Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, December 14, 2024

These days, the conventional wisdom is that shopping malls are on the way out. The large “anchor stores” such as Sears and JC Penney, which often were located at one end of the mall or the other, are starting to shrivel. This past Thursday I drove past such a mall, which formerly contained several stores, big and small. Everything’s been torn down, and all that’s left is a wide flat-scraped surface several blocks square.

But there are exceptions to this mall-demise, and the sign you see in the photo is one of the success stories. Crossroads Mall is located a little over a mile east of the church I pastor, and every time I’ve been there it’s a throbbing hub of activity.

Several reasons: For one thing, there are several gigantic apartment complexes just across the street. Also, the mall contains a popular food court with restaurants of many ethnicities. A large grocery store is part of the mix, as well as a Joann Fabrics and a Michaels. There’s a HalfPrice Books and a Barnes and Noble within a hundred feet of each other.

But I believe that the main reason it’s thriving is what the above sign says. Its designers wanted to express their gratitude that you’ve spent time there, and that’s nice. But it’s the other meaning of “visiting” that is the true reason this mall isn’t going anywhere. Chairs and tables offer lots of opportunities for conversation. A chess set whose pieces are two and a half feet high draw players and kibitzers daily. Everywhere, people are relaxing, talking, settling down in the branch of the local library, getting their hair or nails done. Clubs and organizations, and groups of card-players, meet around the tables.

The quaint, King-Jamesy term for this is “fellowship.” I like to believe that my own congregation, while maybe not drawing quite the hordes of happy folks that Crossroads does, is a place where people can come and feel loved and supported by the Holy Spirit who is smiling and chuckling and listening and visiting through our members’ hearts.

Check out what the Bible says about these groups which Jesus founded:

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

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, December 13, 2024

Back in early November I walked past this truck and noticed that its owner had affixed a few Christmas lights to it. Combined with the two stalwart American flags mounted in the truck box, the effect was festive and patriotic.

Exactly one month later, to the day, I strolled past the truck again. This time, here’s what I saw:

Same truck. The flags are gone, shouldered aside by a Christmas tree in the box, and a snowman perches on the right edge of the windshield. But what’s most disconcerting to me are all those Christmas lights attached to every surface of the truck except the windows. And to notch up the disconcertation (disconcertingness?), those lights are attached with squares painstakingly scissored out of duct tape! Even my casual acquaintance with duct tape has taught me that (1) duct tape sticks, and (2) duct tape, when removed, might carry with it more of the surface than one may have suspected.

A major wild regret of this holiday season will be if I never get a chance to see this zealous, fully illuminated vehicle parading through the neighborhood.

Is zeal good or bad? The answer – the same answer which applies to many other such questions – is, “It depends.” The Bible says a surprising number of very sensible things about zeal and how to apply it, at the link just below.

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

Photo and Commentary (c)2024 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, December 12, 2024

Normally I wouldn’t associate a tire store with feelings, but oddly there is something about a store like this. That thing is the tire smell. We all know what a tire store smell is like. The moment you walk in the door, the thick odor of tire rubber assails your senses, and you might even wonder if it is safe to breathe.

I’m guessing most people don’t like the smell of tires, but some people love it. I kind of fall in the middle. Something I noticed was the feelings I felt and the memories the smell brought to mind. A few of the feelings were freedom and safety. Tires give us the ability to get around quickly. A good set of tires that are not balding and have been balanced offer reliability and a sense of safety.

It makes me think of the feelings I have when reading the Bible. There are some rough stories in the Bible. It seems like if no bad things happened, the Bible would not have been written. But woven throughout the Bible is hope, love, freedom, and safety. It is interesting to look for the love when reading the stories to see how God works through difficult things.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, December 11, 2024

At the end of the day, literally all around the world, the sun sets. It dips behind hills, over water, and beyond the horizon. After the light fades away, we hold the belief that it will rise the following morning. This belief stems from the experiences of previous day and the many before that. For the most part, we don’t even think about this process.

In fact, there are thousands of processes we don’t give a second thought to. Why is that? Since so many things happen “automatically” we tend to take them for granted. Hopefully, we don’t take too much for granted, as we believers know that things don’t just happen by chance. They are planned, calculated, and controlled. We know there is One overseeing all things.

All things are possible, not by our own doing, but by the hand of God. You can read about this very topic in each of the gospels. Let’s hear what Mark recorded:

Mark 10:27

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

The context of this verse is based on the discussion of what it takes to enter the kingdom of heaven. However, this verse also applies to any situation, any scenario – all things are possible with God! What a great reminder – it has nothing to do with us and everything to do with our Father.

The sun sets, and the sun rises, without us even thinking about it. Take a moment to consider all the other things that happen throughout the day – I believe you will find the list is endless. The list is endless and so is the love of our Creator. What an awesome and powerful God we serve.

This particular beautiful sunset was seen from the island of Denarau, Fiji.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Should you ask the average person on the street what two colors they associate with hummingbirds, I suspect the overwhelming response would be red and green, even if it wasn’t around Christmas time. But hummingbirds come in a variety of colors. Besides having predominantly green bodies they also sport varying shades of purple, crimson, rose, blue, turquoise, rufous, violet, black, white, and even sparrow-like brown. While perhaps not as gaudy as some of its flashier relatives, the Brown Violet-ear adds to the fauna reaching from Guatemala, south to Bolivia. There, it breeds in the mountains at middle elevations, descending seasonally to the lowlands.

There are several hummingbirds known as violet-ears. The name being derived from the patch of violet they all share in back of the eye. This covers, or is below the ear, hence its name. These feathers are extended outward by the male during courtship flights. Both the male and the female are largely brown with rufous on the rump and a blue/green throat patch. Its large size and short, straight beak should complete the identification.

While the Brown Violet-ear, or hummingbirds in general, are unlikely to serve as mascots of the National Organization for Women (NOW), the females do display qualities idealized in Proverbs 31, which describes a wife of noble character. Female hummingbirds are solely responsible for selecting the location and the building of the nest. She alone is responsible for the incubation of the eggs and raising of the chicks. To provide food for the young, she may engage in licking up nectar 13 times per second, plus, capturing up to 2,000 insects a day. Certainly, she models the industrious behavior described in this chapter in Proverbs. It’s no wonder she is described there as being worth far more than jewels.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, December 9, 2024

I’m sure we all have our favorite seasons. Winter is not one of mine but the natural works of art that appear can be amazing.

This photo was taken a number of years ago in Lake Country in British Columbia. The icicles formed in vegetation at the edge of a lake. I think initially, they were probably from waves going over the branches until the shallow water below froze over and the waves couldn’t reach the shore anymore.

God definitely has a way of reaching people through nature!

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
he does great things beyond our understanding.
He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
So that everyone he has made may know his work,
he stops all people from their labor.
The animals take cover;
they remain in their dens.
The tempest comes out from its chamber,
the cold from the driving winds.
The breath of God produces ice,
and the broad waters become frozen.
He loads the clouds with moisture;
he scatters his lightning through them.
At his direction they swirl around
over the face of the whole earth
to do whatever he commands them.
Job 37:5-12 (The Message)

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, December 8, 2024

The Grinch is having a moment.

I first noticed this several weeks ago while walking through a large craft and fabric store. Glancing down a long aisle I was surprised to see it was filled top to bottom on both sides with an amazing variety of Grinch merch.

That was only the beginning. I’m no longer surprised to see the Grinch greet me when I enter a store; he’s everywhere.

I first saw him in 1957, in a book entitled How the Grinch Stole Christmas, written by Dr. Seuss. Since then he’s appeared in an animated TV film, a live-action feature film, a musical, and many other adaptations.

For anyone who’s managed to miss out on all of the above, here’s a brief summary of the plot:

The Grinch was a low-down, mean, cranky, sour, hateful joy-killer whose heart was two sizes too small. He was unreasonably annoyed by the happy Christmas celebrations of the residents of nearby Whoville. He decided to literally steal their Christmas.

Dressing up in a Santa suit, he slid down their chimneys, and “slithered and slunk” around their houses, snatching up every gift, tree, decoration, and even the refrigerated ingredients of their Christmas feasts.

Triumphantly absconding with all that he thought was their Christmas, he paused near the top of the mountain overlooking Whoville to hear its citizens wailing over the loss of their Christmas.

To his astonished ears comes, instead, the joyful sound of every Who joining voices together in song.

According to Dr. Seuss, the Grinch puzzled for three hours before coming to this epiphany:

“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store.”
“Maybe Christmas . . . perhaps . . . means a little bit more!”

Suddenly his heart grows three sizes, and he hustles down the mountain to return all the gifts and trees and decorations and food. And joins the celebration.

It’s a heart-warming, heart-expanding happy ending which I thoroughly enjoy.

I also enjoy the irony I see in my photo above: pillows proclaiming “Maybe Christmas he thought doesn’t come from a store” when they are for sale in a large store overflowing with Christmas merchandise!

I haven’t missed the message, though, and I’m glad for the reminder. It settles me down to focus on the true essence of Christmas, to listen for its heartbeat.

And speaking of hearts, we know where to go to get one that’s just the right size; not from a store, but from the open hand of our good and generous God:

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV)

Many years ago when I was teaching school, my first-graders had a word for schoolwork that they discovered with delight was easy. They would loftily proclaim, “This is cinchy!”

In honor of those long-ago students, I offer these words of encouragement:

Don’t be Grinchy; it’s a cinchy:
For a new start, ask God for His heart!

As we move into this brand-new week, and through this Christmas season, may your days be merry and bright because “the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV)