Daily Photo Parable

Moon Snail

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, March 18, 2024

I saw this moon snail at Point Robinson Park on Maury Island several years ago. I had a great day looking at all of the intertidal critters as well as the bird life around there! There were even some wildflowers and on a clear day, there are great views of Mt Rainier.

The moon snail is the largest snail you’ll see in the Puget Sound area. Apparently, there are three different species here (the Arctic, the Pale and the Lewis’ moon snail) but you need to see the opposite side of the shell to what is pictured to determine which type it is. (Moon snails can be as large as 5 – 6 inches.)

You may be more familiar with its gray egg casings which look like a collar of gray sand that stands up by itself. There can be millions of eggs between the layers of sand which are held together by mucous.

You may have picked up what looked like a perfect clam shell only to find a round hole drilled into it. That would be the work of the moon snail as that’s how it is able to get to its prey.

LORD, you have made many things;
with your wisdom you made them all.
The earth is full of your riches.
Look at the sea, so big and wide,
with creatures large and small that cannot be counted.
Psalm 104:24-25 (NCV)

Passing

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, March 17, 2024

I saw this shop window sign in passing – in swiftly passing, so I wasn’t even sure I’d read it correctly but had no time to look back to check.

I was on a mission. We had to find my husband’s keys. We’d taken a day off, and it had been a lovely day, browsing through used books and other treasures in a small town on a sunny afternoon. First we’d explored together; then we’d meandered in different directions.

He phoned to tell me that his keys had slipped off what he thought was a secure clip, and he was in the process of retracing his steps through town. He urged me to keep on with my browsing; this was apparently an informational call only.

I told him there was no way I could continue my lighthearted strolling and would immediately find him, and then help him find those keys. We each prayed for success, and then I took off at a brisk clip down the street in his direction.

That’s when I hurried past the show window with its admonitory and encouraging message. A few minutes later my phone rang, and my husband reported success – he had found his keys!

We then found each other, and walked back up the street together. “I want to find a sign I saw a minute ago,” I told him. “I want to check to see if I read it correctly when I whipped by.”

Yes, I had:

have a little faith
THIS TOO SHALL PASS

It was good to read it leisurely now, while rejoicing that our key crisis had passed, and the lost was found. We thanked the Lord and resumed our explorations.

But the sign stayed with me, as words often do. I remembered how I’d heard the phrase, “This, too, shall pass,” as I was growing up, and adopted it for use when I was in the dentist’s chair. I dreaded these appointments because I’d been fitted with wire braces that hurt when they were twisted and tightened. I silently repeated to myself, “This, too, shall pass,” to help me bear the pain.

I know I have used this phrase often since those junior high school years, and, more recently, this variation: “It won’t always be like this.”

We seem to be in a season of memorial services, with a total of six this month and the next; a combination of in-person and online. This many services has prompted me to ponder how we talk about people who have died.

Perhaps to soften the stark word, “died,” we often speak of people as having passed, or passed away, or passed on, or even passed over. The latter two phrases hint at the speaker’s belief about death.

Much more important than my musing on the phrases we use is my longing for all passing away to pass away! I yearn for the Day when the Lord returns, and sin and sickness and cemeteries will be no more.

The Lord understands our longing, and meets us in our grief with these words from Revelation 21:4-5:

And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

Trinity Rescue

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, March 16, 2024

Almost two years ago I posted a Daily Photo Parable blog called “Trinity Tree.” I included a photo of the tree you see above, and I pointed out how the single trunk has split into three smaller ones. I suggested that even though the Bible’s Trinity doctrine (that God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are all equally God) can’t be easily or simply explained using parables, we know Scripture says it’s true.

Scene change. It’s Tuesday of this week. I’m taking a brisk post-breakfast walk, and it suddenly starts to rain on me, and this downpour is also accompanied by BB-size hail. I was getting soaked!

Suddenly I remembered that I was only half a block away from the Trinity tree! I hurried over, ducked under it, and was immediately sheltered from the storm. (Since this proved to be no mere passing shower, I phoned Shelley to come and get me, and she chauffeured me back to our cozy home. And later that day I drove over and took the above photo.)

The Bible teachings about the Trinity are very clear—the divine trio exist not merely as a doctrine to be studied. Each of the Three is deeply involved in sheltering us from the effects of sin. Take a few minutes to study the Bible texts at the following four links to discover what I mean:

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/trinity
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/god
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/jesus-christ
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/holy-spirit

Feather Pen

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, March 15, 2024

Late last month I stopped at a thrift store and took a swing through the office supply section. I stopped at the display you see above. I’d never seen anything like this at a thrift store before.

As you can see, this is a quill pen, made with a beautiful white feather. Actually, it’s a hybrid pen—the feather provides the nostalgia, but the pen point is metal. There’s even a little bottle of ink into which to dip the point.

To me, what’s poignant isn’t the pen and its paraphernalia, but the inscription on the box lid. Do you see the white box to the right of the word “Out”? I added that box to cover up a name and a pair of initials. Because that’s not a period after “Out,” but a comma. This inscription wasn’t mass-produced, but individually ordered by the giver of the pen. There’s a name, and then a pair of initials. The name is the pen’s recipient, and the initials belong to the giver.

There’s another piece of poignancy too. The pen is pristine, and may never have been used. And this set is no longer a treasured keepsake from an admirer, but a $2.99 item in a thrift shop.

Who knows what happened? Maybe the “favorite writer” uses not pens but keyboards to craft poetry or prose. Maybe the admiration wasn’t two-way. Or the recipient may be no longer alive.

Whatever the case, writing is important. God thinks so. “In the beginning,” John 1 begins, “was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Verse 14 of the same chapter tells us who the Word is: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Words are important. Jesus thinks so: “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37 NIJV) So however we create words, whether by speaking or writing, it’s serious business. Check out more Bible truth about words, at the link below:

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/words

Late Snow

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, March 14, 2024

This picture was taken almost two weeks ago near Castle Rock, Washington. For a few hours it looked like a lot of snow. I didn’t feel like going outside to check the temperature, so I used the zoom feature on my phone to grab a picture of a thermometer hanging on a garage. That picture is added as an insert. It reads about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. It is hard to see but the thermometer has a high temperature indicator at about 100 degrees that must have been set last summer.

This got me to thinking about what temperature really indicates. We know what temperature feels like, but it is a little hard to actually define. If you don’t feel like geeking out, you can skip the next two paragraphs. With a web search I found a general description that temperature is a measurement of the kinetic energy in the air molecules as they move around. Evidently as they bump into things the molecules impart a little of their kinetic energy to the things they bump into like our skin. Meanwhile our skin has kinetic energy that gets transferred to the air molecules. If our skin has the same kinetic energy as the air, the energy transfer both directions is the same, and we don’t feel much. However, if there is net energy transfer, we feel warming or cooling effects.

Not only is energy transferred by bumping, but by electromagnetic radiation as infrared waves. What if there were no air around us? Our skin would rapidly lose energy as it emits electromagnetic waves, and it would feel freezing. Our skin depends on constant heat input from our surroundings.

It got me to thinking about when people interact with each other. If we were left completely alone with no other people, we would have a hard time surviving. Or if someone only took things from others and never gave, they would seem awfully cold. We might not realize how random people operate at various jobs and services that we depend on. As a society we depend on the people around us to keep living.

Let’s recognize our dependence on other people as we share our love and abilities every day.

Diversity

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Nowadays, we hear a lot about the word “diversity.” It’s usually in the context of companies or teams lacking in diversity, pointing out the fact that there are plenty of places (in life or in business) whose people lack significant differences and instead look relatively the same.

In my profession (talent acquisition) I spend a lot of time making sure hiring teams are looking at a diverse set of backgrounds and thinking, to ensure those teams are able to perform at the highest level possible. That’s because a high level of work is only possible when team members are able to bring different ways of thinking and different thoughts on how to tackle challenges or build products. It doesn’t work when everyone looks, acts, thinks and ARE exactly the same.

What about the family of God? Do we all look the same? Do we come from the exact same background? Do we think the same? No. (actually the answer is No for all of these questions). Why is that? The simple answer is, God made us that way. He made us in His likeness, but also different enough to complement each other.

Galatians 3:25-28

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

How about that for diversity? Neither Jew nor Greek. Neither slave nor free. Neither male nor female. We are all ONE in Christ.

What if the world thought this same way? For starters, the world would be a much better place. When we welcome diversity, around us, we welcome people. We welcome different thoughts. We welcome an opportunity to grow and learn. I am so thankful God welcomes ALL; this way I can be included in His family and so can many others. Amen!

This image was taken at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. In the lobby, there is an amazing display of incredibly crafted blown glass pieces. The art was created by Pacific Northwest artist Dale Chihuly. I love the display for its vibrant and diverse colors — like a gorgeous rainbow of light. It’s a must-see, if you are ever in the area.

Montezuma Oropendola II

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, March 12, 2024

When comparing lifestyles seen in nature to those carried out by man, there is enough variation so that almost any parallel one is looking for can be found. Those who believe the world should be run by women might look to the Montezuma Oropendola for support. Validation for this idea stems from the fact that it is the female who devotes herself to nest-building and the raising of the young. In contrast, the males fight with each other, seeking to become the dominant male in the colony. They operate under a female-defense mating system where the dominant male pushes out all the competing males until he is the only one left. This is similar to that used by polygynous mammals, but is unusual among birds. The position of alpha male is determined by which one can sing the loudest and produce the lowest tones. He displays these virtues with much bowing to impress the on-looking females. This works out fine for the winner, but as soon as he leaves to feed elsewhere, the other males will return to advertise their assets.

In contrast, the females are much too busy building their elaborate nests to have much time to devote to promenading. The nests themselves are long, hanging basket-like constructions, three feet or more in length, and built out of woven fibers and vines. In a colony there are frequently 30 nests, but one exhausted male ruled over 172! They are placed high in a tree which is separated from other nearby trees. Lest one get the idea that the females are devout pacifists, when a Giant Cowbird, a parasitic species, comes near their own nest, they will attack it and force it to leave the colony.

One last comparison should complete the analogy. The males are twice as large as the females with a 2:1 body mass ratio. This makes them one of the most sexually-dimorphic birds in the world. Some have compared their gurgling song to that of liquid being poured from a bottle. I almost hate to imagine the human picture you may have visualized of Buba on the couch with a bottle of Bud. Fortunately for us, none of us are forced into completing the analogy. We are free to make choices which reflect what we truly value. That’s a primary difference between mankind, created in the image of God, and those creatures whose behavior is instinctive.

Blog Archives

Moon Snail

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Cheryl Boardman Monday, March 18, 2024 I saw this moon snail at Point Robinson Park on Maury Island several years ago. I had a great day looking at all of the intertidal critters as well as the bird life around there! There were even some...

Passing

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Shelley Schurch Sunday, March 17, 2024 I saw this shop window sign in passing – in swiftly passing, so I wasn’t even sure I’d read it correctly but had no time to look back to check. I was on a mission. We had to find my husband’s keys....

Trinity Rescue

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch Sabbath, March 16, 2024 Almost two years ago I posted a Daily Photo Parable blog called “Trinity Tree.” I included a photo of the tree you see above, and I pointed out how the single trunk has split into three smaller ones....

Feather Pen

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch Friday, March 15, 2024 Late last month I stopped at a thrift store and took a swing through the office supply section. I stopped at the display you see above. I’d never seen anything like this at a thrift store before. As...

Late Snow

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Russell Jurgensen Thursday, March 14, 2024 This picture was taken almost two weeks ago near Castle Rock, Washington. For a few hours it looked like a lot of snow. I didn't feel like going outside to check the temperature, so I used the...

Diversity

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Darren Milam Wednesday, March 13, 2024 Nowadays, we hear a lot about the word “diversity.” It's usually in the context of companies or teams lacking in diversity, pointing out the fact that there are plenty of places (in life or in...

Montezuma Oropendola II

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson Tuesday, March 12, 2024 When comparing lifestyles seen in nature to those carried out by man, there is enough variation so that almost any parallel one is looking for can be found. Those who believe the world should be run...

He Paid the Price

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Cheryl Boardman Monday, March 11, 2024 I saw this sheep in a pen at Kelsey Creek Park several years ago. It was pretty safe in this pen and not likely to get out and wander off. I have heard about sheep in Australia who have wandered off...

Flower Growth

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch Sabbath and Sunday, March 9 and 10, 2024 A couple of days ago I paused in front of a gardening store to snap this perfect little parable. Jesus used both seeds and maturing plants as subjects for His own parables. In...

Easy Washer

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch Friday, March 9, 2024 Earlier this week beside an antique store I noticed this rusty little tub—and the proud statement on a little metal tag near the bottom: “Easy Washer.” I should have taken the photo from a different...