Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, April 19, 2024

This past Thursday was a blue-sky day, with lots of clouds. As Shelley and I took our walk, I did something I hadn’t done in literally decades—I tried to find recognizable images in the clouds.

This one leaped out at me. Do you see the eager dinosaur, chin being brushed by the treetop, pursuing a little white cloud-morsel, maybe a bird, who’s backing away in alarm? Have you spotted this priordial predation?

But do you also pause to wonder at what kind of mind I have? After all, this dinosaur (if that’s what it is) is wearing a smile. Maybe he’s cheerfully chasing a ball, or a leaf. Or maybe he’s simply sharing a belly-laugh joke with a passing bird.

The sad thing about my noggin, and probably a whole lot of other sin-cynicized earthly noggins, is that it has a propensity to evil, a tendency to see the worst rather than the best.

But there was no predation in Eden, right? Genesis 1:29-30 says that both humans and animals were vegetarians. There may have been good-humored rough-and-tumble among the creatures, but also a sense of absolute safety and love.

And there’s good news about Eden restored. Because God will indeed give us Eden again:

“For behold, [He says] I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; For behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, And her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, And joy in My people; The voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, Nor the voice of crying. Isaiah 65:17 – 19 NKJV

And there, the creatures will be at peace as well:

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall lie down together; And the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:6 – 9

For more Bible facts about heaven, click the link below:
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/heaven

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, April 18, 2024

To get this image of camellia flowers the camera had to face nearly straight up. At this time in April, we are already getting a lot of flowers. Judging by the buds on other plants, a lot more flowers are on the way.

Thinking about looking straight up, I found these Bible verses.

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”

But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:14-16

It is kind of amazing that people get so engrossed in chasing some thing or another like money or pleasure that they no longer understand or appreciate the good things that Jesus values for us. Yet it is even more amazing that in the face of worldliness, other people still value the things that come from God. They value things like humbleness, generosity, and mercy among many others.

Should those people who follow the mind of Christ feel like they are missing out if they don’t put money as more important than people? Some would say yes, but fortunately their opinion is not as important as the opinions we get when we look up and keep our eyes on Jesus, which leads to true happiness.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Our family received some news of a friend passing away last week. It’s not the news you ever want to hear. We also know, unfortunately, that is part of living in a sinful world. Of course, dwelling on the bad is not where we should be focusing our attention, but grief is part of life.

The good news is that Jesus knew what the disciples (and all of us who have followed) would go through. As departed this planet to return to His rightful home, He made sure we were taken care of. He prepared them and He prepared us the same way.

But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’ If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. (John 14:26-28)

How about that! Not only does Jesus give us the Peace we need, but God also sends the Holy Spirit to remind us we have Peace. Do not be troubled, do not be afraid. These words are a true comfort in troubling times. Thank you, God!

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, April 16, 2024

It’s not a particularly elegant bird, patterned in shades of gray and white, but that doesn’t keep it from being a favorite of those who enjoy the company of birds. Perhaps that’s because of its willingness to spend time in close proximity to humans. For Eastern Phoebes have largely forsaken cliffs and banks as their preferred nesting locations and instead adopted manmade structures as the place to build their nests. Besides that, they winter farther north than most other flycatchers and are among the earliest of the migrants to return in spring. It’s almost like they are eager to return to our company. Of course, our friends in Central America would need to construct another account to explain their migration patterns that would match their thinking.

The Eastern Phoebe is a good example of a species which got its name from what we humans imagined its call to sound like. In truth, its call does come the closest of the three phoebe species found in North America to actually matching its name. And unlike most songbirds, this is not a learned song which they must hear in order to reproduce it themselves. Even young raised in isolation, without the benefit of hearing the song repeated, are able to render it perfectly.

Likewise, Solomon noted how God has placed within us a longing for closeness, an understanding of Him, that we didn’t have to learn in a class at church or school. He just made this an intrinsic part of us: “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV)

In 1967, Chaim Potok’s novel The Chosen described the “burden” and “privilege” of being Jewish in America. As Christians, we too share in both responsibility and blessing of our choice to be a follower of Christ. And that makes us special.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, April 15, 2024

Do you remember learning the Ten Commandments as a kid (if you grew up in church)? “You shall not steal” is pretty straightforward! If something is not yours and nobody gave you permission to use it or borrow it, taking it is stealing!

You shall not steal. Exodus 20:15 (NKJV)

If this photo doesn’t seem to be very clear, it’s because I took it from a dock and this bike was underwater! I had to do some editing to even get it show up this well. I don’t know why it would have wound up in salt water, no less, off of a town dock in the San Juan Islands, but I can’t think of any good reason other than it was stolen. I would hope the owner wouldn’t have treated it this way. Was it for revenge or just pure mischief? I guess we’ll never know but whatever the reason, it seems to be quite a waste of what seems like a pretty nice bike and what was probably someone’s main source of getting around on an island where transportation options are limited.

I’m looking forward to a time when there is a new heaven and a new earth and when we won’t have to worry about such things anymore! As John wrote about his last vision:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and there was no sea anymore. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It was prepared like a bride dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Now God’s presence is with people, and he will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying, or pain, because all the old ways are gone.” Revelation 21:1-4 NCV

“Sad, isn’t it,” she called out to us as she strode by, making it more a pronouncement than a question.

I stared after her as she and two companions continued their brisk walk down our neighborhood trail.

Sad? What did this stranger see as sad? And sad enough to call forth her comment?

It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and my husband and I were gazing fondly, as is our wont, at a neighbor’s backyard tree we’ve dubbed The Hummingbird Tree. Other birds frequent it, but we most enjoy the big, raucous blue jays and the tiny, whirring hummingbirds. We had watched both cavort around the tree this day and were quite content.

So why this sad? My husband and I exchanged perplexed glances, and then he ventured a possible answer. “Maybe she was looking at the bareness of the tree . . .”

I considered this. True, the tree had not yet leafed out in lush greenery, but we thought of this as an advantage. It was much easier to spot the small birds when they were perched on bare branches.

And yet, the tree we enjoy visiting at least once a day must be what our passer-by called “sad.” “Bleak” must be in the eye of the beholder, as well as beauty.

And yes, this reminds me of Jesus. You, too?

Who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
He grew up before him like a tender shoot,
and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by mankind,
a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.

(Isaiah 53:1-7 NIV)

This prophetic passage about Jesus could be described as sad, but I believe stronger words are in order: desolate, heartbreaking, sacrificial.

As I read through the passage a second time, I decided to pull out single words about Jesus. Then, I realized, I must go on to a second, shorter list – a list about us.

He:
Despised
Rejected
Suffering
Pain
Punished
Stricken
Afflicted
Pierced
Crushed
Wounds
Oppressed
Slaughter
Lamb

We:
Sheep
Transgressions
Iniquities
Peace
Healed

Call it what it is: Love, isn’t it?

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Friday and Sabbath, April 12 and 13, 2024

A few weeks back I decided to chronicle the growth of what’s planted in this front-yard flower garden, whose owners have devoted their entire front yard to floral growth.

What you see above is the original photo, taken March 8:

And here’s my latest photo, taken yesterday, April 11:

Dazzling, right? And there’s more to come in the weeks ahead. Do you see how leaves are now growing on the rosebushes? As the months go along, they will become the “stars” of the ensemble.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colours,
He made their tiny wings.
— Cecil Frances Anderson, from Hymns for Little Children, 1848