Author Archives: Chuck Spindler

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About Chuck Spindler

I am a retired pastor after serving in the same church for 30 years in Creston, Iowa. Adjusting to widowhood and retirement in the same year has been rough, but I'm traveling more, visiting my kids and grandchildren, and enjoying my photography hobby (www.cspindlerphoto.com).

Weekly Photo Challenge: Selfie

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There is nothing like the tiny clasp of a child’s hand in your own. I have been able to capture that moment of each of my granddaughters’ first grip of their Papa’s hand.

As I enjoy the privilege of holding my granddaughter’s hands, I am grateful that the hand of God has hold of me, his child – guiding, protecting, providing and preserving:

5 This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it:
6 “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
 I will take hold of your hand.
    I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
    and a light for the Gentiles,
7 to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.                 Isaiah 42:5-7 (NIV)

For more examples of this “selfie” challenge, click HERE.

No More iPhone…a Reluctant Experiment

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My daughter blogs for Fort Worth (TX) Moms Blog and posted today about the challenges of parenting preschoolers in our “tech age.” I think you will enjoy.

No More iPhone…a Reluctant Experiment.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Object

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I had the opportunity to make a quick trip back to my hometown of Memphis, Tennessee this weekend. Eleven men from my church and I set out on an eleven hour journey at 5 am on Friday. Then, as the conference ended Saturday afternoon, we made the return trip, arriving home almost exactly 48 hours after our Friday departure. While our purpose was to attend a Downline Ministries disciple-making conference, the fringe benefit was sampling some of the best barbeque in the world. This “object” was the menu that was set before me, signaling the wait was over and my taste buds were going to be very happy soon. image Coincidentally, when we arrived at our conference two men sat behind us, and both work for Corky’s in their online sales division. With Fed Ex based in Memphis, I can attest that they do a great job of shipping this delicious BBQ overnight. Below are a few more pics shot with my Moto X phone, chronicling the trip.

For more examples of this week’s challenge, click HERE

Weekly Photo Challenge: Juxtaposition II

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My sister made us this leaded glass piece, with beveled, clear glass and iridescent, frosted glass for a narrow bathroom window in our childhood home. Now it is mounted at our eastern-facing sink window. We love the prisms that the early morning light casts not only into the kitchen but also on living room walls and furniture.

However, on exceptionally cold days like today (-2 @ 8am), the frost patterns on the storm window accentuate the frost patterns in the leaded glass – art and life juxtaposed.

Side by side examples of frost – real on exterior glass (left) and artistic.
Without flash to highlight iridescent quality of glass
With flash to highlight frost design in glass
God’s design

1 Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God;For it is pleasant and praise is becoming…16 He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost like ashes.

Psalm 147:1,16 (NIV)

HERE are more examples of “juxtaposition.”

Weekly Photo Challenge: Juxtaposition

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I’ve been visiting the local state park over the past few weeks since several bald eagles have been spotted in the area. So far, I’ve not “captured” the elusive bird, but there are thousands of Canadian geese in open water at the mostly frozen lake. Last Monday, I was taking some pictures and spied a rodent approaching a group of geese, who were sitting on the ice at the water’s edge. They were somewhat wary of this foraging muskrat and eventually took flight. So, here is the “juxtaposition” between land-bound and winged creatures. Obviously, the geese don’t have much “Muskrat Love.”

“That muskrat is getting a little too close.”
“Let’s get out of here!”
“To the safety of water.”
“Ah, the ice to ourselves.”
Feasting on underwater vegetation it just pulled up

After watching this muskrat’s intrusion on the gaggle of geese, I spotted what looked like two rocks on the water’s edge about 100 yards away. Through the lens I could see that they were, indeed, muskrats, who were feeding on something. Since this was my first time to see muskrats in the wild, I was intrigued at watching them eat, submerge into the icy water and then emerge with some underwater vegetation to continue their feasting.

For more examples of “juxtaposition,” click HERE.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Family

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Photographing our family not only gives us the chance to share something close to our heart, but affords us the opportunities often required to capture an image in a very special way. – Josh R (WordPress)

Our annual, family trip to Florida offers me a great time to chronicle (through photography) our family’s growth. While I’m able to get some good portrait shots, I enjoy capturing some silhouettes at dusk.This year I photographed my oldest daughter’s family of four in the day’s last light – mom and dad (side by side), toddler on dad’s back and the three year old running ahead.Beach Walk at DuskTwo years earlier, with only one child at the time, the same daughter’s family took off for a beach walk. My wife and I followed a short time later and I was pleased to find their steps in the sand preceding our path…a sweet representation of their family.

Foot Prints

Because this is an extended family event, this week’s header is changed to reflect our bigger family at play with a cornhole tournament.

For additional contributions to the “family” theme, go to Weekly Photo Challenge: Family

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.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers

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A sunset without clouds is “blah.” So, I always hope for a non-obscured drop of the sun below the sea’s horizon, but to have clouds in the sky to reflect layers of the sun’s final hues. This was the last sunset of our vacation in Florida and God painted a masterpiece with textured layers of color!

Last Sunset 2013

For more examples of “layers” go to Word Press Photo Challenge: Layers.

Here is an additional video of that sunset: