Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, June 24, 2026

Clouds are interesting, at least to me. They are simple but unique. In simple terms, a cloud is condensed water floating in the sky. Interesting, right? So, when we look up and see the fluffy or (in this case) wispy clouds, we are actually seeing water suspended in the air.

Clearly, clouds are one more creation from God. Not only did He create, but He also designed the way they would form – warm air rising, cools and water vapors form. We can also remember several instances that He used clouds to represent His presence. Think of the children of Israel – a cloud guiding them throughout the dessert. Then when God summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, to speak with him, God covered the area with a cloud – His cloud. When we imagine the second coming, we automatically set the throne of God in a cloud, hovering, waiting for us to join.

Not only does God use the clouds as guidance and covering, but He also uses it to water our planet. Giving life where rain is essential. Only through that gift, life continues. Psalm 147:8 tells that story:

He covers the sky with clouds; 

he supplies the earth with rain
and makes grass grow on the hills.

Just like the clouds in the sky, God is all around us, all the time. What a comforting thought. Thank you, God, for your presence, your protective cover, and your sustenance.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, June 23, 2026

The Wood Warblers of the New World are quite different than the Warblers of the Old World.  For one thing, the vast majority of these small birds are attired in contrasting colors of yellow and black.  One of the notable exceptions would be the Bay-breasted Warbler, a species found nesting in the spruce forests of eastern Canada.  William Bartram referred to it as the “little chocolate-breasted titmouse.”  Turns out he was more descriptive than accurate.  Still, this warbler is distinctive when compared to the others in the family.

That is, until nesting season is over and they morph into what Roger Tory Peterson called just another “confusing fall warbler.”  You can hardly blame Peterson, the champion of bird identification, for his comment, when those characteristics which a few months earlier made identification much easier have all but vanished.

Paul, too, seems to value two qualities which make us distinctive.  Notice how he refers to the church in Macedonia.  “Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor.” (2 Corinthians 8:2 The Message)  He then continues to celebrate that fact that even in these trying conditions the church was more than generous in their giving.  We will all experience springs and falls in our life.  May we be one of those which retain true colors.

Photo ©2011 and Commentary ©2026 by Chuck Davis
Monday, June 22, 2026

My father grew up on the north end of Devils Lake on the outskirts of what is now Lincoln City, Oregon. I remember his stories about the swans the frequented the dock where he learned to swim. I recall him saying, “Beautiful creatures, but not when they are chasing you. They will bite you or beat you with their wings.”  Today’s photo shows a swan in its best mood, gently moving across placid waters. The ripples the swan is creating form the basis for today’s Photo Parable.

The good news of the gospel centers on the Birth, the Life, the Ministry, the Death, and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Ripples flowed from the Wise Men and the Shepherds who witnessed His Birth. Additional ripples formed in those who met Him as a child in the temple. A host of disciples fed on the ripples of His teachings. Somber ripples formed as others saw him on the day He died. Powerful ripples formed at an empty tomb.

Over time, the ripples of the gospel have waxed and waned. At times, the ripples traveled slowly, gently. At other times, the fierce nature of the swan arose. Regardless, the ripples will continue until the whole surface of the pond is affected.

He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation” (Mark 16:15 NIV). The mission continues:  Add a pebble – let your ripples join mine to create waves.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, June 21, 2026

It’s Father’s Day – a big Thank You to each father who reads these words! The older I become, the more I realize how life is all about relationships, and good relationships require a lot from you. I wish I could thank my father one more time for all he did for his family, and especially for me.

But I think he knew he was loved.

It isn’t always easy to know that, especially in the beginning stages of a romantic relationship. That’s where these daisies come in! Did you ever consult a daisy by chanting, “He loves me, he loves me not” as you plucked petals one at a time, holding your breath to see if your last petal coincided with the words, “He loves me,” or, “He loves me not”?

If the answer was not to your liking, and another flower was nearby, you could also try again. In the case of the plentiful daisies in my photo, you could try until you landed on your desired answer. But I don’t think that would be in the spirit of the exercise.

This reminds me of my father. Yes, I’m sure he knew we loved him, and yes, I knew he loved me. However . . .

My father greatly preferred me to get straight A’s and also a perfect attendance record. I remember how he objected to me staying home from school when I was sick, but my registered nurse mother always won that discussion. My favorite memory of those occasions was that partway through the morning my father would always make a brief stop at home. He would give me a bottle of ginger ale and a new jigsaw puzzle to entertain me during the sick day that he had fought against, knowing it would spoil my chance at that perfect attendance record!

One year – I think it was either second or third grade – my teacher gave me a B in Citizenship. She even called me up to her desk to explain why she did that; she said it was because sometimes I would cry in class. Not very often, but I was a shy child, and easily embarrassed. (Looking back on this now, I wonder why she never asked me what was wrong when I cried, instead of just marking me down as a lesser citizen. Sob.)

You can imagine what I wanted to do when I returned to my desk with that report card clutched in my hands, but I held back my tears. When I got home that afternoon, I took the report card and threw it up high on the top shelf of my bedroom wardrobe, so no one could see my shameful citizenship grade.

I knew my father loved me . . . but it seemed he would love me more if I could excel at everything, and didn’t make any mistakes. I tried so hard to measure up, but perfection was elusive.

And yes, this reminds me of my Heavenly Father. I remember the first time I read that there was nothing you could do to make God love you more, and nothing you could do to make Him love you less. I had to stop and think that over. Was this true? Or was this just wishful thinking?

It certainly didn’t seem true of earthly fathers. Behavior mattered. Could my Heavenly Father love me with a different kind of love? Unearned, unquestioned, unconditional?

How does the Bible record read?

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (I John 3:1a NIV)

 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (I John 4:9-10)

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)

Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:26)

I do give thanks to my Heavenly Father, for His great and lavish love. I thank Him, too, for my earthly father. He was not a perfect parent, and I was not a perfect daughter, but our bond of love endures forever.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Maylan Schurch
Friday and Sabbath, June 19 and 20, 2026

 Around the corner just outside our cul-de-sac is a large community park, with a basketball hoop, a tennis (or pickleball) net, and swings and other large kid toys, plus lots and lots of grass.

Passing the park is the first part of Shelley’s and my daily walk, and it’s always interesting to see who’s there. There might be moms and kids, or teens shooting hoops, or a couple of sweaty pickleball zealots.

But maybe the most dependable park patrons are the robins. The earlier in the day it is, the early-bird-worm-getters are out in force, sometimes five to ten birds. Robins aren’t very shy, and they are seldom spooked if humans come close to where they’re pecking the grass.

But I’ve always noticed that whenever they’re not pecking, they’re standing at attention, keeping alert. I’m no ornithologist, so don’t know how true it is that this upright stance means that the bird is listening for worms burrowing beneath the soil. But whatever the reason, they all do it.

Keeping alert, of course, is something that humans need to do, especially those interested in what’s been called the great controversy between Christ and Satan. And the Bible has much to say about this vigilance. Here are several links to passages which remind us to keep watch.

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

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

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

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

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

 Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, June 18, 2026

 It turns out that 3D printers are great for doing activities with kids. My four-year-old granddaughter scanned through a list of models that could be printed. Her discerning eye passed over the dinosaurs, dragons, and plastic swords to find this model of Hei Hei the chicken from the Moana movie.

I was concerned it was a little too complicated for a 3D printer, but she confidently stated it was okay, and it would print fine. So after downloading the model and adjusting a few options in the printer software, this first image shows what came out of the printer.

At first glance it looks like maybe some kind of tree is choking the poor chicken, and the tail and feet don’t look natural at all. Those odd features turn out to be supports the printer software adds to hold up parts of the chicken while it is printed.

With the help of a small pliers, the supporting pieces are pulled off to reveal the actual chicken in the second image. You can see the discarded pile of supports.

Finally, in the third photo, the chicken is starting to receive some color, but it is not complete yet.

This process of 3D printing makes me think about our lives when we struggle with habits and focus too much on ourselves when thinking about our spirituality. That is like the first photo.

Then when we learn that God freely forgives us and the most important thing God wants from us is to love others, we start to shed those restraining ideas like in the second photo.

As we learn what God’s plan of love is all about, we start to see the real color in our lives. But because we still have a lot to learn, and our environment may not be fully loving, we are never quite finished. The thing that matters is the process of heading in that direction.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, June 17, 2026

These images are unique and need a bit of explanation.

A week ago, a crow left this chicken bone in our water feature in our garden. At first glance, it felt very intentional, almost like an offering or gift. Naturally, I wanted to return the favor and added a couple of shiny objects (aluminum foil) where the crow could retrieve them. A returned gesture, a shared understanding.

The crow didn’t return to take the gift.

What if I was wrong? I didn’t know for certain that the crow left the bone for me, as a reward. What if instead the crow just didn’t want it anymore and left it like trash?

In fact, there was no specific signal. There was confirmation or relationship built around continual exchanges. Maybe it was just a picked-over chicken bone in my water feature. I was the one that created the story. I made the decision of its meaning.

Proverbs 3:5:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Have you ever had a moment when something showed up in your life — an opportunity, a conversation, a setback — and you immediately labeled it as a sign, a blessing, or God clearly telling you something? I’ll be the first to admit, I know I have.

Don’t get me wrong, there are times God does want to tell us something, He does provide opportunities and there will be setbacks that will allow us to move forward, in the correct direction. How do we know which is a gift and which is life just happening? The easiest answer is — our relationship with Jesus.

In my scenario with my mystery crow, what if I had been out in the garden, watching the crow swoop down and leave the gift – cawing – with their excitement to interact and “communicate” with me. What if I had taken the time to fully understand their intention?

It’s no different than our relationship with Jesus. Pausing, to interact, to listen and to fully understand.  The truth would be revealed — I wouldn’t need to guess or create my own story. No, it would be clear. The opportunity, the setback, the message — I would know what and how I should approach the gift that was presented to me.

I encourage you to pray for wisdom and patience, and “….lean not on your own understanding.” Amen.