Our Love Shall Not Diminish

Our love shall not diminish
Nor fade nor wane away;
Bind us till life we finish
And in the grave we lay.

Pure love leads to perfection,
Joy of our soul and guide,
Gives us true satisfaction,
And leads to heaven's light.

("Our Love Shall Not Diminish", Zion's Harp #137, v. 1, 6)

Yes, I love the candid shot.  The almost and altogether divine instant when a mechanical shutter releases at precisely the right time to capture a fleeting moment.  As a friend with a practiced eye pointed out about this shot, "what a moment on that one!".  I couldn't agree more.

Come Thirsty

To the wounded and the weary come thirsty

Have you built up a resistance
To the sun and to the rain?
Is your life in need of healing
From the heartache and the pain?
Jesus calls to all the searching
To cast your every care on him.
For he offers living water
You will never thirst again.

Have you wandered in the desert
Seeking refuge for too long?
Have the sands of disappointment
Hidden your heart’s song?
A refreshing spring is flowing
For your parched and barren soul.
Come and drink the cup of mercy
For it makes the sinner whole.

Come thirsty
To the fountain that never shall run dry
It’s a soothing sweet oasis
Every need is satisfied
To the wounded and the weary come thirsty.
(The Perry's "Come Thirsty")

Forest Fire?

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised. (Ps. 113:3)

Of course it's not a forest fire, just another splendid sunset in our backyard.  The heavens in general, and sunsets in particular, are some of my favorite subjects.  Ever changing and still the same, timeless yet daily reminders that God is in His heaven and that He exhibits limitless creativity and imagination.

Why I Fly IFR

Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind:(Ps. 104:3)

I recently gained the right to fly an airplane through the clouds and gain such spectacular vistas.  These were taken with a cell phone camera but still capture the magnificence of the carpet of clouds at about 5000 above sea level.

Smiles

OK, so I'm already "on the record" for preferring candid shots over posed ones.  But I keep coming back to the "million dollar" smiles on this one of some special bridesmaids at our niece's recent wedding.

It's a little cheesy but I'm reminded of a line that has stuck with me: "Smile awhile and another smiles and soon there are miles and miles of smiles!".  So smile a little more today, OK?  :)

Think Spring!

Yes, this was from last year.  But it can't hurt to hope, can it? And the signs are everywhere that it's on its way!

As I think of the detail in this image, I'm reminded of the myriad intricacies of design evident in Creation.  We are truly blessed to have five senses to enjoy them.  And the closer you look, the better it gets (a definition of quality that I once heard).  God has placed eternity in the hearts of men and throughout Creation (Eccl. 3:11).

Girl Cousins

Please allow me to tell you why I like this picture. Of course these young ladies are my beautiful daughter and nieces and I love them very dearly.  But a good shot of people to me is often about capturing a serendipitous moment.  This one seems to be at the precise instant where their enjoyment of each other met with a realization there was a camera focused on them...but before they could actually pose for it.  Success!

Blowing Off Steam

Pent up energy, frustration, anxiety...all good ways to nurture a heart attack.  So whether it's not letting the "sun go down upon your wrath" (giving place to the devil) or simply kicking back and relaxing from a hard week of work, we are supposed to rest and refresh from time to time.  God wasn't tired after creating the world, but He ordained sabbath rest for us anyway, knowing our frame!

"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exod. 20:8)

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?

The Union of Hearts

This covenant shall then
Endure and stand forever;
There neither grief nor pain
Shall come to part or sever
There God shall e'er abide
With us our truest friend,
Our hearts in Him unite
Forever without end.
(Zion's Harp #79)

I struggle to express how the melodic strains of this hymn combine with its words to pluck my heart strings.  Perhaps it's the countless times hearing it sung at weddings mixed with the threefold cord knit when Cindy and I joined hands and heart in the Lord.  Simply beautiful.