Daily Photo Parable

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Friday, May 31, 2024

This past Sunday evening Shelley and I happened to pass a large cemetery south of our church. We stopped in to search for a grave we knew about, and while hunting for it I noticed this stone with a rather stark announcement.

I refuse to cast a morbid pall over your Friday, so I will immediately turn in a more cheerful direction. Sure, our demise is inevitable (unless Jesus’ return happens first), but the Bible gives strong encouragement about how to live in the love and power of a God who can bring us through to a happy eternity.

Take a moment to check out both links below, in this order:

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/life
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/assurance

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Russell Jurgensen
Thursday, May 30, 2024

It has been a long time since we tried growing any garden vegetables. A neighbor gave us a wheelbarrow that we have not used yet. So, since we already have a different wheelbarrow, we wondered if it could make a good planter. With some compost and some herb seeds it looks like there is a start to a small herb garden. I believe these are cilantro shoots. There also are some really tiny chives and basil leaves popping up.

Herbs seem delicate, so I’ve been moving the wheelbarrow under cover when heavy rains hit. Then it gets rolled back to the sun when it is clear. I hope these herbs will thrive to produce some useable plants.

It makes me think of the following verse related to hope.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

We can hope for good things in our lives and in the world. Sometimes it seems beyond reach. But we can let our hope grow. When we provide the right ingredients of faith and love, they strengthen each other. That combined with the knowledge of the Bible regarding heaven and the plan of salvation, we can encourage each other in our hope.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Darren Milam
Wednesday, May 29, 2024

We recently purchased a few flagstone stepping stones for our garden area. When I say a “few,” I mean 4,000 pounds of rocks. As you can see, there are several of them. After purchasing and bringing them home, we unloaded each stone, by hand (usually one at a time, given their weight), from the truck and onto these piles you see pictured. The work of laying them out into the pathways we are hoping for, will be the next step. Moving that many rocks, a couple different times can be tiring, but the result should be worth it (I hope).

God is known throughout the Bible (several verses), as the Rock. When you think of that name for Him, we think of an unmovable object, – always constant. I think we can all agree to that description of our Father.

Deuteronomy 32:4 – He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright, and just is He.

When you think of something that isn’t going to move, wobble or falter – a big ROCK comes to mind. Think of that from a life’s perspective, when you need something to cling to, something that will keep you from stumbling, wavering, teetering – you need something that will keep you steady. What better option is the Rock? (hint – there is none)

When I start the process of laying down those flagstone rocks, for our walking path, there is a good chance some may not be as steady as others. Maybe the soil is softer under one of them, or there is a bit of an incline. In the end, they may look good, but certainly won’t be perfect.

If we are looking for perfection, we shouldn’t be looking at these stepping stones but instead, we should be reaching for the true ROCK – our Creator. He is the only Rock we need and the one we can count on, all the time. Thank you God!

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Think of individuals who were known by their place of origin: Leonardo da Vinci springs to mind. Catherine of Aragon is another. And the Bible is full of such names, led of course by Jesus of Nazareth, but also Saul of Tarsus, Joseph of Arimathea, Simon of Cyrene, and others. One might suggest this was needed for clarification before surnames became widely used. However, we still employ this when we run through a list of “John Smiths” in a directory and need to narrow our search.

Unfortunately, we are sometimes labeled with titles that don’t really fit. For example, take the Cape May Warbler, so named because Alexander Wilson first discovered it there in New Jersey and named it in 1811. The name is somewhat misleading for it is found there only during fall migration. It did better with its Latin species name, tigrina, which means “striped like a tiger”, an appropriate if perhaps somewhat inflated handle.

Scripture contains and interesting story which illustrates the importance placed upon maintaining the family name and the inheritance that would accompany such a name. Zelophehad died leaving five daughters but no sons. It was for this reason the daughters came to Moses and asked they be given their father’s inheritance so his name might be remembered. Numbers 27 tells how Moses, after consulting with God, saw wisdom in following this line of reasoning and established a policy putting this into practice; something that makes perfect sense today but at the time might be considered a landmark decision. Perhaps the normalcy of such a practice has caused us to ignore the wisdom encapsulated in the words of Proverbs 22:1: “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” (NIV)

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Cheryl Boardman
Monday, May 27, 2024

I was wondering what type of specimen this was when I saw the crystal structure on this specimen at the Seattle Mineral Market a couple of weeks ago. I was surprised when the vendor said it was salt. When I did a bit more research on it, it seems that it is halite (rock salt) – plain old NaCl.

Apparently the pink tinge on this is from microscopic organisms. I don’t know where this particular specimen came from but apparently there is a lake in California, among other places, where you can get pink halite. From what I read, further refining would need to be made to remove the impurities before this was usable as table salt.

Salt is used for so many things: as a flavoring, as a preservative, as something we put on our icy roads and sidewalks in the winter, for essential nutrition and in the chemistry industry to name just a few uses.

I read that at one time salt was worth its weight in gold. Since then, it has become much more prevalent and is more easily obtained. I watched a documentary recently where in some parts of Africa, blocks of salt are still hauled across the desert on the backs of camels.

I like these verses in Matthew that talk about our value as salt and light:

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 (The Message)

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Shelley Schurch
Sunday, May 26, 2024

I listened to the sermon. I took notes. That’s been my happy habit for many years, long before my husband became my pastor. I enjoy writing down what I hear.

The sermon was one in a series on “When God Speaks,” touring us through times recorded in Scripture when God spoke in an audible voice to people on this planet.

This time we listened to John 12, and before we heard God Himself speak, we heard Him speak through Mary (Jesus is my Forgiver), Lazarus (Jesus is my Life-giver), and the crowd at the triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Jesus is my King).

Then the voice of God came rumbling from heaven, in answer to Jesus calling out to Him:

Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this Hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”

Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
(John 12:27-28 NKJV)

And then the appeal for us to glorify God with our lives and words.

God spoke to me through His Word.

He also spoke to me through the bouquet of flowers in front of the pulpit.

What a magnificent bouquet it is, an abundance of pink and burgundy peonies and cream-colored roses. That would be beauty enough, but it doesn’t stop there. The flowers echo the exquisite vase that holds them.

While my eyes feasted on the beauty, I heard God point out something more. He reminded me there were three women involved in this floral offering:

Julia Nordby, who plucked the peonies from her garden and skillfully arranged them to complement the vase, and to grace our worship service.

Nona Nordby, Julia’s mother-in-law, who generously provided the vase, which she had inherited from her mother.

Vera Lyman, Nona’s mother, the artist who wielded delicate brushes as she painted the vase with such lovely results.

Vera died over 30 years ago, leaving behind not only many hand-painted creations but a legacy of loving service with her pastor-evangelist husband.

Her love for her family lives on, a golden thread that will weave its way through the family tree until Jesus comes.

From now on, whenever I read John 12 I will remember that Jesus is my Forgiver, my Life-giver, and my King; and I will also picture a magnificent arrangement of fresh flowers and painted flowers, and the three women and the love that tie them together.

May God speak clearly to you this week, telling you what you most need to hear from Him. May you see beauty in His creation, hear encouragement in His Word, and taste and see that He is good.

Photo and Commentary ©2024 by Maylan Schurch
Sabbath, May 25, 2024

Not far from where Shelley and I live, I noticed this pleasant garden scene—two chairs facing each other across a small table, backed by beautiful pink flowers. I can picture a couple of friends settling down there and having a leisurely, warm-hearted afternoon chat.

In real life, I’ve never ever seen anyone sitting on those chairs. This yard (which isn’t actually a garden) is owned by a busy family who own a restaurant in Tukwila not far from the Southcenter Mall. I rarely see any of the family at all.

But don’t those chairs just beckon you, away from schedules and deadlines and uncertainty, back to a bountiful Garden free of the need to scratch and tug daily nourishment out of the dirt?

Maybe it’s appropriate that I show you this scene on the Sabbath day itself, the day invented by a decidedly non-“driven” God, who set the example for us by resting on it.

Want an achingly beautiful review of God’s eventual plans for those of us who’d love to be in His presence? Check out the verses at the link just below:
https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/heaven