:
“Through. Often framing your photo’s composition through something else is the best thing you could do to it. It gives the viewer even more context into what your eye saw in that moment in time. Sometimes it modifies the entire tone or meaning of the photo.”
I’ve been thinking about the concept of through quite a bit lately in terms of this phase of my life. I’m currently going through a battle with cancer, and that can modify the entire tone or meaning of how I view things. Sometimes my view is through the frame of pain, other times it’s through the frustration of treatments, or through exhaustion from losing sleep, or through just being tired of dealing with all the cancer-related issues, day in and day out.
When I look through something to take a photo, I’m only capturing that scene from one angle, and if I shift my focus even a little to the right or left the scene will change. I’ve learned that it’s the same way with going through the battle with cancer. If I shift my focus from the pain, frustration, exhaustion, or day-to-day issues of dealing with cancer to a different subject, I can see my life from another angle.
I’m going through a battle with cancer, but I must choose not to focus only on the view from the battlefield, as one who has no hope. I choose to put my hope in Jesus Christ, and to believe that He will bring me through the cancer battle, and even bless me along the way. Every day I have to choose to frame my view through His word:
Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Psalm 41:1-3 says, “Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.”
Psalm 34:7-9 reminds us, “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.”
This week’s photo challenge took me through my thoughts and feelings about dealing with cancer. As others faced with cancer have said, cancer is something that happened to me, it’s not who I am. Photography is one of the ways I take my mind off of the ugliness of cancer, by focusing on the beauty of God’s creation, amusing subjects, or unusual sights and scenes.
One of my favorite ways to take photographs is by looking through something to capture a view, or to better focus on my subject or scene. I realized just how often I do that when I browsed through my albums to choose photos for this week’s challenge of through.
The first three photos are different views from a lookout point on top of a steep hill. This view shows a valley of trees from through the window openings on one side, and the view of part of the hilltop from through the back doorway.
The next view is looking out through the back doorway, showing the narrow, flat hilltop, and the trees beyond it.
The third view is from the bottom of the steep hill, with the blue sky showing through the openings of the lookout building.
There is light at the end of the tunnel! You can see through the darkness of the tunnel to the sun shining on a hillside strewn with fall leaves. I love the analogy of this one, especially in relation to my battle with cancer.
The weathered tree in this photo is dead, and actually looks like a piece of driftwood growing out of the ground. But it’s shape reminds me of a sewing machine needle with an “eye” at the top. A close up shot enabled me to capture some of the grass and weeds showing through the eye hole.
This spider was busy repairing his web when I snapped this photo of him through the web as he worked on the underside of it on a foggy morning.
The view through this sunny window has made this photo, taken by my husband, one of our favorites.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Unusual
Our cameras got a workout on last week’s trip to the Mobile, Alabama area for the 60th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival in Fairhope. It’s not unusual for my husband and me to take hundreds of photos when we go on a trip, or even while capturing shots around where we live. Here’s a few photos from our Alabama trip that I think fit this week’s photo challenge of unusual.
This unusual sand sculpture was on the beach at Dauphin Island. I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be, but I’m sure the sand artist had something in mind.
A rather unusual sign combination on the pier of Alligator Alley.
Only one of the previously seen five alligators was visible for photos, but he’s huge, and apparently loves marshmallows. Some kids were throwing them into the water around him, and he would slowly swim to snap them up. This photo shows him closing in on a marshmallow.
Here he is with a marshmallow in his mouth, right before snapping it shut and going after the other two unusual alligator treats.
There were several unusual sights at the Arts & Crafts Festival in Fairhope, AL. This dog looking cool in his strapped on sunglasses was one of them.
This cypress tree creates unusual looking habitat at Bellingrath Gardens in Mobile, AL as it grows outward and consumes the horizontal railing by swallowing it up in it’s trunk.
As the cypress knee grows upward it continues the unusual looking growth by consuming the vertical post of the railing.
Giving Thanks
For the power Thou hast given me to lay hold of things unseen:
For the strong sense I have that this is not my home:
For my restless heart which nothing finite can satisfy:
I give Thee thanks, O God.
For the invasion of my soul by Thy Holy Spirit:
For all human love and goodness that speak to me of Thee:
For the fullness of Thy glory outpoured in Jesus Christ:
I give Thee thanks, O God.
~ John Baillie
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“Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?” ~ Francis Scott Key 1814
The flags waving against a blue sky create a contrast of color.
But the peacefulness of the blue sky is a stark contrast of the wars fought, and the lives lost by the brave, to keep America as the land of the free.
The eagle on the Wisconsin Monument in the Vicksburg National Military Park is a contrast in shades of blue, as he sits atop a white marble orb.
The shiny gold eagle on the Illinois Monument in the Vicksburg National Military Park strikes a bold pose, contrasted against a clear blue sky.
This peacock was proud to pose for a picture, and show off the brilliant blue feathers that are an odd contrast to the duller shades of the plume.
On a sunny fall day, the brown of pinecones create a contrast against the bright yellow and gold of leaves, with a background of blue sky peeking through.
A large piece of petrified wood, dead for hundreds of years, is contrasted amid new, living growth of green foliage springing up around it.
USA Flag Site
Vicksburg National Military Park
What Do You Need?
He has a name suiting every need.
Do you need wonders to be wrought for you? His name is Wonderful;
look to Him so to do, for His name’s sake.
Do you need counsel and direction? His name is the Counselor.
Do you have mighty enemies to debate? His name is the Mighty God;
ask Him to exert His power for His name’s sake.
Do you need His fatherly pity? His name is the Everlasting Father.
Plead His pity, for His name’s sake.
Do you need peace external, internal, or eternal?
His name is the Prince of Peace; seek, for His name’s sake,
that He may create peace.
Do you need healing? His name is Jehovah-Rophi,
the Lord the Healer and physician.
Do you need pardon? His name is Jehovah-Tsidkenu,
the Lord our Righteousness.
Do you need defense and protection? His name is Jehovah-Nissi,
the Lord your Banner. Seek, for His name’s sake, that His banner of
love and grace may be spread over you.
Do you need provision in extreme want? His name is Jehovah-Jireh,
the Lord will provide.
Do you need His presence? His name is Jehovah-Shammah, the Lord is there; Immanuel, God with us.
Do you need audience of prayer? His name is the Hearer of Prayer.
Do you need strength? His name is the Strength of Israel.
Do you need comfort? His name is the Consolation of Israel.
Do you need shelter? His name is the City of Refuge.
Have you nothing and need all? His name is All in All.
He has a name suitable for your supply; He has wisdom to guide you and power to keep you, mercy to pity you, truth to shield you, holiness to sanctify you, righteousness to justify you, grace to adorn you, and glory to crown you.
Trust in His name, who saves for His name’s sake.
~ Ralph Erskine
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Hearing His Voice 