Photography – Page 3 – B Is for Blessed!

Mother’s Day…

Two words that evoke love or dread.

Mother’s Day.

This weekend, mothers of all capacities will be celebrated. There are mothers to be and new moms engulfed in the glow of their newfound status.

There are also mothers mourning the unimaginable loss of children born and unborn.

This will be the second year without my mother. It will also be the first Mother’s Day I spend without the company of my children.

When my husband asked me what I wanted to do for Mother’s Day, my answer was, “lay low.” A day that once brought about fun memories with my kids now makes me keenly aware that Mother’s Day is painful for many.

Yet, I distinctly remember one thing my mother said to me over twenty years ago.

“I will always be your mother and I will always love you.”

And she did.

The love of a mother and its bonds are strong.

It withstands life’s pains and problems. It allows grace for failure. A mother’s love suffers much. It restores confidence with a word and offers support in silence.

A mother’s love evolves and bends, but it never completely breaks. Maybe that’s why there is no other like a mother.

Celebrate your mother by heeding her wisdom and mothering those in need when you can. You don’t have to literally be a mother to teach, guide and love like one.

And If you’re like me, who would do well to merely reappear when it’s over, I challenge you (and myself) to smile over memories and good times once shared.

Give thanks for the women that love and nurture you.

Mothers, step-mothers, grandmothers, godmothers, sisters, sister-friends and aunts.

Other mothers who listen to and encourage you.

Show them love while you can.

Be gentle.

Be kind.

Be considerate and wise.

Celebrate and give thanks for the great women in your life, past and present.

Even take a moment to celebrate you.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Dark Places…

Easter weekend found me giving more than a bit of thought to “Silent Saturday.” Other than egg hunts as a kid, little attention was given to the Saturday before Easter. Yet, these many years later, I suspect there are more “Silent Saturdays” in our lives than repentant Fridays or Sunday resurrections.

Perhaps, when things look worst, as they did after the crucifixion, is when God is doing the most. Our silent times tend to linger far longer than one day, and in some instances, years. Still, that does not mean our personal transformation is delayed.

Jesus foretold the disciples of his death and resurrection, nonetheless, the disciples were not waiting expectantly on Sunday. They disregarded the very promise Jesus personally gave them.

We, too, can find it hard to hold on to those things God promised us as well. When circumstances look less than ideal, it is easy to let go of our dreams and purpose and instead merely seek to survive. Like Thomas, we can find ourselves surprised and doubtful of the very things we prayed for when they come to fruition.

As Jesus fulfilled His promise to the disciples, God fulfills His promises to us. Jesus lay in a tomb separated from those who loved him before He was glorified before the Father. Maybe we must endure some dark places as well in preparation for the very miracles we seek to receive.

I have witnessed a caterpillar spin a cocoon. I have seen beautiful butterflies break free of them. However, I have never observed the metamorphosis of one into the other. This transformation is done out of sight, silently and without fanfare. Only when there is movement out of the darkness and into the light can we delight in the miracle.

We all endure some dark places.

Yet, the darkness is temporary.

We can push forward, into the Light, to become the very people God created us to be.

I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.
John 12: NKJV

Gethsemane…

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. Matthew 26:36-40 NIV

In the above verses, Jesus asks his disciples to wait with him. This simple request sounds like something we would ask our own friends if we were facing imminent death.

But what did those nearest and dearest to Jesus do?

They fell asleep.

My revelation from this is that there will be times in life where we are forced to go it alone. Friends and family will forsake us, through no fault of their own.

Even God may be silent.

Yet, Jesus teaches us by example how to persevere as we walk in those lonely places.

First, Jesus continued to pray even as his friends slept. He didn’t rely on them to keep him encouraged or uplifted. We often forget the Son of God was still a man with friends he loved and desired when he needed them most. But his friends would not wait with him. Three times they fell asleep. Three times Peter would deny Jesus. If people who literally lived among Jesus for years could fail him, why are we surprised when people fail us as well?

The second thing Jesus did was submit himself to the Father. “Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

We should ask God’s will, “on earth, as it is in heaven,” no matter how awful it looks. The very things we pray to escape are often essential to producing the best outcomes. Jesus knew he would live again in three days, but he didn’t want to face the trial that preceded his triumph. Likewise, we dread our trials even though they eventually promote us. Like Christ, we need to endure as well. If Jesus, who was sinless, suffered, we will too.

Yet, our God is rich in mercy!

Jesus left with us the Holy Spirit, our Advocate, to help us and be with us forever. And as He did for Jesus, our Father often provides a “Simon” when our load is too much to bear as well.

Our journey may be lonely, but we are never alone.

God is faithful on earth and through eternity…

Spring Forward!

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,”
Philippians 3:13 NKJV

Some things are intended to move with us.

Memories. Love. Lessons learned.

Others are meant to be forgotten and buried such as regret, disappointment, and fear.

Spring as a verb means to move in a forward direction; it also suggests momentum and height.

Some of us have lost our momentum. Others are not reaching high enough to attain the promises and abundance God generously gives.

In the above verse, emphasis is placed on the “I do.” This indicates that it is an active and continual process to forget those things which are behind and reach forward.

It takes an effort to let go of pain and hurt. Remaining somber and disgusted won’t make the memories and emotions fade. It takes a concerted effort to forgive and forget. It takes a determination to reach, think, and look forward.

But it is God’s will for us to look forward and to look up to Him!

In spite of the many miracles experienced by the Israelites on their journey toward the Promised Land, their faith did not overcome the temporary discomforts of moving to a better place. They complained.

A lot.

In fact, their lack of faith, complaining, and the poor report from the spies sent to survey the land promised to them angered God so much that these naysayers never lived to see the promise fulfilled (Ref Numbers Chapters 13 and 14).

We would do well to learn from their mistake!

Spring, new blooms and the Easter Season will soon be upon us. This is the perfect time to renew our minds and spring forward in whatever manner “forward” means for you.

Forget what lies behind.

Embrace the new!

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert,” Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV

Sow Good Seed…We Are What We Speak!

We reap what we sow.

This principle is demonstrated many times throughout the Bible. Yet, one of the simplest ways for us to sow good seed for our lives is something many of us struggle with.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. James 3:8 NIV

We “God folks” tend to worry far more about the things we do and not contemplate as much the things we say. I wonder if we gave more thought to what we say, would we then “do better?”

This doesn’t require fancy words or eloquent speeches. A few kind words at the proper time can mean the world to someone on the brink of a meltdown.

“You can do it,” may be the encouragement someone needs to apply for that job or enroll in classes.

“I’m thinking of you,” can ease the pain of grief or loneliness.

Our words are impactful, powerful.

I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore, choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; Deuteronomy 30:19 NKJV

Very few of us would intentionally choose death, yet sometimes that is exactly what we do. To curse others is to curse ourselves. The vile with which we speak will eventually find its way back to us.

I’ve heard it said “our words should be sweet so should we be forced to eat them, they will go down smoothly.”

Choose to sow kind words.

Our voice may be the most powerful weapon we have.

The Bible prompts us to “declare” the works of the Lord. We are urged to “sing” God’s praises.” Jesus instructed His disciples to “proclaim” the message. These three words are mentioned nearly 800 times in the Bible.

The use of our voices isn’t for God’s benefit, but our own.

Words are seeds that activate our faith. Our professions and confessions can bind and liberate.

God spoke the world into existence!

Be bold.

Be deliberate!

Give thought to your words.

Exercise restraint.

Don’t allow words said in jest, haste or anger to curse your future.

Our words set the stage for our lives, our prayers facilitate the changes we seek.

What say you, today?

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24 NIV

Let It Go!

With the year’s end looming, many of us are reflecting on the pains and gains of 2017. Or, we are thinking ahead to what the New Year may bring.

Last year was a rollercoaster of extreme highs and lows for me, and most of it is still a blur. I sit here typing at the end of December as I’ve done annually for the last decade pondering what I can do differently next year.

At the end of 2016, I could sense a significant change was imminent though I had no idea of just how substantial those changes would be. We were anticipating a graduation. I was pondering retirement. I never anticipated the loss that would follow.

I don’t think I am alone haunted by “should have, could have and would have,” creeping into my consciousness.

The reluctance to let go of past hurts, affronts and disappointments can make us stagnant and complacent. There is a danger in becoming so comfortable in our pain and discomfort that we don’t dare move away from the very things that make our hearts ache.

It takes more than resolve to lose weight, become fiscally responsible or keep any other resolution that enables us to move forward. Prayer and discipline are often vital to relinquishing the old, so we can grasp something new.

Whatever is wearing on you, let it go and leave it behind in 2017. Don’t drag your “baggage” into 2018. Trust me, I’ve a few things of my own I plan to leave as well.

We often fail to walk away from a job, a position, or a relationship even when God’s anointing is obviously gone. Many of us desperately hold on to something lifeless rather than become empty-handed.

Where is the wisdom in that?

What are those things you prayed for that you need to make room for?

Let go of disappointment.

Let go of regret.

Let go of the past!

Anticipate answered prayers.

Hold yourself accountable.

Grab hold to God’s unchanging hand!

Happy New Year!

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 NIV

Wise Guys!

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:1-2 NKJV

A few years ago, I passed a Nativity scene near my home. The simple structures were at least forty years old. The faded plastic stood proudly without touchup or fanfare as a testament to tradition.

The Joseph, Mary and baby were placed prominently in a simple display. Yet, it was the Wise Men that caught my attention.

“And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.” Psalms 9:10

The Wise Men actively sought The Messiah. The Bible is full of verses about seeking God. These men were wise enough to seek, recognize and worship giving the very best that they had. They did not despise their journey. Why do we despise our hard roads that bring us to God?

Is there a lesson in that?

My curiosity piqued, I read those first chapters of Matthew again. “Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.” Matthew 2:12

King Herod never indicated to these men he was threatened by the birth of Jesus. Herod lied and told them to return so he could also worship him. However, these Wise Men heeded the warning not to return the way they had come.

I can think of a few instances I would have benefited by heeding the warnings God gave me not to go a way that looked harmless. I didn’t recognize my “warnings.”

The Wise Men did.

I wonder if their zeal to seek God made it easier for the Wise Men to hear from God? Not only did they recognize their “warning,” they obeyed it.

I can’t say that I’ve always done the same. Still, I’m hoping to end this year wiser than I began.

Presents under the tree are nice, but the best gifts can’t be purchased…

“For wisdom [is] better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” Proverbs 8:11

“The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge; [but] fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7

“Happy [is] the man [that] findeth wisdom, and the man [that] getteth understanding.” Proverbs 3:13

Restoration!

^{A few weeks ago, in my mother’s house, I found a Christmas ornament from 1996 that was lost in her office. Unlike the others, this one was never wrapped up and put away each year to annually find its way on the Christmas tree. Two decades of neglect left it looking more like a relic instead of something to ring in great tidings of joy!}^{Still, that not so shiny silver bell somehow managed to minister to me.}

^{As we come to the end of this year, many of us are at a loss trying to figure out what happened to 2017?}^{I’m confident that I am not alone with “to dos” left undone and more than a few things that fell by the wayside.}

^{As I polished the “lost” ornament, I was reminded that God restores us as well. Through Christ, we can not only renew our minds, but God can restore whatever we may lack including the time lost for those things He purposed for our lives.}^{The sin that continually tarnishes us and would keep us from our destiny, our Savior’s blood wipes away.}

^{It may have taken twenty years, but “Christmas 1996” is finally on a tree.}

^{Never give up on your goals and aspirations that seem long-lost. Whatever we lose (or was stolen) our Father’s love can surely restore!}

^{Our faith.}

^{Our family.}

^{Our finances.}

^{Our hope!}

^{If you feel like you’ve lost more than can ever be found, I challenge you to trust God.}^{Our Savior descended from Heaven not only for an eternal promise, but that we can live fruitful and meaningful lives now.}

^{Amazing Grace!}^{How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost but now am found,

Was blind but now I see.

John Newton 1779}

^{My times are in Your hand;

Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,

And from those who persecute me.

Make Your face shine upon Your servant;

Save me for Your mercies’ sake.

Psalm 31: 15-16 NKJV}

^{He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

For His name’s sake

Psalm 23:3 NKJV}

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Traveling over the river and through the woods or staying close to home, give thanks for blessings large and small; with God we are never alone.

B Blessed!

Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! 1 Chronicles 16:8 NKJV

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34 NKJV

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 NKJV

Burning Bush!

God and The Garden

And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. So he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, but the bush [was] not consumed. Then Moses said, “I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.” So when the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”
Exodus 3:2-4 NKJV

“Here I am.”

God called Moses by name and revealed Himself.

God does the same for us. We may not experience anything as spectacular as a burning bush yet God calls us just the same.

God knows our names. We were born for a purpose. We can choose to obey the call He places on us or we can…

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