Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, November 15, 2023

Here in the Pacific Northwest, when we enter the Fall months of year, the temperatures typically have started to drop. If you have a chance to venture out in the morning, just as the sun rises over the hills, you can see a sight like this. A collection of dew drops have adhered to this spiders’ web. I believe we can agree it makes for an interesting image, where the beams of sunshine light up hundreds beads of dew clinging to this silken design. Above and beyond the artistic beauty, this image is also a great reminder of a promise. A promise by God to a certain group of people.

Exodus 16:13-15 (NKJV)
So it was that quail came up at evening and covered the camp, and in the morning the dew lay all around the camp. And when the layer of dew lifted, there, on the surface of the wilderness, was a small round substance, as fine as frost on the ground. So, when the children of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “This is the bread which the Lord has given you to eat.

God promised protection and guidance for the Israelites as they came out of slavery in Egypt. Throughout this journey, they weren’t always on their best behavior, given the number of times they complained and or turned away from God in defiance. Nevertheless, God stood by them. He had made a covenant, a promise, that He would always care for them. In this instance, as they complained of not having enough food, God stepped in and gave them exactly what they needed — sustenance. Some of it was protein in the form of birds, and another was dew that turned to manna, or a form of bread. This was yet another incredible miracle and demonstration of God’s love to His people.

This was a perfectly planned design, just like the design we see in the spiders’ web. God has His hands in it all – creation’s design (down to the dew drops on the intricate web), as well as our wellbeing. Thank you, God, for the provisions we receive each and every day!

Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, November 14, 2023

If you were informed the two pictures shown here are of the same species, taken during the same time of year, you might rightly conclude that one is a male and the other a female; and this would be a correct conclusion. The more brightly colored male gives the species its name, the Chestnut-collared Longspur, while the female’s more subdued coloration might facilitate her ability to hide from predators while nesting. The name Longspur is a reference to the long hind toe or hallux, a characteristic not uncommon to a number of birds nesting in the grasslands of North America.

To many observers of our world’s ecosystems, it seems its inhabitants are in a constant struggle or tug-of-war. What benefits one species is detrimental to another. This can be illustrated with the life of the longspur. Traditionally it nested in areas grazed by bison or disturbed by prairie fires. Even today it tends to avoid nesting in areas where grazing is prohibited, preferring areas like airstrips which are mowed to grassland and left undisturbed. There are other organisms which flourish in the exact opposite conditions leaving the ecologist in a bind, trying to determine which species is most deserving of special consideration. And this unresolvable predicament is sometimes experienced by those who truly seek to follow the Lord and His ways.

For even the most optimistic, the condition of the earth seems in jeopardy. The really good news is that there are some things that can be answered with an absolute YES! Isaiah places these two realities in contrast: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail.” (Isaiah 51:6 NIV)

Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, November 13, 2023

This photo is of the West Point Lighthouse in Discovery Park (near Queen Anne) in Seattle. It was established in 1881.

I like lighthouses. I’ve been to some really impressive ones on the west coast of the US but I haven’t really seen them at night (or at least paid attention to which shore lights are coming from a lighthouse when I’m approaching the shore on a ferry or plane). If you’re navigating out on the water, they can be very useful as well as beautiful!

I like these Bible verses that talk about God’s people being salt and light to the world:

“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16 (MSG)

Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath and Sunday, November 11 and 12, 2023

Once a year in this blog, I try to include a photo of the fantastic fall foliage on our church property. This is the view you see right now if you’re standing at our main foyer entrance looking north toward the parking lot.

As you can see by the orange leaves which have already shed themselves at the right edge of the photo, this blaze of beauty won’t last long. Some of the trees on our campus are evergreen and will hold their color all winter. But trees whose leaves do fall will then provide us with a view of the remarkable branch-skeletons which show their incessant reaching for life.

Now that the seasons are changing, don’t forget to feast on this transformation, and to remember the God who created this beauty. Click the link below for several Bible reminders of the Creation.

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

Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, November 10, 2023

Just a few feet from our driveway is this cryptic spray-painted message. Actually, in my personal experience, 97% of all such street-sprays, including the yellow one a few feet beyond, are cryptic. I’m assuming—and hoping—that the green one squarely on top of the manhole cover relates either to sewer or water.

Anyway, the “Ifs” message seems to be not only cryptic but doubt-ridden, as though there are too many unknowns (“ifs”) to be absolutely sure of what’s under the pavement at that point.

Obviously, there’s a true meaning to the “Ifs” symbol, even though I may never know what it is. But one thing I’m sure of is that doubt and uncertainty can lead to the feeling that truth cannot be known. But my Bible assures me otherwise. Take a moment to click on each of the three links below. They will guide you to Scriptures which will help anchor your thinking.

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

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

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

Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, November 9, 2023

Saint Mary Falls at Glacier National Park is about a mile walk from the road. The water looks refreshing. For this blog I searched for “refreshing” and found these verses.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
refreshing the soul.
The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
giving joy to the heart.
Psalm 19:7,8

It made me think about how we are drawn to various things that may be exciting but not refreshing. We might wonder what law and what statutes this verse is talking about. I think it essentially means to love others like would love ourselves.

When we find it hard to love others, we might try putting ourselves in their places. From that perspective of the other person, we can ask ourselves, “If I was doing some crazy thing like this, how would I want others to treat me?” We would want others to treat us honestly, patiently, sometimes firmly, but with mercy.

As we study “the precepts of the Lord” we can see how refreshing they really are.

Photo and Commentary ©2023 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, November 8, 2023

A few years back, I had the privilege to journey on a Canada and New England cruise, where the ports of call included Halifax, Nova Scotia. Along with the history of the city and surrounding area, we were able to take in the sights of a beautiful city garden. As you can see, the Fall colors reflecting on the pond make a great view. Actually, the colors of the leaves aren’t as vibrant as they most likely were a few weeks prior. Our tour was to close to the end of the season to see all the Fall foliage at its peak. That said, I wasn’t complaining too much, as these colors were still very impressive.

When I recalled this location and image as I was preparing for this photo parable entry, it reminded me a bit of our lives. Not to get too deep into the whole process of foliage lifecycle, but we know (typically) green means a healthy oxygen rich plant/leaf. As the seasons change, temperature and length of daylight play a role in the color changes to these leaves. Just like these leaves, longing for life from light, we too long for life from THE LIGHT. We need that direct view and connection to our Creator. When we have it, we are “green” and full of life. When we don’t, things start to change, and not in a good way.

Now, I realize I am comparing being disconnected to God, and these beautiful, colorful, vibrant leaves (in this case, reflecting off the water). Why would I use that as a comparison? I’ll tell you. It’s true, when we are directly connected to the Son Light, we do feel healthier, and others can tell there is a difference. In contrast, when we slip and fall, and aren’t as connected as we’d like, God still is there for us. He is always there to share the positive, even during a negative time. The colors of the leaves may mean the process in which they will ultimately fall to the ground is underway, but still there is beauty in that process. The reason there is beauty in that process is because God is in complete control of all.

From the very beginning, it is recorded God created the light by saying, “Let there be light … .He saw the light was good…”. God is our LIGHT. It’s clear, we are far better off, seeking Him every day (multiple times). Even when we aren’t actively searching for Him, God is looking for the goodness in each one of us. He continually focuses on the positive colorful and vibrant parts of us. Just like those leaves, they may have a short lifespan on this planet, but they can still bring beauty and joy to others. The great news, the life we live on Earth, is miniscule to the life we will live in Heaven with our one and true Creator, basking in the “Son Light”!