Monthly Archives: December 2013

Weekly Photo Challenge: Let There Be Light!

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I missed a week of participation in the photo challenge (11.29.13), but still wanted to contribute something to that theme. I live on a corner and for a while the sodium-vapor street lamp, emitting its yellow hue, cycled on and off through the night. Recently, the city installed an LED light that is much more intense over the intersection, but creates less overall light pollution. However, it is positioned to illuminate my front yard quite well. With our first measurable snow occurring this past Sunday, the new light caused my bare maple tree to cast some long shadows, nicely contrasting the fresh, white ground cover.

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Of course, this is the Season of Light as Christians observe Advent, preparing for the celebration of Christ’s first coming. In one of the seven “I Am’s”* of Jesus in the Gospel of John, very clearly asserting His claim of deity, He spoke of His illuminating nature:

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

May this be a time in which many people discover the true Light of the World!

*Here is a short but thorough article on The “I Am’s” of Christ by Henry Morris.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Grand

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One of my favorite memories as a child was sitting on our large front porch, watching night-time thunderstorms roll through Memphis. However, tall oak trees in my neighborhood obscured distant lightning. Now in Iowa, I don’t have to go far to get a great vista of an evening storm rolling through rural Iowa. This early October storm could be seen brewing in the sunset and by 8:00 p.m., it was producing a light show 50 miles away over Atlantic, Iowa. (Click on photos to enlarge.)

While thunderstorms do have the potential of bringing a lot of damage, they are a powerful and grand demonstration of God’s power.

5 I know that the Lord is great,
that our Lord is greater than all gods.
6 The Lord does whatever pleases him,
in the heavens and on the earth,
in the seas and all their depths.
7 He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth;
he sends lightning with the rain
and brings out the wind from his storehouses.                                              Psalm 135:5-7 (NIV)

For more examples of “grand,” check them out HERE.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected

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I’m a little late in this contribution to the photo challenge of “unexpected” (posted 11.22.13). But, better late than sorry:

So, your photo challenge this week is to capture something unexpected. You can also interpret the theme in other ways: a street scene or landscape that just doesn’t look quite right, an impromptu portrait of a loved one, or any other image that reveals a sense of surprise.

During this past extended Thanksgiving weekend, a beagle, who we owned during her first year of life, came to visit while her current owner went out-of-town. We gave Bailey to friends after we found her a little too high-strung for town life. She needed a rural area to run free and other dogs as companions, and both needs were supplied at her new home. However, she still loves to visit. If she is not outside on leash, she takes her spot on the back of the couch and watches for squirrels in the front yard.

On guard duty

On guard duty

Her visits always necessitate “dog-proofing” because she loves to shred tissues from the garbage cans and scavenge for other odds and ends to chew. With my home office door closed and off-limits to her, I’m less concerned about that area being pristine. However, I left the door open as I was reading in my recliner, and Bailey came in to see me. After rooting around my chair for a minute, she made signs of a hasty retreat (indicating she had something I would not approve of her having). I quickly grabbed her collar and then my camera at seeing the unexpected protrusion from her mouth.

After dinner toothpick

Who doesn’t occasionally need an after-dinner toothpick

We’re sorry to see Bailey go when she leaves, but we don’t regret giving her up to have a richer life of snake hunting, rabbit chasing and rough housing with her dog companions.

For more “unexpected” photo, check out WordPress – Weekly Photo Challenge.