The Earth is the Lord's!

Many around the world call this day Earth Day. It is a day they celebrate the earth. It's okay to celebrate what God has made, but it's far more important to celebrate God! And we should worship only God. How sad to stop short and worship the creation instead of worshipping God, The Creator. He alone is worthy of our worship and praise! And as Psalm 24:1 declares, "The earth is the Lord's and all it contains."

Learn more about photography and speaking ministry www.thecreationspeaks.com

Spider Webs and Dew Drops

            Spider webs everywhere! Spider webs all over the budding trees. Sticky, gooey spider webs. But these were not the spider webs of horror films. They sparkled with a golden brilliance as the early morning sun beamed through the many drops of dew that hung from the webs.

The sunrise seen through a dew drop on a tree bud.

            Unfortunately, for me, I was not carrying my camera that morning. I had planned to just take a relaxing walk in the neighborhood park. I didn't expect to see such a dazzling site.

            I thought to myself, I'll just come back tomorrow.

The sunrise glows through a dew drop.

            Now, I know that spiders' webs don't last but a day. The next evening they normally spin a new one. But unfortunately, this was not the case this time. The next morning when I returned with camera in hand there were no spider webs. Where did they go?

            What do I do now? There's nothing to photograph? 

            Suddenly a quote I had read some time ago in a photo magazine came to mind. “I asked not what I will take today, but what will I be given.”

            “Okay, God,” I prayed. “What are you giving me to photograph this morning?” I began to look for the unexpected and I saw something I would not have noticed. I began to look at the dew on the leafless branches.  The early morning sun sparkled, coming through the drops as it did with the spider webs. I photographed that instead and collected a couple of amazing photographs.

Morning dew on a spider web from another place on another day

            Sometimes God gives us the unexpected. When that happens we ought to make the most of it.

www.thecreationspeaks.com

Spider Webs and Dew Drops

            Spider webs everywhere! Spider webs all over the budding trees. Sticky, gooey spider webs. But these were not the spider webs of horror films. They sparkled with a golden brilliance as the early morning sun beamed through the many drops of dew that hung from the webs.

The sunrise seen through a dew drop on a tree bud.

            Unfortunately, for me, I was not carrying my camera that morning. I had planned to just take a relaxing walk in the neighborhood park. I didn't expect to see such a dazzling site.

            I thought to myself, I'll just come back tomorrow.

The sunrise glows through a dew drop.

            Now, I know that spiders' webs don't last but a day. The next evening they normally spin a new one. But unfortunately, this was not the case this time. The next morning when I returned with camera in hand there were no spider webs. Where did they go?

            What do I do now? There's nothing to photograph? 

            Suddenly a quote I had read some time ago in a photo magazine came to mind. “I asked not what I will take today, but what will I be given.”

            “Okay, God,” I prayed. “What are you giving me to photograph this morning?” I began to look for the unexpected and I saw something I would not have noticed. I began to look at the dew on the leafless branches.  The early morning sun sparkled, coming through the drops as it did with the spider webs. I photographed that instead and collected a couple of amazing photographs.

Morning dew on a spider web from another place on another day

            Sometimes God gives us the unexpected. When that happens we ought to make the most of it.

www.thecreationspeaks.com

Fleeting Frost, Fleeting Time

            

           

       I had plenty of work to get done. There always seems to be plenty of work for a photographer to do that doesn't involve actually holding a camera. As I continued to work, my friend Steve called and said that I needed to go photograph the landscape he had just passed while driving along interstate 80. He described to me a winter wonderland created by a weather phenomenon known as hoarfrost.

           

       Hoarfrost forms when water vapor freezes on objects without first becoming liquid water. In order for this to happen the humidity must be high and the air temperature and the temperature of the landscape must be below freezing. The frost that forms creates a magical winter scene that doesn't last very long. It's very beautiful. But it is especially beautiful in a snow-covered landscape. The frost is very delicate because of its high air content.  It vanishes quickly in the sun or wind. The photographer who wants to capture its magic must act fast. Therefore, I left my office work to capture this short-lived splendor of God's hand.

           

       Photographing scenes like this reminds me that many opportunities in life pass away quickly. We cannot possibly take advantage of everything that comes our way, but still we must live every day for God. The Bible tells us that our lives are short (Psalm 39:4-5) and we need to make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:15–16). Photographing hoarfrost is a reminder that we need to honor God with how we use our time. We all must ask the question, “How will I use the time that is given to me?”