Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary (c)2024 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, July 1, 2024

I took this photo at a rock show a few years ago. You can see that the green bloodstones were only worth a dollar each whereas the purple charoite was $14.00 for one tumbled stone that was practically the same size and shape. Other than the color and composition, why was there such a difference in price?

It turns out that bloodstone is very common around the world. The charoite is apparently only found in one location in Russia.

We place value on so many things that are really not worth spending our time and money on. (I’m not picking on rockhounding or collecting rocks; just using these price points as an example. I think you can learn a lot from rocks!) These Bible verses help us to sort out what should be most valuable:

“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.
Matthew 6:19-21 (The Message)

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, June 30, 2024

This framed needlepoint is about the size of my two hands placed side by side. My sister Julie created this with her two hands as a surprise gift for my husband when he was ordained to the gospel ministry almost 38 years ago. Whenever we’ve moved to a new home, we’ve hung this near his study door, where we see it many times a day.

I’m writing this on Saturday night, June 29. My sister passed away this morning in a hospital in Hamilton, Ontario.

How do I honor her?

May I tell you a few stories about her?

She was honored as valedictorian of her high school class. Barely 5’1” in cap and gown, she marched with the salutatorian, who was the tallest girl in their class, probably close to 6’. I remember how the difference in heights was amazing to me, an eight-year-old, impressed with all the pomp and circumstance.

I remember how anxious she was at home that day about her upcoming speech, and how proud I was when she successfully delivered it without getting sick, which had been a concern of my mother.

Her first year in college she met a fifth-year senior and married him that summer. She asked me to be her junior bridesmaid, and the wedding photos show me grinning with happiness at the honor.

My father was not so happy that his gifted firstborn had dropped out of college after her freshman year. That was not part of his plan for her. However, he became the very proud grandpa of her three children. While they were still quite young, she completed her college degree.

Fifteen years ago my sister and her husband celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in their home church, located in British Columbia. My husband and I conspired with their three children to make the trip to surprise them.

I will always remember the look of astonishment and then delight on my sister’s face as she saw us enter the fellowship hall. She paused, seemed to swallow hard, then rushed across the room to greet us. Every mile of the trip was worth it to see her happiness, and join in the celebration to honor them.

Love can be handmade, like Julie’s needlepoint gift to my husband. Those of us not as skilled in handiwork need not despair; love just needs to be heartmade.

So with my love I honor my sister by telling you a few of the many stories that have welled up today, like the tears that have welled up in my eyes. People die; our love for them doesn’t.

Remembering and sharing the stories, and looking forward to Resurrection Day, both help with the grief of the present. Thank you for honoring me, and my sister, by reading this post.

Sleep in peace, my sister. See you when the trumpet sounds.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Friday and Sabbath, June 28 and 29, 2024

Earlier this month on a neighborhood sidewalk I discovered this bird’s nest which had evidently been wrenched loose from a tree by recent heavy winds.

It had been many decades since I’d seen a bird’s nest up close and personal, and now—from the perspective of adulthood—I can more deeply appreciate the miracle of its production. These birds don’t go to school to learn its construction methods, and there seems to be no parental instruction given. This nest was made before the eggs were laid, and since the birds are briskly booted from it as soon as they’re able to fly, they’re on their own. Yet somehow, all around the world, most birds build nests, and build them serviceably and sturdily for their protective purposes.

Our Tuesday Daily Photo Parable blogger Robert Howson is our true expert on the habits and abilities of birds, but even an untutored layperson like me can marvel at the magnificent engineering of this dwelling—and raise my eyes to the Creator in deepest reverence.

Photo ©2024 by Amber Jurgensen
Commentary ©2024 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, June 27, 2024

Generally, one peony flower is not terribly exciting. But this one is very exciting to my wife. We have lived at our home for almost 30 years. This peony plant was here when we moved in, so we don’t know how old the plant is, but it is over 30 years old. During these decades, this peony plant has not bloomed for unknown reasons. My wife watered it and babied it, and nothing happened. It was some distance from the house so after perhaps ten years (yes, a long time!) she transplanted it closer to the house for easier care. She began to think of it as a pretty little bush rather than something that would ever produce a flower. But she still hoped. We are not sure what the spark was, but this year there was one bud on the plant which my wife watched excitedly for several weeks. The bud turned into this pretty flower. We don’t know if the bush will ever produce a bloom again, so many pictures have been taken of this flower!

The weather has been hotter the last few years, and we can see signs of that in some trees and plants. Maybe peonies like warmer weather.

In our lives we don’t need to wait for some big change to look to Jesus. We can always make the change ourselves to see a new position and gain the benefit of it.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, June 26, 2024

The other day, I was sitting outside beside our birdbath (the birds use it for bathing and drinking). In it, we have a small solar water fountain. As I was watching the water shoot upwards, I snapped a few images. In this image, I angled it to show the rose bush in the background. With the sunshine, the water droplets from the fountain appear to be stopped, or paused, midair. It made me think of all the times during the day, I (we) should do the same. Pause. Take a moment to connect with our Creator. Even just for a minute. A time to reflect on all the provisions He gives, all the answered prayers, all the protection.

Psalm 100 tells us how we can be thankful and how to give praise.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.

As you go about your daily routine, make it a habit to – pause – and thank God for all that He does for you.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, June 25, 2024

Science has identified and described approximately 120,000 species of flies, and no, Bubba, they don’t all live on your back forty. Flies carry a reputation that makes them repugnant to many of us, and the following will probably do little to improve that opinion. The ensuing are facts applicable to flesh flies in general, which also include the Red-eyed Flesh Fly shown here.

Just for starters, their name is a turn-off. Now for the rest of the list:

–unlike most other flies, flesh flies deposit hatched maggots, not eggs, on carrion, dung, or other decaying material, or open wounds of mammals
–juveniles are laid on these substances for they need protein to develop
–they can carry leprosy bacilli
–forensic investigators use the maturation of flesh fly larvae in a corpse to aid in determining the time of death
–adults don’t bite humans, but may infest wounds.

Not exactly a pretty picture; exact enough, but not pretty. But compare this description to the one offered by William Shakespeare concerning mankind’s fate before the gods:

As flies to wanton boys are we to th’ gods,
They kill us for their sport. King Lear Act 4

Another dismal picture, comparing the gods to uncaring humanity, and humanity in turn subject to the random cruelty of the gods.

No wonder Christ felt it necessary to come, not only to save us from ourselves, but also to show us an accurate picture of what a loving Father we have, not distant and uncaring, but One infinitely involved in our well-being. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17 NIV)

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, June 24, 2024

This photo was take from Orcas Island several years ago and was one of the most spectacular sunsets I’ve ever seen!

“As high as the sky is above the earth,
so great is his love for those who respect him.
He has taken our sins away from us
as far as the east is from west.”
Psalm 103:11-12 (NCV)