Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, March 15, 2025

As you know, companies who are able to track your browsing information online are always ready to leap into your inbox, or wherever they can get at you, with product suggestions.

The message above popped onto my phone in late February. I can see our church’s website link in the background, so it may have come up as I was trying to get to our website. With breathtaking audacity, this message claims to be from God Himself!

My usual response to such audacity is to give it a dismissive chuckle and go on to something else. But actually this suggestion – probably meant in a jocular way – is really pretty deadly.

Why do I say deadly? Because at least a couple of times in Scripture, God includes warnings not to add to or delete from what is written in the Bible.

In Deuteronomy 4:2, Moses tells the people, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” In other words, don’t make up – or ignore – what I’ve told you about God’s will.

And Revelation 22:18 and 19, written in the last chapter of the Bible’s last book, the solemn command is repeated, with some “teeth” in it. This is a direct quote from a heavenly angel: “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: “If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

In other words, the Lord is NOT reminding you to update your Bible. Obviously, the writer of the cute reminder would like you to purchase a newer version of the Bible, or an upgraded version of what you have. But that’s different.

On a practical note, I always advise people to read a passage from three or four different literal-leaning translations in order to get as close as possible to what God means us to hear. For me, these versions are the New King James Version, the New International Version, the English Standard Version, and the New Revised Standard Version. Why not make this a habit – set your phone to bring up these versions, or other literal versions, to make sure you are not unknowingly “updating” what God really means.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, March 14, 2025

Let me hastily assure you of three things. First, my initial career was as a teacher of English, and even in my youthful ignorance I still realized how incredibly crazy my native language is.

Second, I have never dared to try to translate anything from English to any other language. That’s because I cannot speak any language besides English.

Third, I’ve always made it a practice not to defame the brand name of anything I portray in these photo parables.

That’s why I’m glad I don’t know the brand name, nor the sponsoring company, of the device which was attached to the opposite side of the instruction card you see in the photo above. Shelley had given me these children’s chopsticks as a “just kidding” gift – she knows very well how klutzily I handle the real variety, and how I make sure that a fork is provided me at all Asian restaurants. I’d already removed the plastic chopstick set from the other side, but hadn’t focused on the instructions. Earlier this week, she suddenly appeared beside me with this card. “Read this,” she said.

Do me a favor. Take a couple of minutes to read those instructions, aloud if possible. Scroll back down here when you’re done.

Okay, what did you think?

Want to know what I thought? I thought, Who on earth was the person who translated this? I mean, it’s like someone hastily gave that person a paperback English-Chinese (or whatever the original language was) dictionary, and said, “Translate this. I need it in ten minutes.” Either the translator believed you could do this by simple word-to-word matching, or there wasn’t time to track down an English-speaking person to let them edit it.

I think my favorite part is the alarming item in #1, under “Use”: “which one chopstick in the jaws of death.” My second favorite part is the two-word boxed instruction, “Decomposition method.”

Okay. How does this become a Daily Photo Parable?

Back in Genesis 9:1 – 11, the human race was heading in a bad direction, and God deliberately confused their languages, so that a worker on Babel Tower Level Three couldn’t understand the materials supplier on Tower Level One, and vice versa. Everybody gave up the project in disgust, and scattered, which was God’s desired outcome.

But in Acts chapter 2, the exact opposite happened. A month and a half after Jesus’ death on the cross, Jerusalem was filled with Feast of Pentecost pilgrims from many language groups, and through the Holy Spirit’s miracle, everyone heard the gospel in his or her mother tongue — which was also God’s desired outcome!

Maybe you’re not faced with a Mandarin-to-English translation task at the moment, but God has a surprising supply of power that can help you if what you’re doing accords with His will. Check out some of what the Bible says about this, at the link just below:

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

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, March 13, 2025

This troll near the Issaquah Community Center seems to have a peaceful aura about it. Normally when we think of trolls they are fictional characters that wreak havoc wherever they go. Then there are actual online people trolls who enjoy posting disruptive content to upset regular users. It takes some effort to avoid engaging with someone who only wants to cause trouble.

A few things make this particular troll seem less threatening than I would expect. The birdhouse necklace seems to indicate it is peaceful enough that birds would want to make a home there. Expressive eyes and a gentle smile seem to offer encouragement that people can hang out there without fear.

How can we, as normal people, provide an aura of peace? Here are some Bible verses I like.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:6-8

We all have different talents which is fortunate, so we don’t have to wear birdhouses around our necks. Let’s use our positive skills cheerfully.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, March 12, 2025

I presume you have heard of the phrase, “Can’t see the forest for the trees.” The thought being, you are so focused on something directly in front of you, that you can’t see the wider view or, “bigger picture.” Bringing that concept to life, I would point out all the distractions we face daily. These distractions don’t allow us to see what we should be really focused on.

Don’t get me wrong, I know how challenging this can be. We are absolutely bombarded with information and stimulation, from screens of all sizes, various forms of media, and an endless stream of notifications, making it very difficult to find moments of peace and focus. The word “focus” may seem to be counterproductive if we should be looking at the wide view. However, “focus” doesn’t necessarily mean you have blinders on. In fact, you can focus on the big picture – by pushing out the other parts that are distracting.

Ironically, I find the best physical place to find that moment of calm and that opportunity to see the “forest” is right here (see image) in the forest. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, God’s nature (whatever that looks like in your part of the world) allows us to be that much closer to Him. We see the tree that’s right in front of us, as well as the surrounding grove. We hear His voice, giving us permission to push the distractions aside and focus on His love.

To take a page out of David’s playbook seems like the right way to go:

Psalms 16:8

I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

By fixing our gaze on the Lord and keeping Him at our side, we can find stability and security. Our faith becomes unshakable when we focus on God.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Some nicknames seem to just naturally fit the wearer, like kid gloves, or slippers for that matter. It’s easy for us to see why the title “Golden Slippers” was given to the Snowy Egret. This small member of the heron family is equally at home in freshwater and marine environments; anywhere it can spend its day fishing. It employs a variety of techniques to capture its prey, from the sit-and-wait approach to actively chasing its prey with wings spread. It’s also been known to shuffle those golden slippers in the shallows to scare fish from their hiding places.

Their beautiful diaphanous feathers are shown at their best during breeding season when courtship rituals are in full swing. This beauty also led to their destruction when they were killed for these plumes which were in demand for hats in the women’s millinery trade. In 1886, these feathers were selling for $32 an ounce, which was twice the going rate for gold.

However, an even more pricy purchase was made long ago for you and me. The chorus of the old negro spiritual, while not relating to the egret, still brings to mind the promise of that gift, something better, something beautiful, something shared by all who make it there:

Oh, dem golden slippers
Oh, dem golden slippers
Golden slippers I’se goin’ to wear
Because they look so neat

Oh, dem golden slippers
Oh, dem golden slippers
Golden slippers I’se goin’ to wear
To walk the golden street.

Photo and Commentary ©2025 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, March 10, 2025

I was driving up Highway 97 in Central Washington sometime back, when I saw these white flowers blooming on the side of the road. I was able to find a pullout so I could get a closer look.

They are white stemmed evening primroses and are quite beautiful. They were growing in sand in a burned-over ponderosa forest area.

It’s amazing what evidence of a Creator we can see in the designs around us.

But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can’t see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being. So nobody has a good excuse.
Romans 1:18-20 (The Message)