Tag Archives: postaday

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.

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: 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: 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:

Weekly Photo Challenge: Horizon

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As one of my daughters said, “We live from October to October.” This month is when our family meets in Florida for our annual vacation. Since most of our activities are centered around the beach, the horizon is sort of constant companion. Whether scanning for passing dolphins and taking in the last rays of the day, the line between sea and sky is always there.

October Sunrise from the condo balcony
Corn Hole at Sunset
Grandmother and granddaughter beach combing
Sunset Rainbow
Passing Dolphin

The “genesis” of our horizons:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day. (Genesis 1:1-5 NASB)

To find out about this week’s challenge and link to more entries, click HERE

Weekly Photo Challenge: Good Morning!

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My wife and I have a regular morning practice of rising early to have a spiritual devotional time together. The tools we use are the Bible, a devotional guide or book (my favorite is Daily with the King – W. Glyn Evans) and a cup of coffee. After reading, we spend some time in prayer for our church, family and ourselves. Because we believe Christianity is relational, this is always a special time with the Lord, Jesus Christ and each other as we seek to hear from God and spend time talking to Him through prayer. It is our way of having a “Good Morning!”

Good morning, Son!

Good morning, Son!

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.                                Mark 1:35 (NIV)

Just for fun, here is another “Good Morning” picture to amend a comment I made about Vladimir Brezina’s post Travel Theme: Relaxing. His first photo showed Johna having a cup of coffee on a sandbar. Occasionally, a few brave souls join us for sunrise on the beach during our vacation time. Since the end of October is a little chilly even on the Gulf Coast, daughter #2 has her feet raised off the cold sand. Daughter #1, holding sleeping baby, gives me the “don’t you dare take this picture” glare! Oh, well…there it is.

Good morning, Sun!

For more examples of “Good Morning!”, go to WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Saturated

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Michelle W. challenged contributors to show something saturated:

This week, show us a photo of whatever you’d like, but make sure it’s saturated. It can be black and white, a single color, a few hues, or a complete rainbow riot; just make sure it’s rich and powerful.

I chose to use a few pictures that were taken shortly after my purchase of a Pentax K-x at our favorite Florida beach spot. Experimenting with the high-contrast on filter, here are a few examples of saturated hues:

Old Man
San Destin in the West
Panama City Beach – Sunrise
Late morning sun

Foot in WaterDuring the same trip, I took a picture of my foot in the water… truly saturated! Looking forward to getting my feet in that water real soon.

A team from our church recently returned after a week of extending love and care in Guatemala City ghettos and orphanages. On their first Sunday back in church after the trip, one of the young adults asked if they could sing “How He Loves Us,” a song that became their theme for the week. Written by John Mark McMillan and perhaps better known by the David Crowder Band recording, it has long been one of my favorites. The line that captures my heart says, “If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.” I am grateful for the all-surpassing, all-saturating, thoroughly cleansing grace of God. 

For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift.   Ephesians 2:8 (HCSB)

For more interpretations of saturated, click HERE

Weekly Photo Challenge: From Lines to Patterns (Take 2)

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The 36th Annual Southwest Iowa Hot Air Balloon Race, our community’s most popular event, occurred last weekend. While we had clear weather, wind conditions only permitted two of the four scheduled flights, three of which are competitive. Both of those flights were characterized by almost no wind, almost cancelling the second flight. Because a church member was sponsoring a balloon, I was able to get up close for some pictures on Saturday morning and then have my first ride on Saturday evening. It was a blast! Here are some of the weekend’s pictures that I think meet this week’s challenge – from the lines (cables connecting the baskets to the envelopes) to the geometric patterns of the envelopes.

Two High
Pink Panther Balloon. Flame burst
Three Vertical
Coming in for a target -Mike Reinert, pilot
Pink Panther Reflection
Sailing by the Moon – Darcy Hoch, pilot
(l-r) Pilots Hadley and Reick approaching target
Pink Panther – Lines to Pattern
Night Glow
Night Glow

As I mentioned I had my first flight in a balloon! While only about a mile in distance to the target, the winds were minimal, making it about a twenty-minute flight. It was an invigorating experience and a blessing from God. Here are few more photos I took from that afternoon ride.

Up, up and away
Other balloon launching
Fellow traveler
Deflation port
Approaching the target
Feet on the ground again.
Creston from the air

While all three of my daughters have previously flown, my wife has been apprehensive about me flying because of a deadly hot air balloon accident she saw portrayed in a movie. Additionally, you might have noticed that the balloon sponsor was a funeral home – “that could be like a direct ride to the Pearly Gates.”(ba-dum tshh). However, I went with her blessing. When suggested by one of my daughters that “we need to get Mom up, now,” she responded, “When God gives me wings.”

Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Isaiah 40:31 (NASB)

See more examples of this week’s challenge HERE

Weekly Photo Challenge: From Lines to Patterns

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This week’s challenge submission comes from a recent bike ride on the High Trestle Trail between Madrid and Woodward, Iowa, USA. The paved trail was built on a former Union Pacific railroad bed. We planned two short, 2.5 mile rides from Woodward – late afternoon and dusk – to see the highlight of the trail, the 1/2-mile, 13-story high bridge across the Des Moines River valley, making it one of the largest trail bridges in the world. Forty-one steel cribbings, representing the coal mining industry for which the region was once known, encompass the bridge’s path.

After the daytime observation, we made our way back to Woodward for a wonderful dinner at the Whistlin’ Donkey Sports Bar and Grill. Then, we repeated our trip at dusk for a special treat. Twenty-three of the 41 cribbings are illuminated with blue lights, marking the riverbed below. Because each cribbing is angled differently, the lights give the impression that you are moving through a time warp and the illusion that the cribbings are curved. The following video of the entire half-mile crossing shows this effect. Hope you enjoy the ride!

Here are more entries to this week’s photo challenge.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Inside: My entry is inside a simple truss bridge that I came across this summer in my rural Iowa wanderings. A gravel road leads up to this wood-decked bridge, and the reflected sun on the trusses drew me off the highway. I liked the contrasts of silver/primer paint and rust inside the bridge against the green fields and cloud-filled blue sky outside.

Bridge

Truss bridges have always fascinated me. From my childhood, I recall that bridges with a truss design gave me a sense of security. Perhaps it was because the surrounding structure, giving the sense that you were “inside” the bridge, made the journey across whatever abyss my parents were taking me seem a little safer. I remember crossing the Mississippi River by train and being somewhat terrified to see that the bridge had no surrounding truss to keep the train from toppling over into the waters below. This led to several minutes of agonizing fear despite the reassurances of my mother.

Additionally, any trip across the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge, a cantilevered through truss bridge over the Mississippi River, signaled the beginning of a family adventure, usually a trip to visit family in Missouri and Iowa. With my other four siblings in the car, the first bit of fun we had was to see who could hold their breath over the almost one mile span.

So, this entry brings with it some deep emotions tied to childhood memories that make being inside a truss bridge a “happy place.”