Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, March 27, 2025

In this image of an educational Snap Circuits kit, a small electronic circuit performs the simple function of shining a light bulb.

I think everyone knows that a light bulb can only light up when a complete circuit is formed from the battery, through a switch to the bulb, and finally back to the battery.

Electronics provide us with another interesting property related to current. If you pick any point on a wire on an electric circuit, the sum of currents going into the point and going out of the point all add up to zero. This even works when there are many wires going to the same point.

Oddly in real life, God doesn’t measure all the good things and the bad things a person does to make sure it comes out to zero, or hopefully positive. God looks at the heart. When a person repents and asks for forgiveness, God makes it so a person is totally forgiven.

Our lives can be so complicated we don’t know what is coming or going. But God makes it easy when we truly repent and walk humbly with him.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Over the past few weeks, we’ve experienced a variety of weather – snow, rain, sunshine, temperatures well below freezing – quite the diversity. Over the past 24 hours, it’s been just as interesting, with bouts of hail, lighting, and thunder, as well as torrential downpouring. In fact, the result of that small storm was downed trees and power losses in our local area.

If you have studied the accompanying image, you will see that this is not a pond or a small lake, but instead it is a spot in our backyard. The specific spot may be a tiny bit lower than any other of our yard, but not by much. For reference, this “water oasis” is about 4 feet by 3 feet, and at its lowest point, about 3 inches deep. I would call that an abundance of water. Keep in mind, this accumulated in less than 24 hours.

I certainly know this small puddle in my backyard is not a concern, especially compared to other parts of the world, with real weather concerns. In fact, I can look at this accumulation as a positive, a collection of water for the grass to grow better, or a spot for little birds to take a much-needed bath – it’s all about perspective. To take it one step further, I can reflect on how God gives us, exactly what we need, and in some cases – in abundance. The following verse mentions abundance was promised figuratively (and literally) to the chosen people of Israel.

Deuteronomy 28:12 (NIV):

The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.

What can we learn from this? For starters, we know God is all-powerful. Check. We know He is abundant in His giving – with all we need, including rain. Check. And, most importantly, we serve a loving God. Check. So, the next time I see a collection of water, I won’t be focusing on the water molecules, but instead focusing and reflecting on how good our God is. Amen.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Charles Dickens, writing in Great Expectations, perfectly described a day that fits this season. “It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold; when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.” It’s an annual tug of war between winter and spring with each season doing their best to lengthen their domain. It’s also the month that pussy willows grace our area with the promise of warmer days to come. Late winter and early spring find a variety of willow species showing off their male catkins long before any sign of leaves appear on their bare branches.

Other times of the year these trees are generally known by their ordinary names, but most of us can’t withstand the temptation and call them pussy willows since the soft, gray texture of those catkins is reminiscent of tiny cats or kittens. Soon that gray will be replaced by a golden color of the millions of grains of pollen that will fertilize the small flowers on the female catkins. It’s so predictable you can set your clock by it.

As happened so often, the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and demanded a sign, to which He replied: “You are good at reading the weather signs of the skies—red sky tonight means fair weather tomorrow; red sky in the morning means foul weather all day—but you can’t read the obvious signs of the times!” (Matthew 16:2-3 Living Bible) Hopefully we’re not so blind as they were, able to tell when spring is ready to arrive by the willows, but without a clue as to the spiritual indicators He offers us.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, March 24, 2025

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1/3 of American adults report not getting enough sleep. Lack of sleep can actually contribute to health conditions, cause trouble concentrating and can strain our relationships and general functionality.

We can become tired due to physical exertion and we can also become tired from mental fatigue. Some people have trouble sleeping because they keep thinking about all of the things that need to be done or worry about things that are beyond their control.

I found this bench in a quiet place in a park. There was a terrific view from there but you were out of the way of people passing by. It was a great place to just sit and relax.

I like the fact that a rest day was built into the creation week. It emphasizes the importance of taking a break from our everyday life. Jesus said:

“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Accept my teachings and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your lives.
Matthew 11:28-29 (NCV)

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, March 23, 2025

I paid my modest entrance fee, walked through the doors, and was immediately overwhelmed. I also surprised myself by starting to cry. But it was, as they say, all good.

Only two days before I’d heard a brief mention on the radio about a quilt show at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds in Monroe, Washington. I couldn’t get it out of my mind, so Sunday afternoon found me in the midst of over 400 quilts.

I don’t consider myself a quilter; I did a bit of mild quilting a few decades ago, with considerable help. But I love fabric and color and design – and quite a few quilters.

I thought of my sister who died last June. I knew how she would approach this show. She would begin at the beginning and view every quilt, and read every accompanying description. I thought of my other sister, living across the continent from me, and how I wished she could be by my side this day. I thought of long-time cherished friends and expert quilters Carrol and Marilyn, and how they would have thoroughly enjoyed the show. I thought of my sweet mother-in-law who, after her husband’s death, found comfort in sewing quilt tops for each of her seven grandchildren.

Mourning the absence of family and friends while overwhelmed with the beauty surrounding me, I could understand why tears mingled with my smiles.

For over two hours I walked among the quilts, soaking in their beauty. The tears eventually trickled away, but my smile remained. I felt I was in God’s presence. I felt I was tasting heaven, and it was a feast. So much joy from a bunch of fabric? Why did it seem both happy and holy?

I don’t necessarily understand it all, but I do have a few ideas: I was immersed in a generous display of color, pattern, design, humor, patience, and creativity. Sounds like God to me!

And all the people I met that day were full of smiles and kindness. I talked with a quilt guild member who told me that many of their members were involved in community service projects, such as creating quilts for preemie babies, and people in hospice centers.

After I returned home I explored the guild’s website, quiltersanonymous.org, and discovered that last year members had delivered 793 quilts to premature babies in neonatal intensive care units in five local area hospitals, 241 quilts to nursing home residents, and 82 quilts to Evergreen Hospice patients, along with other charity projects.

Thinking of the time and resources and love invested in these quilt gifts, I sensed the heart at the core of this quilt show. It wasn’t about competition and awards, but sharing and service. One guild member encouraged me to become a member, but I told her I was “not really a quilter.” She said that didn’t matter. I felt welcomed, even though holding no credentials to prove my worth.

I wondered if I should join the guild, just to be part of something so full of heart and beauty. And then it hit me: that’s my picture of church. I’m a happy member of a denomination with churches, schools, hospitals, orphanages, and other institutions around the world. But it’s my joy to live and love locally, in a church that shares and serves, because we love and follow Jesus.

Who knows? Someday I might pick up needle and thread and try quilting again, or join a quilters’ guild – or be content serving in and through a church that tries to reflect the love of our Creator God, Maker of all that is beautiful, good, and true.

Careful to check in advance that it was OK to photograph the quilts, I blissfully took more than 100 photos last Sunday. A bit unsure of the ethics of sharing one of those photos here, I decided to do something even better: the photo you see at the beginning of this post is of a quilt I cherish because my sister made it for me.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, March 22, 2025

Back in mid-January Shelley and I were at a large craft store when I spotted these cases of knobs. From their size, it looks as though they’re designed for cabinet-doors, and they have one purpose – to give a set of approaching fingers something to grip while opening a door or drawer.

Notice – they’re not all one color or one shape. They may indeed be all “one-purpose” knobs – ways to open a cupboard or drawer – but they’re decorative. They’re created for people who have an eye for beauty, and who want to make function pleasurable.

Jesus never told parables describing people as knobs – though He was a carpenter and would naturally have the ability to combine functionality with beauty. But I’m sure He would insist that, while helping people, we show a caring and beautiful spirit.

Check out three Bible passages about caring, at the link below.

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

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, March 21, 2025

A little after 8:30 one morning in late February, I stepped out on our front porch and immediately heard an incredibly loud metallic banging, like someone firing a machine gun.

Since machine guns are probably nonexistent in our neighborhood, I looked around for other sound-sources. I glanced up at the light pole across the street, noticed the bird atop it, and the banging began again. It was the bird – which our Tuesday blogger Robert Howson would probably identify as some kind of flicker – who was making the racket.

The noise was truly impressive. I’d seen flickers before, sometimes sitting atop stop signs and producing nervous, tinny rattles, sometimes industriously thwacking tiny holes in tree trunks, sometimes even disturbing morning sleep by paying similar attention to metal chimneys. But the one in this photo was making a far greater racket.

The reason, of course, is that this bird has a magnificent megaphone. The streetlight is prominently positioned, with nothing around to muffle its sounds in any direction. And its lamp-hood seems perfectly designed to resonate with best effect.

Know what this reminds me of? It reminds me of Jesus’ statement in the Sermon on the Mount about how effective the example of one faithful person can be:

“You are the light of the world,” He insists. “A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14 – 16 NKJV)

The glow of such an unmistakable light (aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t say “You are a flicker hammering on a lamp-hood”?) isn’t hard to miss, especially since it shines in a world flooded with darkness.

To learn more about how effective our spiritual example can be, click the link just below:
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/witnessing