Shrink Wrap

I have to say I wasn't aware of this use of "shrink wrap" until just recently...

Slip

The way my mind works, I can't help noticing the dual usage of the word in this shot.  And I wonder if this verse doesn't capture a usage that is somewhere between the two:

"Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." (Heb. 2:1)

Snow, Be Thou on the Earth

"God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength."
(Job 37:5-6.)

I didn't get to hear the thundersnow the other night when our big blizzard hit, but we certainly felt the impact of God commanding the snow to be on the earth.  Always amazed how our little world stops at the voice of God through His creation.

Welcome Winter

Winter is "welcome" when we can peer at it through the windows from the warmth of our homes.  Our recent snow day afforded that opportunity and the chance to reflect on the blessing of shelter, family, and the might of God.  Coming on the heels of Dad Herrmann's passing and Nelson's new walk of faith, we found ourselves with much to reflect upon and a welling joy and thankfulness for God's goodness and mercy.

Who Makes the Ice?

"Out of whose womb came the ice? and the hoary frost of heaven, who hath gendered it?" (Job 38:29)

Another offering from that impressive response from God to Job.  We awoke this past Sunday to this view from the warm home of some dear friends.  Glory to God!

Hast Thou Commanded?

"Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the dayspring to know his place?" (Job 38:12)

To say that Job of old was tested is putting it mildly.  The list of things he withstood is beyond the scope of this writing.  Yet in all of it he "charged God not foolishly", spoke of his knowledge that his redeemer lives and will stand in the latter day, yielded to the testing as of gold by fire.  And so on.  Still, he questioned God and wished he'd never been born. 

God's response, starting in Job 38 is eloquent and thundering in its opening question, "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?"  Among the many things God asked Job in order to make it clear Who was Sovereign and who was not, was the question above.  In our language; So, Job, do you command the sun to spring forth each day?  Or you, Brad?  Or you?

His Eye is on the Sparrow

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.
("His Eye is On the Sparrow" -- Charles H. Gabriel)

"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?" (Luke 12:6)

Yes, Jesus made a point of telling us that God sees every sparrow that falls and even knows the number of hairs on our heads.  So why should I feel discouraged?  Forgive us (me) for our lack of faith.

Skies of Parchment

Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill, and every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above, would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.
"The Love of God" -- F.M. Lehman

Prints in the Snow

Tracks in the snow or at the beach or in a wood...they always tell a story.  Someone has been here and now they are gone.  Their impact is noticeable yet fleeting.  Scripture says, "we spend our years as a tale that is told." (Ps. 90:9). The snow is gone in the Midwest and so the traces of this critter are long melted away.  Yet the "story" of our lives will ring in eternity.  What is being written of you? Of me?

Let It Shine

Before Christmas is too distant a memory, I thought I'd add this entry.  It was taken when I was in that "new camera" phase of shooting pictures of everything that moved, or didn't as the case may be.

This lone bulb shining in the daylight reminds me of the Sunday School song "This Little Light of Mine".  Sometimes we may not feel like our example is seen -- but the power of this bulb after the sun sets is simply amazing.  Keep letting your light shine!

Patient Subject

 

Interpretation of this look: "My husband got a new camera and it's very cold out here but I'm going to sit here and smile because I love him!"  She truly is my best friend.

I was just starting to learn the autofocus settings on the D90 with this shot.  I'm trying to decide if the soft focus on her face (which was inadvertent) looks OK by accident.  I used the fill flash to help her stand out given the bright snow background but wish I could have bounced it off a ceiling.

Evening Light

It took three tries to get the light where I wanted it on this shot of a familiar Lake Geneva landmark.  I marvel at the human eye's ability to "set the exposure" perfectly on a seemingly instantaneous basis with a huge range of light levels. "Oh Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder..."

Lake Geneva Ice

Snapped this on a frigid walk along Lake Geneva, Wisconsin right after Christmas last year. The ice forms slowly, yet incessantly. A friend pointed out the fun in pondering what's beyond the white walkways...