Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, January 22, 2025

This quarter for our Sabbath School class, we are studying the book of Philippians. I’ve referenced this before, but this past week was a good discussion on Paul’s positive attitude of being incarcerated. I wouldn’t think those two things would necessarily go together – “positive attitude” and “incarcerated.” Yet Paul writes to the church and states, it’s because of what’s happened to him (chained in jail) that has actually served to advance the gospel. What a way of looking at things. Paul’s non-perfect situation has him praising God, as the goal of spreading the Word has increased due to his situation. I don’t know about you, but I wonder if my reaction and attitude would be the same as Paul’s. I certainly hope it would be, but I know it would be because of the Holy Spirit working in me to provide such an optimistic view.

Paul goes on to state that in some cases the preaching of the Gospel is based on stirring things up, to protest what has happened to him. In other cases, Paul acknowledges it’s out of love and goodwill. We pick up in verse 18, Paul’s thoughts on each of the intentions.

Philippians 1: 18 & 19

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance

It’s an interesting comment – “But what does it matter?” Clearly, Paul’s concern was less on the reason, and more on the delivery. He, and the church of Philippi, want the Gospel to be spread far and wide – allowing all to hear the good news. The more mouths sharing the message the better. When I think of that vastness of where God’s word needs to be preached, it can feel daunting. If, instead, I think of this example of a city in modern day Greece, I see these early believers starting local – family, friends, townsfolk. From there, it expands to neighboring islands, towns, and cities. Far and wide – the Gospel was spread.

The image above, to me, represents the vastness of the “far and wide” that the Word needs to reach. Don’t be distracted at the never-ending horizon, but focus on the starting point – right here at home.

To some, it may look like an old Micorosft Windows wallpaper image, but it can be found on your way to the Palouse Falls in eastern Washington.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Some birds are more fun than others. Let me clarify. What I mean by that is observing some birds is more enjoyable than seeing others. The reasons for that are varied, but let me suggest just a few: their scarcity, their flamboyant beauty; their unique behavior, and their physical uniqueness. In my book, the Great Curassow falls into both the first and last categories. The large turkey-like bird of the Neotropical rainforests has been classified as “Vulnerable to extinction”. Today they are rarely found except in protected parks or very remote areas. It is the largest of the Cracids, a family that also includes chachalacas and guans.

It’s unique in two ways: its appearance and its behavior around humans. Both the black male and varicolored female come with pronounced crests which in the male is curly. He also has a yellow beak with a knob at the base that increases in size during the breeding season. Their behavior is not particularly unusual, feeding largely on fruit that has fallen on the ground and nesting and roosting in the trees. But contact with humans has altered their behavior. As a result of overhunting and habitat loss, they have become quite shy except where they have become acclimated to the presence of humans. Take it one step further. When kept in captivity they can become quite aggressive toward their human caretakers and have been known to attack them scratching around the head and targeting the eyes.

When one thinks about Bible references dealing with being unique or special, the text that most likely comes to mind is 1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (NIV) Did you notice what isn’t included as a reason for this specialness? It isn’t appearance or our performance. It was simply because He chose us. Why He chose you or me is something of a mystery, but we should be eternally grateful for being included in this special group.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, January 20, 2025

I saw what was left of this uprooted tree after it fell during a storm. Heavy winds, saturated ground and a shallow root system are probably the main reasons it fell. I read that most trees that are uprooted do not survive being replanted because their root system is irrevocably broken.

Here is some advice from Paul (in a couple of different Bible versions) to the Colossians about being deeply rooted in Jesus:

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2;6-7 (NLT)

My counsel for you is simple and straightforward: Just go ahead with what you’ve been given. You received Christ Jesus, the Master; now live him. You’re deeply rooted in him. You’re well constructed upon him. You know your way around the faith. Now do what you’ve been taught. School’s out; quit studying the subject and start living it! And let your living spill over into thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6-7 (The Message)

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, January 19, 2025

I like baskets. When I see a display of them, my eyes light up and I have to mutter my Cautious Consumer Mantra a few times, “Feel free to admire without needing to acquire.”

There’s something about a well-made basket that makes me smile in appreciation, and sometimes, if I’ve ignored my mantra, in acquisition.

When I think back to baskets of my childhood, I only remember one. Maybe that’s because it outshines any and all other baskets I knew then. It was our picnic basket.

Our family liked to load up that large wooden basket with plates and silverware and cups and ketchup and mustard and all manner of good food and a big thermos. Then we’d load up the car, and head out to one of our southeastern Alaska rocky beaches to build a campfire and prepare to picnic heartily. Whenever I see a basket similar to our beloved picnic transport, I am awash in nostalgia, and immediately hungry for food eaten outdoors, at ocean’s edge.

If you ask me what Biblical baskets come to mind, it might be because of my fondness for those childhood picnics that I first recall the story I heard as a small child, when Jesus fed 5,000 people. I was impressed that he could make a boy’s humble lunch of two loaves of bread and five fish stretch to feed all those people. (I was much older when I realized there were not only 5,000 men, but also women and children, who didn’t make the count.)

I loved the end of this amazing picnic story – there were leftovers! Twelve baskets of leftovers! I enjoy leftovers almost as much as picnics! Those baskets tell me there was enough, and more than enough – very satisfying and reassuring to the anxious child I often was.

I learned another Biblical basket story before I was old enough to read it myself; maybe it was the first story that came to your mind – that of baby Moses floating on the river in a basket his mother had carefully made for him.

It could be such a fearsome story if the teller focused on the death decree that forced his mother to do what she did, and on what might become of a little baby floating alone on a river, abandoned by his parents.

Fortunately, I didn’t hear the story that way. Instead, I heard how a mother’s love constructed that waterproof basket, and sent the baby’s big sister to keep careful watch over him from the riverbank. And then a princess shows up and rescues the baby. All is well if a princess arrives on the scene!

When I scanned my memory for another New Testament basket, I thought of what must have been a very large and sturdy one:

After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. (Acts 9:23-25 NIV)

In the first verse of Acts 9, Saul is “still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples,” and before the end of the chapter he is trying to become one of them, at great risk to his life. I wonder how fast his heart was racing as the men lowered his basket through that wall! I’m sure his angel steadied that basket and made his escape possible.

Saul lived to become Paul, intrepid missionary for the Lord, church planter, author of up to half the books of the New Testament.

Moses lived to lead God’s chosen people out of slavery to the brink of the Promised Land, with 40 years of adventures and misadventures on the way. He authored the first five books of the Old Testament, and perhaps Job and a few of the Psalms.

Their baskets are strong reminders of God’s protection. He is Emmanuel, God With Us.

The baskets of Jesus-blessed bread and fish leftovers speak of God’s provision. He is the God of Enough, and More Than Enough.

Not only for there and then, Saul and Moses and 5,000 plus people, but also for here and now, you and me.

That’s great good news as we step out into this brand-new week: we do not walk alone. It’s always a journey with Jesus.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, January 18, 2025

This past Tuesday on a morning walk, I glanced up at the eastern sky and noticed the sun glimmering through the clouds in a dramatic way. I snapped the photo, and then went to work on it with my photo program’s “exposure” and “contrast” settings, with maybe a couple of others too. The reason I jockeyed with the photo was to show the dramatic effect of the sun breaking through the darkness.

“The Countdown Song” is a Christian children’s song about Jesus return. Lyrics and music are said to have been written by someone named Dorothy Montgomery. Here’s the first verse and chorus:

Somewhere in outer space,
God has prepared a place
For those who trust Him and obey.

Jesus will come again,
And though we don’t know when,
The countdown’s getting lower every day.

Ten and nine, eight and seven,
Six and five and four.
Call upon the Savior while you may
Three and two, coming through
The clouds in bright array.
The countdown’s getting lower every day.

The Bible clearly tells us that the metaphorical skies will indeed be dark just before Jesus returns. But the Savior encourages us to be ready.

To read a full Bible discussion about this pivotal event, click the link just below (and click the sub-links when you get to the site):

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/second-coming-jesus-christ

Photo and Commentary (c)2025 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, January 17, 2025

A few days ago, in a line at a pharmacy drive-through, I pulled to a stop behind this car. Since the pause was a long one, I noticed what was written on the license plate frame (I’ve blocked out the number for privacy).

She who laughs, lasts. Humor is therapeutic, right? “A merry heart does good, like medicine,” says Proverbs 17:22 [NKJV] “But a broken spirit dries the bones.” A few months ago Shelley and I had the joy of visiting a 102-year-old woman in her apartment several times, and we discovered that she could laugh heartily, thoroughly understanding the humorous nuances of many of her memories.

Think back to people you’ve known who’ve lived into their 80s, 90s and beyond. Most likely you’ve discovered that they’ve learned not to take themselves too seriously, and that they can tell many a self-deprecatory story.

Check out the verses at the following link to discover what the Bible says about contentment.

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

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, January 16, 2025

The ferns growing on this small building caught my eye. I wouldn’t want plants growing on my roof. But I have heard of sod roofs where grass grows, so it seems kind of natural that ferns would grow on the roof of a building in a rain forest.

I half expected all the men who visit this area would have those long bushy beards that are becoming popular. But fortunately, I didn’t see any.

It makes me think about our true natural environment. In the Mine Craft game, it is possible to walk or run from one environment to another such as from a sand biome to an ice biome to a mushroom biome. In real life, we can drive from a forest environment to a city environment in a short time.

However, our true environment may be where we can be free to be honest, to relax, to encourage, and to find the good in other people. We can have some of those good things now, even though at times we have to be unnaturally defensive in a troubled world. When we follow God’s guiding from the Bible, we can get a glimpse of a truly natural environment.