Beauty Is Absolutely Essential

Thought I would share an excerpt from John and Staci Eldredge's book "Captivating," as I look back over the pictures of the countryside and of the ocean that I have taken this summer.  I highly, highly recommend John's writings, and I couldn't agree with his comments more:


I (John) just let out a deep sigh. That we even need to explain how beauty is so absolutely essential to God only shows how dull we have grown to Him, to the world in which we live, and to Eve. Far too many years of our own spiritual lives were lived with barely a nod to beauty, to the central role that beauty plays in the life of God, and in our own lives. How could we have missed this?

Beauty is essential to God. No-that's not putting it strongly enough. Beauty is the essence of God.

The first way we know this is through nature, the world God has given us. The earth in summer is brimming with beauty, beauty of such magnificence and variety and unembarrassed lavishness, ripe beauty, lush beauty, beauty given to us with such generosity and abundance it is almost scandalous.

Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Stop for a moment and let that sink in. We're so used to evaluating everything (and everyone) by their usefulness, this thought will take a minute or two to dawn on us. Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Which is to say, beauty is in and of itself a great and glorious good, something we need in large and daily doses (for our God has seen fit to arrange for this). Nature at the height of its glory shouts, Beauty is essential! revealing that Beauty is the essence of God. The whole world is full of his glory.


(Captivating , 23-24)

Echoes

This is such a familiar view, the back fields of my uncle's farm.  My dad and one of his brothers owned farms right across the road from each other.  Uncle Eddie's was the family homestead and the larger of the two.  Together they farmed, helping each other out with the various seeding and harvesting chores.  The two families were virtually merged as I grew up; cousins working right along side each other, one for all, all for one.  I spent as much time in my cousins' house as I did my own, eating countless doughnuts and fat molasses cookies.  I have to admit, for two very individualistic, firm headed men, they worked well together, as well as any team I've seen for more years than I can count.  Both have passed from this world, but their essence and echo lives on as I move around the farms, capturing lost moments with my camera. I am taken right back to my childhood as I visit these places, and it touches something long forgotten inside of me as I explore them again.

Fences going nowhere...

Broken down machinery.   Rusted works of art, abstracts my sister may paint someday...

And still the breath of God, in every swaying tree reaching skyward...that's home for me.

Baby Toes

I have such a thing for baby toes and little fingers.  I don't know what it is about them, but I just can't resist them!

A few more shots of little Addy, ones that just make me smile :-)

Photo Shoot With Addy

I had a chance to take some pictures of my beautiful great niece, Addison, while I was home on the weekend.  We commandeered my sister Debbie's yard and flower garden, and the whole family pitched in to help set up shots and entertain Addy while I snapped away, with some fantastic results I must say.  

What a gorgeous little angel she is, and I wish I had a baby picture of her daddy to show because she looks so much like him it is amazing!  Those blue eyes are absolutely breathtaking...

To see more photos of Addy check out Esynergy, my sister's blog.   Be sure to click on images to see in larger format.

And as always when I'm home, I love wondering around the old homesteads and seeing what draws my eye.  I'll share more of those in future posts.

Ocean View In Macro

I had a chance to go to the ocean for a couple of hours on my last day of vacation, and it was absolutely wonderful.  

This time I got lost in the close up detail of the life that was going on all around me in the waves, rocks and sand at my feet. The area of space that I covered was not very big, but I was amazed at everything that was there when I took the time to look up close. Makes me wonder how much we miss in a day because we fail to appreciate the micro moments.

 These pictures were taken with the standard kit lens that comes with the Nikon D80 camera and I must say it does a pretty good job at macro photography.

I enjoyed my little snail buddy.  I have all kinds of shells that I have collected over the years, but I have never observed a live one up this close.  Amazing!

Learning To Dance With A Limp

My vacation week has turned out very differently from what I had planned it to be, but in a good way, not bad.  I had great plans for reading books for hours on end and taking naps whenever the feeling would strike me, but instead I have spent part of my week with a very good friend of mine who very tragically lost her 21 year old grandson last Friday. 

It's interesting, because Karen and I first became friends years ago when she lost custody of her grandson, a decision made by the powers that be for some inexplicable reason that will forever remain a mystery to me.  I can remember sitting with her as she cried an endless ocean of tears.  And now, I have sat with her again and watched the excruciating sorrow of a light gone out in her eyes.  There are no words to describe her pain, or the pain I feel as I watch someone I love suffer in such a way.
 
My sister Brenda sent me this quote by Ann Lamott when she heard of Karen's loss:            

"You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly broken, and the bad news is that you never completely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp."

I know Karen will learn to dance again, and will not allow the hearbreaking loss of her grandson to be wasted in hers or anyone else's life.  If there is one word that comes to mind to describe my friend Karen it is "resilient".  I have watched her over the years endure many crushing disappointments, but she would always get up again, not just surviving, but daring to dance again, even if it was with just a bit of a limp.


I have a devotional journal called "Daily Moments In His Presence" by Frances J. Roberts, and this was the reading for Wednesday, July 28th:

"You are Mine.  You are not your own.  With a great price I have purchased you for Myself.  If you will listen to Me, I will reveal to you more fully so that you many know more clearly how vital you are to My purpose.

There is work to be done, and I need you as a vessel through which to work.  Not a vassal, but a vessel.  I want to do a beautiful work.  There will be inconveniences to be borne, self-pleasing to be laid aside, sacrifices and pain - but what a blessed reward I have in store.  Yes, in store for you, if you are able to let Me use you the way I desire."

I have experienced these words this week, and I can truly say that I do not regret one moment that I have spent with Karen; taking care of her beautiful flowers, feeding her little bunnies, holding her hand as she cried.  Each time that I would hug Karen she would hold onto me as if she was drawing strength out of me. I pray that she was. 

Karen and I have been friends for many years, but over time with the busyness of life have not been as involved in the day to day details of one another's life.  We always knew though, that we loved one another, and that we would be there if ever our friend needed us.  The bond of friendship that women share is deep and fierce, and one of the most beautiful things that you can experience on this earth.  I am so thankful that I was able to share that with my friend this week.

Mr. Dancing Parrot

We went back to the Eco Resort on our last day in Guayaramerin, and even though it was extremely hot, it was great to get to see the animals again in the day time.  This is Mr. Dancing Parrot, and after he worked his magic on me by dancing up my arm and trying to steal my glasses, he used his best moves on a sweet little green parrot with the happiest  face I've ever seen...

I'm sure there is some scientific significance to what they were doing there, but it sure looks pretty romantic to me!  :-)

Mr. Parrot continues the entertainment with some of his best moves, and then takes a break for a snack...

The "Genesis" From A to Z

This is the "Genesis", a boat that Gustavo and Pastor Avalino have dreamed about for seven years.  We used all of the lumber that was provided, and finished everything that we could do.  We sealed the inside of the hull with oil to protect the wood from being eaten by bugs and worms, we put all of the supports in place for the deck to be built on and then put a large portion of the decking boards in place.  We finished by putting the beams in place for the second and third floor to be built on.  When more lumber is purchased and the motor is finished, another team will complete the work, and when the rains come later this summer, the ground around the "Genesis" will be flooded, and she will be released from her moorings and launched into her mission.  Gustavo said there are hundreds of people who live in the villages along the Amazon that die every year from snake bites alone.  Their lives can be saved with one injection from a needle.  One injection.  One needle.  The "Genesis" is going to provide those needles, and so much more.

On our last day before going down to see the boat one last time, I wrote out the words to the "Great Commission" from Matthew 28:  "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."  I signed it from the Go Mission Team of 2010, carefully folded it and put it in a small plastic bag, then I asked Mike to find a special hiding place for it in the hold.  I'm sure he wondered what in the world I was trying to hide in the boat, but I just wanted it to be there when the boat goes out. 

It has been such a humbling experience to be involved in something like this, and I can picture the "Genesis" gliding through the waters of the Amazon, carrying the precious cargo of those who can heal the body and the soul.  I feel so privileged to have been chosen to be a part of such an incredible mission. 

Good Evening Mr. Parrot

I like how this shot turned out - it really wasn't that dark, but we arrived at the Eco Resort just at dusk and I was having trouble getting clear pictures of the beautiful parrots with my telephoto and no flash.  I decided to try a few shots using my flash and I liked how the branch was highlighted in this shot, as well as the interesting pose from Mr. Parrot.  I have some great shots that I took when we went back a second time, this time in the daylight!  Stay tuned...

The Ever Growing Pile of Water Bottles

Whoever got to recycle these made a nice little chunk of change!  I've never drunk (is that a word?) so much water in all my life, and believe me, I was so thankful for it!!!