Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Monday, February 16, 2026

There are certain inherent dangers in using human behavioral terminology to describe the activities of non-human creatures.  This is especially true if the word is less than precisely defined in the first place.  A great example of this is the word “play”.  What’s the connection between requiring Johnny to practice the piano for half an hour so he can learn to play when he’d rather be outside playing baseball or in his room playing a video game instead?  Or what’s the connection between individuals sitting down to play a game of chess and the Seahawks and 49ers playing for a divisional title?

An example of this is where Crested Guan are described as playfully chasing each other around in circles for a good hour or so, periodically switching roles with the chaser becoming the chasee.  These large gamebirds are believed to be anciently related to the mound builders of Australasia.  An arboreal species, they range from Mexico to the southern parts of Venezuela.  They are social birds which can be quite loud with their high-pitched calls, although it’s not clear to me whether these vocalizations are given when feeling threatened or when playing.  I suppose it could be either.

I like the notion that play should contain a certain amount of randomness; something done simply for the enjoyment it brings.  That, of course, might eliminate piano practice and NFL games, but I still like the idea.  This means when I am asked if I think God ever plays, I can answer with confidence, “Yes.  We call it creation.”  Then again, it does appear like creation required more than a heaping cupful of precision.  Oh well, I guess I should go outside and _______, and leave the creation business to God.

Photo ©2010 and Commentary ©2026 by Chuck Davis
Monday, February 16, 2026

Today’s image was captured near Lincoln City on the Oregon coast. It was just one of a series sea gull images that I captured that day.

Earlier this evening as I contemplated the thought-lesson that I wanted to draw from this photo, I thought of one of my good friends, a former co-worker. Last week he underwent surgery to repair a disc in his back. His recovery has been slow and painful. He is sleeping in a recliner because it is less painful that being in his bed.

I suspect that some who are reading this may also be struggling with pain in their life. I want to share the sentiment that I shared with Jim a few minutes ago. Whatever your circumstance, God is aware, and He is the Master Healer.

“He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart” (Psalm 91:4 NIV). Be open to his presence.

I pray that you sense His healing arms hovering over you.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, February 15, 2026

Some sights just bring an immediate smile, even if I don’t know what’s going on. Such was the case when we walked through a familiar neighborhood cul-de-sac last week and suddenly saw this front door, gift-wrapped in glossy red ribbon.

A For Sale sign had been posted in the front yard for a couple of weeks, and when we walked by in the evenings, the curtains were usually pulled wide open and lights were on, showing minimal, carefully-staged furniture. It looked like a house that had said good-bye to its inhabitants, and was waiting for another family to come make it a home again.

So I not only smiled when I saw this big red bow, I also felt like applauding – this must mean that the house had new owners! The For Sale sign was still out front, but would probably be taken down soon.

However, when we walked by the next day, all the red ribbon was gone, and the For Sale remained. That’s how it still is today. I puzzle over this. Had the ribbon actually been a sign of celebration? If so, was the celebration premature? Or is the house truly sold, and only a few formalities need to be cared for, and then the moving van will arrive?

I will need to wait and see. (Weightier matters occupy my mind, but small surmisings like this lighten the load for me!)

And yes, this makes me think of Jesus.

I think of what is perhaps the best-known “door verse” in Scripture:

Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. (Revelation 3:20 NRSVA)

This is God, entreating. How He must rejoice every time we open the door and welcome Him in, inviting Him to make our home His own! Our heart responds to His great heart, and we give ourselves to the One who gave everything for us.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Maylan Schurch
Friday and Sabbath, February 13 and 14, 2026

Earlier this week on a walk, I spotted this delightful bumper sticker. Notice how “ART” is printed to make it stand out? I don’t know who designed this, or how much they’re in tune with the idea that Earth has a Creator whose works emphatically proclaim Him an artist, but this five-letter announcement is one of the truest bumper-sticker statements I’ve ever seen.

Think of how the news, the national priorities, the podcasts, the libraries, the movies would change if everyone truly accepted the idea of a grand Designer!

And like any good art museum, God has gone to great lengths to give us information about His art and how much He loves it and wants us to care for it. Here are some quotes from His “art catalog,” at the link just below:

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/creation-and-evolution

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, February 12, 2026

It has been fun to go outside this week when it is sunny to listen to bird songs. In winter, the local birds have a lot of cold rainy weather to endure. So when the weather turns nice, they seem to really cut loose with their songs.

Juncos in particular seem to be regulars around here along with Robins. I always marvel at how friendly the Juncos are. They seem to get along with other small birds, and they frequent this bird feeder with a built-in web cam.  The image is fuzzy due to the sun’s rays, but I think it gives the feel of the Junco’s boldness.

That may be a Junco’s superpower. It enters new situations looking for food and cautiously checks things out including people, as long as the people move slowly and show respect for them. So they might have a bit of an advantage for surviving.

This reminds me of the following verses.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5

It seems like ultimately when we love, it makes a lot of things work smoothly that otherwise would fall apart. So maybe we can make love our superpower.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, February 11, 2026

You’ve probably heard the phrase “head in the clouds.” It’s usually used to describe someone who’s unrealistic or a bit disconnected from what’s happening around them.

But in this photo, you can clearly see Mt. Baker—along with smaller surrounding peaks such as Colfax Peak—rising just above the blanket of clouds. I captured the image from a commercial flight, and the view was nothing short of breathtaking.

Unlike “head in the clouds,” the phrase “above the clouds” carries a far more uplifting meaning. It reflects a state of being where the everyday worries of life feel distant, replaced by clarity, peace, and positivity. What a beautiful place to be—above the clouds.

So how do we get there, and stay there? The answer is simple: God’s love.

Psalm 108:4

For great is your love, higher than the heavens,
your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Whether you’re soaring thousands of feet in the air or standing firmly on the ground looking up toward the sky, remember that God’s love stretches far beyond what we can comprehend. It lifts us, centers us, and helps us focus on the goodness we have been given.

Thank you, God, for all You do.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Monday, February 9, 2026

The pages of Scripture have a good deal to say about the unexpected.  This includes both warnings against the dangers of failing to be prepared, and, the joy of unanticipated discovery.  Christ’s parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25) comes to mind as a powerful example of the negative sort as do the words of Solomon found in Ecclesiastes 9:12:  “Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come: As fish are caught in a cruel net or birds are taken in a snare so people are trapped by evil times that fall unexpectedly upon them. (NIV)

Birds provided another reminder of the unexpected, this time from a personal meeting.  We think of the tropics as filled with color, of brightly plumaged parrots dangling from the branches amid flowers of vivid hues.  And that stereotype can certainly be true, but what I didn’t expect was the degree of color added by a North American migrant.  I knew Baltimore Orioles wintered in the area, but what I didn’t expect was their number and to see them in full breeding plumage providing some of the most vibrant colors we encountered.  I also didn’t expect them to be so color selective in terms of the food they eat.  They are drawn to the ripest fruits and will ignore yellow cherries, even if they are ripe, and pass on green grapes, like Thompson Seedless, because they don’t display deep, rich color.

Fortunately for us there is also unexpected good news offered to us as well.  And not surprisingly, that good news centers on the person of Christ.  It’s unexpected, not because we can’t picture Him as the bearer of good news, but because it’s so good, it’s beyond our wildest dreams.  Look how Paul describes this:  “Now to him who by his power within us is able to do far more than we ever dare to ask or imagine—to him be glory in the Church through Jesus Christ for ever and ever, amen!” (Ephesians 3:20 J.B Phillips New Testament)  So, if I understand this passage correctly, we are left with the most pleasant of paradoxes, that we should look forward with great expectations to being wonderfully surprised.