The Grand Teton

This is one of my favorite picture. Just seeing the herd of horses grazing in front of the Grand Teton causes me to take my breath away. The beauty of God's creations never seems to stop amazing me. 
I do not know how anyone could look at this and not see the handy work of God.
From the top of the tallest mountain to the deepest parts of the ocean the beauty and wonders of this world are there for our enjoyment. 
From the ends of the earth to the backyard of your own home there are wonders to discover. I hope we all take the time to look and see what God gave to us. I know each day I will try. 

Crazy Horse

One of the places that I have had the pleasure of visiting is a mountain site call Crazy Horse. The next picture is a replica of what the mountain will look like when it is done. This replica is only 1/34 the size of the mountain. Each year that I get to see the mountain I see just how they have chipped away and made some changes. When it is done it will be a sight to behold. I will not get to see the finished project because it will take over 50 years to complete. I will not live that long.
There are times that we work at doing God's will in the lives of the lost. We sow the seeds that God's has given us in hope of seeing someone grow. But it seems to take a long time. In fact we may not see the results of our sowing in our lifetime. Yet we know that when God is done it will be a sight to behold. So each day I will do what little I can to chip away at the lost and wait for God to bring about the miraculous changes.

Macro Shot

Well I just finished my last class of digital photography. I did learn a lot. One thing I found out about myself is that I like shooting macro pictures. These are the close up kind like bugs. butterflies and flowers. Now if I can combined them all in one picture that is even better.
The two of the most colorful things to take pictures of are butterflies and flowers. My next thing to work on is getting those clear shots that are worth framing. I need to practice, practice and practice some more. Trying different modes on the camera and different angles as well will help to make my pictures stand out. Of course having a good photo-shop program wouldn't hurt either. Some day.

Stars in the Water.

I love watching the sun reflect off the water. Especially when it makes little sun spots burst all over. It was like seeing stars dancing on the water.
For someone who hates water I find myself around it a lot. There is something about the calming affects of the waves splashing on the shore that draws me to it. Of course there seems to be a lot of action around the water as well.
But this was the first time that I saw the water come alive with dancing stars.

Raccoon Surprise

Imagine my surprise when I turned the corner of the path and there was this baby raccoon walking there. The scary part was that the raccoon was not afraid. He actually started to come towards me. The squirrel close by was afraid and ran up a tree chattering the whole way.
Was this raccoon sick? Had he gotten use to people because of handouts. I was not too sure what was wrong but I knew I had to keep my distant even if he was the cutest critter I have seen.
One thing that I am learning as I try to get some great shots is that I need to respect nature. When I mess with God's plans for nature I may harm it in some way. I try not to get too close or cause too much stress when I see something worth trying to get a picture of. I want to leave things the way I find them.
I hope that this baby raccoon is okay. Maybe he was just checking me out as much as I was checking him out. I hope so. 

Water Fowl

While at a picnic with friends I took my camera to the water edge and waited for an opportunity to get a picture. Many of the water fowls would fly by and I would get to snapping many pictures. But it is so hard to get a clear shot.
One such water fowl was the cormorant. They just kept flying back and forth as though they were saying catch me if you can. So out of many attempts I got one shot that I could keep. 
Out of the water this one cormorant headed straight for me. So I got my camera ready and as he got closer I started snapping away. Every pictures was just a blur except for this one. 
Someday I will figure out how to get the camera to take great pictures. But for now I will keep practicing and have fun trying. 

Red Dragonfly

I don't know how many tries it took to get a half way decent picture of this dragonfly. But I kept trying until I got one that I could be happy with. Was it worth it to me? Yes. 
How many tries does it take to get things right in our lives. We try and fail many times. But then we get it right. When this happens we can hold our heads up and say it was worth it.
There are things in my life that I am still trying to get right. It might takes days, weeks or years before this happens. But I will keep trying because I know with God's help it will be worth it. 

Grooming

It seems every time I am out in search of a good picture I come across animals grooming themselves like these geese. Some time they get all twisted and look so funny. It is a daily almost constant ritual for them.
Each day I go through a grooming ritual as well. But do I spend as much time going through a spiritual ritual with God? I am afraid the answer is no. 
I need to get myself in the practice of grooming myself for God each day. When I do this my days run so much smoother. I find myself better prepare to face what lays ahead. Through my readiness to face God each day I am equipped to be all that He wants me to be.  

Miracle Grow

A friend told me that she had several nests around her yard. So I went to visit today to checked them out. 
One of the nest just happened to be in a bag of Miracle Gro. Do you think the bird knew something we don't? Maybe she was hoping that the soil would help speed up the process of the eggs.

Maybe she was showing us what a miracle these eggs were. Who knows. But you never know what cool things you will find in God's natural world.
I hope I get to come back and see what hatches out of these eggs.

Got to Get Wet

 I decided to stay at the Havre de Grace boardwalk after our photography class met there this evening. The teacher had us take all kinds of photos of the boardwalk and surrounding areas. One of our subject was the great blue heron. We took pictures of it flying, perched on a log and fishing. Of course there were none that I took that was worth writing home about.
So when the rest of the class left I stay hoping to catch a shot of the heron catching something. I waited just for short time. 
The heron lunged in and caught one juicy fat catfish.
He had to get wait to catch his prey. The fish was not jumping up into his mouth.
We need to get wet sometime also. If we are afraid to get wet we miss out on the great catches in our lives.
I am glad I decided to stay and catch these shots. I was not afraid to get wet when it comes to taken pictures. 

Too Full

Doesn't it seem that this squirrel is saying I am too full, I could not eat another bite? His cup is over flowing. Everyday people come to the park to feed the squirrel. You would think they would be so fat that they could not move at all. Yet they are not. 
I think it is because they are always on the move. The squirrels I see continue to jump from tree to tree in search of more to eat. What they can't eat they bury to eat another day.
I could learn something from them. If I just keep moving and not seat on my back side maybe I too could look healthier than I look now. If I eat the right things and exercise more I would have the energy that these squirrels have.
The one thing I do know is that when I am full I need to say no to eating another bite.

Make Over

This bird house got a make over. One day a church group went about the Havre de Grace boardwalk painting and sprucing up the place. When they painted the gazebo they also painted the little bird house next to it. I wonder what the bird must have been thinking when she came home to a newly painted house.
I sometime wish I could come home to a new spruced up place. How refreshing it would be to have a make over.
I do know of a way to get refresh each day. If I spend time in the Word daily I can get a make over of my mind, body and soul. This run down body will once again run like a finely tuned machine.

What is a Father?

 Father. What does it mean to be a father? Well, let us spell it out.
F is for First. A father put his family first. His family is an extension of himself. When he put them first he builds a strong family.

A is for Always. A father is always ready to give of his time and love to his wife and children. He is always faithful to them.

 T is for Trust -worthy. A father is someone who can be trusted to deliver what he promises. He can be trusted with the smallest of things as well as the big things in life.

 H is for Helpful. A father will help you to achieve all that you are capable of and more.

 E is for Enjoyment. A father finds the time to enjoy his family. In everything he does to playing catch with his son or sitting down to have pretend tea with his daughter.

R is for Rally. A father rallies behind his family. He goes to the games, ballets or school play and becomes the number one cheering fan for his children.




In short,  an earthly father is an example of God the Father.

Harford Glen's Raccoon

I took my grandson to see what we could catch on camera at Harford Glen. Not much was happening. Than I spied a heron. As I viewed it through my lens I notice that something was swimming by the heron. To my surprise it was a raccoon. Now how cool was that?
Though little surprises always makes my day. I can't wait to see what each day brings when I go out with my camera. God is a God of wonders and He shows me His wonders everyday. It is not just in nature either. His mercy and love holds me up each day. Without it I would stumble and fall. And believe me I do stumble and fall a lot.

The Snake's Den

It was feeding time at the nature center. They gave the rat snake and the corn snake each a little white mouse. The rat snake went right for the attack. Within minutes the mouse was swallowed whole by the rat snake.
Now the mouse that was put in with the corn snake got to live for another day. The corn snake just was not interested. The two even touch nose to nose but the snake did not make any attempt to eat the mouse.
It kind of reminded me about the story of Daniel in the lion's den. The lions just were not interested in devouring Daniel. I think the mouse had God on his side this day.
Each day as we face our lions and snakes, we can rest in the fact that God is in control. We need not fear what lays before us. We just need to let God help us through the trials and tribulations we face.
I want to be like the mouse in the snake's den. I want to live another day in the care of my Savior.

Food Makes Me Happy

Food makes me happy. How about you? Sometime I can't get enough of it. I consume all that I can find. Than I pay the price.
I swear that I will do better the next time and fail again. It is not fair that they make the foods that is not good for you look so delightful. With all the dressings they put on food it is no wonder I can't fit in my dresses.
So what is a person to do to eat healthy? Well you take it one day at a time. Resolve with the help of God to put the bad habits behind you. Take steps to eat the foods that are low in fats and sugar. Find the foods that is high in fiber and nutrients. Sounds easy right?
For me it is harder then it sounds. Food is a source of comfort. It calms me down when I am nervous. So I have to keep it out of my sight. I have to focus my mind on God to keep it off of food.
Is it working? Yes. I am slowly enjoying eating the right foods. When I get nervous I pray first. This way I can receive the strength to say no to unhealthy eating. In time food will have no control over me. In time God will.

Parachuters

 One day while driving to Aberdeen I notice a plane circling many times. So I pulled over to take a picture cause I thought the plane look neat.



Just as I got my camera to focus on the plane something came out the back and than another and than another.





They were parachuters.  How cool was that? This was something I don't get to see everyday.





I am glad that I always carry my camera with me. I never know when I will see something that I just have to take a picture of. I would have missed the opportunity to get these shots.
Just like I keep my camera with me I want to keep the words of God with me. I never want to miss the opportunity to share God with anyone.

White Duck

I don't know when I became a bird watcher, but I am.
So everyday I go out hoping to catch some rare shot. Getting a picture of this white duck was is an example of a rare shot. I have never seen it again.
Sometime we just get one chance to get it right. So we need to pray before we jump into anything.
I try my best to put God first in everything I do. I want each day to be a rare gift back to the One who has given me the desire to live.
I will keep looking for the chance to show the gifts of God through my pictures and my devotionals. Maybe I will spread a little joy to someone else today. Maybe it is for you the reader. God bless.

Killdeer Surprise

Today Don and I went to see his mother in Greenburo. She lives in an assistant living home. While visiting I notice that there was a pond on the property. Of course you know where I had to go before we left to come home. You guessed it, the pond.
While walking around the pond we notice this bird making a lot of ruckus. When it finally landed and settled down I notice that it was a killdeer. Inch by inch I got closer to it trying to get a good picture. I was surprise that it let me get within a few feet of it, until it flew away again.
To my surprise again I saw why I was able to get so close. The killdeer was protecting her eggs. I took  a couple of shots and left so that she could get back to her eggs.
How I would love to be able to go back each day and see the eggs hatch. But that would not be possible since that would be a four hour round trip each day. I just don't have the time and the gas money.
It was a nice surprise and it made my day to get the shots. I hope I get to have many more opportunities to capture another killdeer surprise.

At the Feet of a Duck

How many ducklings does this mother mallard have at her feet? Eleven. She really has her hands full keeping track and protecting close to a dozen babies.
I only had three children and there was not enough of me to go around when they were little.
The one thing I did notice was the ducklings did not stray too far from the mother. They knew where their protection came from. I watched her peck at a goose that got too close and chase away a male duck. No one was hurting her babies.
What can we learn form these ducklings? We need to stay close to the one who protects us. Jesus will take care of the danger we face each day. When Satan gets too close Jesus will chase him away. When we stay at the feet of Jesus we can rest in His love for us. I can not think of a better place to be.

Duck

The Power of Water

Oh, the power of water. It can refresh you or pound you down. It is needed for life to grow and yet can destroy life as well. With out it there is drought. Too much of it causes flood. Yet we can not survive without it.
It is a precious commodity that we take for granted. Just turn the faucet knob and water pours out. We flush the commode, take a bath and fill our pools with it. We water our lawn, wash our cars and have water fights on hot days. How much of our own bodies is made out of water?
Oh, the power of the Holy Spirit. Just like the power of water we cannot live without Him in our lives. Let us not take for granted all that the Holy Spirit does for us. He refreshes, renews and sustains us through the power of our Lord. Praise be to God for water and the Holy Spirit.

A Turtle's Pace

There are times in life that we feel we are traveling at a turtle's pace. Life just seems to go by so slowly that we might as well crawl in our shell and wait it out. God slows us down many times so that we can take stock of our lives and make needed chances. Only than can we put our best foot out and start the path to God's will for our lives.
I like that my life has slowed down some. The business of living in a fast pace world has taken its toll on me. The aches and pains that my body goes through each days slows me to a turtle's pace. Yet I know God is standing by my side and holding me up. I thank the Lord that I am able to slow down and spend more time with Him. If staying at a turtle's pace means that I get to spend more times with God, than I am for that.

Ready to Take Flight

This Red-winged Blackbird looks as those it was getting ready to take flight. But he was just fluffing his feathers. He was actually displaying for the other blackbirds nearby.
Sometime we seem to be ready to take flight on some new adventure but in reality we are just fluffing our own feathers. We are afraid to take the next steps and just take off.
If we would just trust that God will lift us up to soar among the clouds, we would not fear what the future holds.
There are times that I get paralyzed by the uncertainties of what would happen if I just take flight. I want to keep my feet on solid ground. Then God takes my hands and leads me up and out into the world with His guidance. I am thankful that I belong to a loving patient Father.

One Big Moth

I will take a picture of anything. So when I saw this huge moth outside the motel that we were staying at in Missouri I had to take its picture.
One of the reason I love to go on vacation each summer is the unusual things I get to see. Every place has their own set of creatures unique to the location we just happen to be in like this moth.
How often do we miss the wonders of God's world because we just don't take the time to see. We need to slow down and breathe in the freshness of each day. We need to look, listen and enjoy today.
I for one do not want to miss even one second of gift of life.

Gull Gathering

This was a sight to see, a gull gathering. What made them gather together along the shore? Sometime birds gather together to start their migration south for the winter. Sometime they gather because it is good feeding ground. What ever the reason the gull gathering was a cool site.
When Christian gather together great things happen. When we pray together the power of God exceeds all our expectations. Our numbers are a force to reckon with when we allow God to control our actions.
What ever the reason we gather let it always be a witness to the love of God.

Close Call

On Friday the neighboring town suffered a F1 tornado. A close friend's home was damage from the fallen tree limbs that the tornado flung all around her yard. Yet the strong winds caused this one tree limbs to twisted in a way that it missed falling on the roof of the room she was sitting in. God had spared her and the house.
Why does God spare one person home and yet allows another home to be destroy? What makes Him choose to let someone live and another die? We don't know the answer because we are not God. It is not for us to know everything. Yet we can be certain that God has His reasons.
I am glad that He chooses to see me through another day. That He allows me to see the blessings that He gives so freely. I am glad that He spared my friend's home.

Praying Squirrel

It kind of looks like this squirrel is praying. He was properly praying that I would throw him one of the peanuts that I always carry with me. Well he did get his prayer answered. I threw him a peanut.
How often do we get our prayers answered? I would say 100 percent of the time. The answered may just be no. We just think there was not an answer to our prayer.
The answer may be wait. Of course I hate waiting. It is almost like the answer no. But I like the answers that surprises me with more than I could ever have imagine. These are the ones that has me in awe of the grace and mercy of a loving God.
What ever the answer I know that it is the best one. Because it come from God.

Squirrel Tail

Today I show a squirrel who's tail had been bitten off. As he would try to run, climb or jump he would lose his balance a lot. He needed his tail to keep his balance.
There are many things in life that causes us to lose our own balance. We find ourselves tripping over our own stubbornness and pride when we run ahead of God's plans for us. We climb the ladder of success only to fall face down on the ground. Many times we jump the gun and get shot down, because we don't put God first in all we do
Today I want to balance my life with the will of God. I am tire of tripping over my own tail.