Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, September 24, 2024

It’s easy to see why certain common names are given. Take for example this Elephant Head, shown growing in a subalpine area along a stream. It doesn’t take too much imagination to see Dumbo portrayed among the petals. Other names are harder to justify. This species belongs to the genus Pedicularis, which is in Latin a reference meaning louse. From that we get the common name “lousewort”, a name derived from an ancient belief that when cattle ingested the plant they became infested with lice.

The family name too has a strange connection. Elephant Head belongs to the family we refer to as Broomrape, a reference to a plant that is parasitic on broom. This is accomplished by way of a haustorium, a portion of the root that penetrates the tissue of the host plant to draw nutrients from it as is also the case with mistletoe.

We might be tempted to conclude with names like that, the subjects were doomed. But consider the case of two of Hosea’s children. Playing their parts in a living parable, the daughter was named Lo-Ruhamah meaning “unloved”, followed by a son named Lo-Ammi which means “Not-my-people and I am not your God”. With names like that it might be assumed they were doomed for failure. But fortunately the verse continues and implies the boy’s name was changed to “children of the living God”. (Hosea 1:6-10) That’s good news for us; change is possible, even if you’re thought of as being an elephant head.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, September 23, 2024

It’s that time of year again! I believe the gold colored trees in this picture are western larch trees. I had thought that they were tamaracks but apparently the tamaracks are in the northeast part of the province. The western larch is considered a deciduous conifer so the needles turn yellow before dropping off in the fall. I consider it a privilege to see them because they are this color only for a short time in the year.

The picture was taken from Highway 33 in British Columbia’s southern interior. This is my new favorite road for avoiding traffic and still being able to see amazing scenery: rivers, creeks, valleys, meadows, mountains, flowers (in season) and lots of trees. If I’m lucky, I might even see deer.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
Psalm 32:8 (NLT)

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, September 22, 2024

Do you see the connection between the two photos above? I do, but I have a handful of advantages over you: I was the one who noticed these two sights, enjoyed them, took the photos, mulled over them this past week, and suddenly saw how they’re connected.

They reminded me of something I found in a book long ago, a sentence I underlined and starred. It was this (or a close approximation of this): “Becoming a Christian is a personal decision but not a private one.”

The author continued to describe how we live out our faith in community, not in isolation.

I think this impressed me so much because I realized then how much my childhood church of imperfect but endearing and loving people, plus friends of faith, had shaped my view of God, and the life I wanted to live.

I knew I wanted to always be connected to a community of faith. I wanted to absorb all that offered – people’s friendship, prayers, insights, encouragement, and even food (potlucks!). I wanted to receive from them what God was giving them to share.

And I wanted – and needed – to be a growing giver myself, learning how to best use what God was giving me in order to bless others.

I wanted to worship, together. I thought of the song Jeff Wood wrote in the early ‘70’s on my college campus. It begins like this: “Side by side we stand, awaiting God’s command, worshipping the saving King. Living by His grace, and moving on in faith, Jesus Himself will see us through.”

That was, and is, my picture of His church.

So, returning to my two photos. First, the “WE” of our neighbors’ backyard weather vane. Then, my second photo. Here’s where you need to use your imagination a bit. Do you see that “eye” on the tree trunk? Let’s call it an “I.”

Our lives are a blend of “I” (our personal, ongoing, saving relationship with our God), and “We” (our shared lives that flow out of that, into healthy, holy relationships with others).

And so I eagerly respond to the urging of Hebrews 10:23-25:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
(Hebrews 10:23-25 NIV)

As we enter the Fall season today, may we fall into all the healthy, holy habits of worshipping — together — our saving, soon-coming King.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, September 21, 2024

When I was a kid, this box of crayons would have deeply interested me. As you can see, it is labeled “Colors of the World,” and represents a variety of humanity’s skin tones. Back in my day, a box of Crayolas contained only one to color people with, called “Flesh Color.” It was a rough approximation of my own skin—except that it wouldn’t have worked to tint a realistic drawing of my farmer Dad’s permanently sun-browned arms.

In my small South Dakota hometown, we had no African Americans, and no Native Americans (who seemed to sense they’d feel out of place among the Germans and Swedes.)

But the Bible tells me that God’s eyes look fondly down on all of us. “For God so loved the world . . .(John 3:16 NKJV) And the following Scriptures, and many more, make it crisply clear that everybody is invited into eternity, if they’ll accept.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28 NKJV)

Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” (Revelation 14:6 – 7)

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9 – 10)

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, September 20, 2024

About this time of year, Shelley and I keep an alert but genial eye on the front yards of those of our neighbors we expect will eventually burst forth in some kind of Halloween display. It may be our imagination, but it seems that people are a bit tardy this year, for whatever reason.

Thursday morning of this week, I discovered that someone has finally broken the ice, employing this disconcerting skeleton rising portentously from its grave.

Resurrection, I thought, as I snapped this photo.

But not the real resurrection, of course. A couple of Sundays into October, I will be presiding at a memorial service for a 102-year-old woman. She had been raised Seventh-day Adventist, and Shelley and I had become acquainted with her because she’d asked the chaplain at her care center to reach out to a local Adventist pastor for a visit.

Shelley and I made several visits there, and found her delightful. But as time went along, she began to fade, and finally she passed to her rest. Her son asked me to do his mom’s service in a way that I think she might appreciate. So I know exactly what to do: I will speak about her resurrection at Jesus’ return, in which she firmly believed.

I’ll read texts like this:

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Corinthians 15:51 – 54 NKJV

Comforting words, aren’t they?

For more Bible facts about the resurrection, including how to get ready for it, click the link just below:
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/resurrection

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, September 19, 2024

I went outside looking for a photo opportunity. Some really nice flowers I had in mind didn’t turn out so nice because of recent rain. These bright flowers caught my eye, so I got up close. When I saw the spider web, my first thought was, Oh yuck.

On closer inspection the webs had some nice water drops on them, so I grabbed a photo. They don’t show up as well as I hoped, but the drops are kind of interesting. I wonder what the spider thinks of them.

It reminds me that some situations may seem yucky at first. Or it may seem like it is a pain to do the right thing in some cases. But as we get into it, we see that fixing something or helping someone out can be rewarding and not as terrible as was thought.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Philippians 2:3-4

With the right attitude, things that previously seemed yucky can turn out quite nicely.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, September 18, 2024

Psalms 19:1-4 (NLT)

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The skies display his craftsmanship.
Day after day they continue to speak;
night after night they make him known.
They speak without a sound or word;
their voice is never heard.
Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,
and their words to all the world.

A couple of weeks ago, we attended a wedding of a good friend’s daughter. At the reception, we sat at long tables amongst a grove of cedar trees. The setting was perfect. A couple sitting at our table had a baby boy that was mesmerized by the view above. This 2-month-old leaned back in his father’s arms and widened his eyes as he gazed at the heavens above. I took the image you see here to capture the view of this little guy. He was so transfixed with the view, and then the image we showed him on my phone. Part of his “eye-lock” may have been due to the contrast in colors, or in this case, the basically mono-chromatic look of the scene he was witnessing.

As I followed suit and gazed upwards, it made me think of how much more we as humans should be doing this on a daily/hourly basis. Think of all the times during your normal day, that you are “head down” in work, family issues, and life in general. What would it be like if you raised your head and peered to the sky – not to the top of the trees, but beyond. Focusing on our Creator.

As the verse says, “The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship.” Just like that little boy, transfixed on the handiwork above, so can we be – mesmerized by the power and glory of God!