Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Shelley Schurch
Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Can you see it? It’s small. Tiny, even. That’s how I know it’s my cross, not His.

I’ve thought a lot about His cross. I’ve heard about it, read about it, sung about it, and repeatedly thanked Him for enduring it.

I haven’t thought as much about my cross.

Asking myself why, I had a couple of quick answers: 1) I don’t fully understand what my cross is, and 2) I understand enough to not be completely comfortable with having one.

It’s so much easier to praise Jesus for carrying His cross, enduring its shame, all for the love of me. (Although it’s hard to comprehend how He could have counted the cost of His cross and decided I was worth it, that you and I were worth it.)

I needed to shake off my reluctance and understand more about my cross, so I searched the Bible to find all the verses that talk about my cross, not His. I was surprised that there are not that many mentions. I thought there would have been more. I read what Matthew, Mark, and Luke said, in context.

Reading the context was, as always, quite helpful. For instance, in Luke 14 Jesus is recorded as saying:

And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. (verse 27, NKJV)

Who’s He talking to? What prompted Jesus to make such a strong statement?

The passage begins a few verses earlier with these words:

Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them . . . (verse 25)

I think that Jesus sensed the “need to weed.” If there were great multitudes, the chances are that many (most?) of them did not understand what it meant to fully follow Him. He needed to explain, and make it plain.

So he talks about a man intending to build a tower, but first sitting down and calculating its cost, and a king planning to wage war against another king, but first sitting down and considering how his warriors match up against his foe’s warriors.

Jesus then concludes:

So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple. (verse 33)

He seems to urge those in the great multitudes who “went with Him,” and now us, to consider our lives, to calculate the cost of fully following Jesus – not as an observer, but as a disciple.

After studying this passage in Luke, and the handful of other verses that talk about carrying my cross, I hear Jesus saying that it means I have considered my life, and that I count my love for Him as deeper and more important than my love for anyone or anything else.

How could I decide He deserves second, third, or any other place in my personal world, when He risked death on His cross to open the door to eternal life for me?

The cross in my photo above is tiny, however it is no small thing to choose to fully follow Jesus. But any cross I bear is totally eclipsed by the shadow of His cross.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. (Hebrews 12:1-3 NKJV)

So we take heart, take up our crosses, and follow the One who endured all, and invites us to:

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, May 112, 2026

Making comparisons is often relegated to the realm of the unacceptable.  It’s probably placed there with good intent since comparison is often done to demean or belittle another for the purpose of advancing one’s own position.  That’s understandable.  But comparisons are helpful tools if used properly.  Consider the bird feeder with its willing partakers.  In both pictures a male House Finch is present.  That, along with the feeder itself, is the constant given us.  The variables in the two pictures are the two blue colored birds also enjoying the handout.  In real life, it’s safe to assume the House Finch is relatively the same size in both pictures even though the image size may seem to dictate otherwise.

Which brings us to the identification of those two similar looking blue birds.  A superficial look might lead us to assume they are the same, but look again.  One is considerably larger than the House Finch while the other is somewhat smaller.  Don’t let the size of the image confuse you.  Remember, the finch remains the same size.  It doesn’t fly away to some bush and put on another costume to fool the observer; it’s still the same bird.  Knowing this allows us to confirm the smaller blue bird is an Indigo Bunting while the larger one is a Blue Grosbeak.

In a world that is perpetually changing, we need a constant that we can look to for assistance in finding true worth, true value. God’s law, written long ago, provides us with a standard upon which we can depend.  “Keep his decrees and commands, which I am giving you today, so that it may go well with you and your children after you and that you may live long in the land the Lord your God gives you for all time.” (Deuteronomy 4:4)  Notice, Moses places special emphasis upon the permanence of the law; He specifically states that it is “for all time”.  That’s pretty inclusive, inclusive enough to include today for you and me.

Photo ©2011 and Commentary ©2026 by Chuck Davis
Monday, May 11, 2026

It was late evening (8:26pm) on August 13, 2011, and I was on the shoulder of Mt. Adams. Looking south, I captured this image of Mt. Hood, with Mt. Jefferson photobombing in the background. To the west, I was able to see the flattened top of Mt. St. Helens.

Sunset was at 8:18pm that day. Alpenglow is the phenomenon appearing as a reddish glow on mountain summits, generally visible for ten to fifteen minutes after the sun has dropped below the horizon. Although the most vibrant colors appear immediately after sunset, light may linger through the initial stages of twilight as indirect light scatters off particles in the atmosphere.

It was a wonderful place to be while the Sabbath was waning. It felt as if God was providing a few extra minutes of Sabbath Rest. The people in the small-town church where I grew up would probably have chided me for the effort I expended in getting to this place on the Sabbath.

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions. Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:23-28 NIV).

It was more than a Sabbath-Day’s journey, but the view was more filling than a few heads of grain.

Photo ©2026 by Amber Jurgensen
Commentary ©2026 by Russell Jurgensen
Sunday, May 10, 2026

On this Mother’s day, we are celebrating and appreciating mothers in our families, churches, and communities. Mothers play more roles than we realize, and many women who don’t have kids of their own also provide vital roles of a mother.  In this photo a great grandmother (my mother-in-law) sits with her granddaughter as they chat and look out the window at nature.

We might think about the question of what we can do for mothers that is above and beyond what we normally do on other days. A card with thoughtful words is nice and giving her a break from normal chores is a great idea. I have to chuckle though because would a mother want to get some peace and quiet, or would she want to be with her family? Maybe it depends on how overworked she is but here is guessing that being with family is a common choice.

Whatever you do on this Mother’s day, may it be contemplative, and from the heart. To see an example of God’s love reflected in people let’s look at mothers. If mothers love us with the kind of intensity, self-sacrifice, and long suffering that they clearly do, think of how much God loves each one of us. Like mothers, he never gives up, never stops loving, never stops hoping that we will learn and grow and find true happiness.

With utmost respect and love, Happy Mother’s Day!

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Darren Milam
Sabbath, May 9, 2026

Where would we be without our mothers?

Let that question sink in.

I can answer it simply: we wouldn’t be here without our mothers. It’s true. Of course, there are many elements involved in our existence, but our moms played a significant—and irreplaceable—part in the process.

Sunday, at least here in the United States, we pause to honor and reflect on our own mothers, the mothers of our children, and the mother‑figures who have shaped who we are today. To set the stage, I want to focus on the first two—my mom and my wife, the mother of my children.

Why flowers for this photo parable? Easy. Both of these incredible women genuinely enjoy flowers. It’s hard to say whether they would choose the lilac (yes, it’s technically a tree) or the tulips as their favorite—but if I had to guess, they’d likely choose both, and have both in their own gardens.

The flowers of the lilac tree are unique and beautiful, with a fragrance that can stop you in your tracks. The tulips are vibrant, colorful, and wonderfully diverse. Though different in form and expression, both are intentional, meaningful, and a reflection of thoughtful design—much like motherhood itself.

God is the creator of all things, and He allows us not only to see beauty in His creation, but also to reflect on the deeper meaning behind it.

Have you ever stopped to think about how mothers are represented in the Bible? Scripture goes beyond simply acknowledging women as mothers and presents them in a very different light than many other ancient records. I won’t turn this into a history lesson, but a brief observation is worth noting.

Outside the Bible, motherhood was often viewed primarily as a biological duty or a means of producing heirs. In contrast, the Bible portrays motherhood as a spiritual calling—one remembered by name, not merely by function. We see mothers in scripture whose faith and obedience changed history and played a vital role in God’s plan. He chose them to be part of His story.

As Jesus walked the earth, showing us how to love and live, He intentionally included mothers in His ministry and in the gospel accounts. He consistently saw mothers not just as caregivers, but as people of faith—women whose love, loss, courage, and perseverance matter deeply in the Kingdom of God.

In my own life, my mother and my wife embody that kind of selfless love. They have both sacrificed an incredible amount for their children. I saw it as a child, and I continue to see it as an adult—constantly placing the needs of their children above their own. That level of commitment and devotion does not go unnoticed. I love them deeply for it, and God does as well.

So Sunday, as we remember, reflect on, and celebrate the women in our lives, may you know this: God loves you. You are seen. You are valued. You are incredibly special—to God’s family, and to your own.

Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, May 8, 2026

The above neighborhood scene, which I snapped Thursday of this week, causes me great delight. But you probably can’t yet tell why.

The above house is not mine. I don’t know whose it is. The sky is delightful, a temperate combination of cooling clouds, but that’s not the most delightful part. I had to resize the photo to fit it into the recommended size for the blog, so you can’t zoom it in and still see the good part.

So here’s an original-size zoom-in:

See those two black specks, one bigger than the other? That’s why I took the photo. The bigger speck is a bald eagle, doing desperate aerial acrobatics to dodge the smaller speck, which is another bird relentlessly harassing it and trying to drive it away.

Why do the smaller birds do this? I found an informative answer online:

 When you spot Bald Eagles around town, it’s likely that you might watch them being scolded and chased by smaller birds or crows. This is because while eagles predominantly eat fish, amphibians, crabs, and small mammals they are not above snatching up other birds or their young. They also frequently engage in kleptoparasitism, a feeding behavior where they harass other birds until they are forced to drop their catch of fish. So, while eagles are striking and impressive birds, their tendency towards playing the big bully of the bird world makes it understandable that they would be subjected to a fair bit of teasing as well.
From https://birdsconnectsea.org/2026/04/06/large-and-in-charge-bald-eagles-in-washington/

 As I say, when I see this happening, I’m delighted. It reminds me of the “great controversy between Christ and Satan,” the devil’s constant harassment of humanity and especially those who follow Jesus. This battle has been happening for many centuries, and Jesus at one point allowed Himself to become its victim.

But He did so in order to take our sins upon Himself and make it possible for us one day to fly away with Him to His Father’s house, and to eventually watch (here’s the good part) as Satan will be destroyed, never to harass us again.

For a thorough, text-by-text history of the great “bully of the universe,” including his final fate, click this link:

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

Photo ©2026 by Amber Jurgensen
Commentary ©2026 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, May 6, 2026

We were clearing some fallen branches caused by early spring storms when this squirrel came running up to us in cautious stops and starts. At first, we thought it was asking for a handout, although that would be unusual for squirrels in these woods. We talked to it and said sorry we didn’t have any food. It looked us up and down for a moment, since we were standing right beside the tree it was on. Then it put on the gas and zoomed by us, following the same downed tree in the picture. The tree trunk curved up and up about twenty feet into the air where it was hung up on another tree. Some of the trees are very long and thin. The squirrel followed it right up and jumped onto the other tree, and from there ran across a branch onto yet another tree.

We looked at each other in amazement. We had just witnessed a close encounter of a squirrel following its freeway through the trees. This fallen tree was conveniently its onramp. It hadn’t been interested in us; we were just in its path! It even braved getting near people to stay on its desired course.

It reminds me of these well-known verses.

Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.
I have taken an oath and confirmed it,
    that I will follow your righteous laws.

Psalm 119:105-106

When we know the right path to take, we want to cautiously analyze dangers along the way, but we know it will get us to where we want to go.