Heart marshmallows, hot chocolate, and warm sunshine make for a nice winter photo.
Sunlight
Author: mustardseedlens
Pink Rose
The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.
Proverbs 15:19
Acceptance
A book I read recently titled Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot had so many gems in it that I had to take notes. It was released after her death and is actually from a retreat where she spoke about suffering. I can say that I have not been through suffering like her, but we each do suffer as we follow Christ and the book encouraged me as I walk on this narrow path.
One thing that hit me was when she was talking about accepting what God has given us (i.e., the sufferings). She quoted Psalm 116:12-13 which says:
12 What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits to me?
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the Lord,
Verse 12 asks what should we render (or give) to God for all he has done for me. That is a weighty question. If you sit here and begin to list all the things he has given you it will be a long list. Things like family, a roof over our head, food, clothes, love, forgiveness of our sins, eternal life…. and on and on make this list. And in return what can I give him for all of this?
The next verse answers the question – we are to lift up the cup of salvation and call on his name. Now, as Elisabeth reminds us, the psalmist would not have known of Christ’s salvation, but we know. And as we take up that cup it comes with sorrows, grief, suffering AND joy. That’s what God asks of us in return for all the many blessings he gives us, for all the guidance, for walking in the storms of life with us. Just take up the cup.
Taking up that cup comes with a level of trust that is hard to understand. We are confident that he will always be with us when we call on his name. Elisabeth puts it perfectly when she says:
I need pain sometimes because God has something bigger in mind. It is never for nothing. And so I say Lord, in Jesus’ name, by Your grace I accept it.
Suffering is Never for Nothing, Elisabeth Elliot
Spread the Gospel
I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
1 Corinthians 3:6-7, ESV
As a Christian it can be overwhelming knowing the ONE thing we are to do is spread the gospel. To tell everyone we meet the message of the cross. To lead them to the saving knowledge of the one true God. That’s no small feet.
But as Paul tells the church of Corinth in the above passage (the I refers to Paul), we only play a part in spreading the gospel. We might be a seed planter, like Paul, who is the first to share the message of eternal life with Christ – this free gift available to all. Or we might be like Apollos (a teacher who’s story is told more in 2 Corinthians), someone watering the seed, who continues to share the message and maybe fills in the blanks, give more information, or just encourages someone further along into excepting Christ.
Here is the thing, those rolls are important, BUT you see that next part in that list? It tells us that only God can cause that seed to grow. This doesn’t diminish our roll but reminds us that the power comes through Christ in us as we share the message. We have to do our part in the garden of saving souls, but ultimately, God takes what we planted and/or watered and grows it into a person who accepts the message of salvation and choose to follow him and receive the free gift of salvation.
As you plant or water seeds in your life and feel like it is falling on deaf ears, just that God is right there with and will grow those seeds. We might never get to see the growth, but God is faithful in doing his part.
Rain Drops
“You heavens above, rain down my righteousness;
let the clouds shower it down.
Let the earth open wide,
let salvation spring up,
let righteousness flourish with it;
I, the Lord, have created it.
Isaiah 45:8
Tiny Blooms
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Ephesians 4:2
Last Scene
Once again C.S. Lewis has struck me with his writing in Mere Christianity. This statement was so powerful I only want to say one thing before you read it. Are you ready for the final act and if not, can I help you be ready? A choice needs to be made and we don’t know when the last act will finish so we need to be ready.
When the author walks on to the stage the play is over. God is going to invade, all right: but what is the good of saying you are on His side then, when you see the whole natural universe melting away like a dream and something else – something it never entered your head to conceive – comes crashing in; something so beautiful to some of us and so terrible to others that none of us will have any choice left? For this time it will be God without disguise; something so overwhelming that it will strike either irresistible love or irresistible horror into every creature. It will be too late then to chose your side. There is no use saying you choose to lie down when it has become impossible to stand up. That will not be the time for choosing; it will be the time when we discover which side we really have chosen, whether we realized it before or not. Now, today, this moment, is our change to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It will not last for ever. We must take it or leave it.
Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis, page 66
Ladder
A young man struggling with the difficulties of life decided one day to find a tall tree and build a ladder to God. He wanted to know why he struggled so much when others seemed to have it so easy.
He foraged to the woods and found the tallest tree. With some wood he had with him he began to make a ladder. It was slow work and he was sweating in the heat of the day. Exhausted, he took a break and noticed a man standing a few feet in front of him.
Startled, he asked how long he had been there watching him. The older man said “I have been watching you for longer than you know”. Confused but feeling great peace, the young man told him what he was doing.
The old man looked lovingly at him and said “son, you seek in the tree tops what you can find everywhere. You are drawn to the one that created the tree and all that is around. All he asks of you is to call upon his name and he will bring you great comfort and peace. It is as simple as that, ask and He will make himself known to you in abundance”.
The young man looked up at the tree and to the heavens beyond. His gaze was deep and thoughtful as he pondered what the old man made sound so simple. And then he said aloud “God come to me that I can know you and understand why I struggle so great”.
Immediately he felt peace and comfort like he had never felt before. He saw his life as full of struggles still, but lighter and easier to handle. Why, he wondered, had he never heard this simple truth before?
He spoke to thank the older man and found him to be gone and no evidence of him ever being there. Chills ran through his body as he realized who the older man had been.
Moral of the story: If you are trying to “do” things to reach or please God, stop. All he asks is that you come to his feet and worship him. It really is that simple.
Photography 101
When I became a mom, I started taking pictures. SO. MANY. PICTURES. My husband joked I could have paid for my own photo lab with all the pictures I printed… because *cough* that was before digital and we printed everything.
I didn’t know much then, and since you couldn’t see what you were doing you hoped for the best when you picked up the prints. As digital came out and I switched to that format, I was in full auto mode. But then I met another mom who was a photographer and she helped me change to manual and, eventually, I began my own photography business.
As my children grew I hoped one of them would want to share my passion and although they dabbled it but no one really was interested. But I had my chance recently as my missionary son purchased a used Nikon D90. As he travels the world it will be nice for him to have this amazing camera with him.
Recently, we went on a hike so I could show him how to use it on manual. I wanted to get him started right. I thought I’d share with you the basics I shared with him. It’s pretty basic but quickly can get anyone shooting on manual. I just explained the Exposure Triangle.
For me, I start with the ISO. I shoot on a Nikon D850 which handles an amazingly high ISO when I’m in low light, but the D90 I wouldn’t push much above 800. I read once in a Bryan Peterson book to think of ISO as how many bees you need to send out to gather light to help you take great picture. When it’s bright (or sunny) you don’t need many bees, so go with 100-200, but when it’s dark, choose the higher numbers.
Next up, I choose my aperture. I love “wide open” apertures. If the lens I’m using can go to 1.4, I’ll use it all the time. That gives you the nice creamy background or bokeh. It really is rare that I go higher, but I might play with it if my shutter speed is running to low with the ISO I want to stay at.
Third is my shutter speed. Too slow and you’ll have blurry pictures and this one you have to take into play the subject you’re shooting and the lens you have. When I use the 70-200, I don’t go under 1/200s because I know that I’ll get the sharp pictures I want. But if I’m using my 50mm and working with a toddler who moves FAST and OFTEN, I’ll want a higher ISO to stop their motion. But setting this aside, I use shutter speed to get the exposure right…. I dial it up or down to get the bar in the middle or 2 spaces to the right or left of middle.
Let me add, that if I know I have to use a higher shutter speed and don’t want to play with that then I just change the other two parts of my triangle to get the exposure right.
Clear as mud? If you try it with a still object and different lighting you’ll start to see what I mean. And then try something moving, like a dog, child, or your husband that never stops talking when you take pictures (that would be mine… sigh, so many weird pictures of him). Or find a friend that likes to take pictures and shoot together as you figure this out. Makes for a fun, hopefully kid free, afternoon.
In the end, my son understood, and as we walked along trying it out I helped him see how it worked, what would happen to the picture if the exposure triangle was off, and even some tricks to really throw his young brain a twist. Hopefully we can get out a few more times before he goes on his next adventure with Teen Missions so I can be sure he understands and is able to bring home amazing pictures to share with family, supporters, and have for years to come.
What do you run on?
I have been reading through C.S. Lewis’ book Mere Christianity so my next few posts will probably be me processing some of the things he wrote. Have you read it? It is an amazing book but I can only read bits at a time so I can ponder what he has said.
I love analogies, especially when the topic is one that makes you think. The analogy tends to help me understand it or put it into practical words. Lewis shares this thought:
A car is made to run on gasoline and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run o Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other.
Mere Christianity
What a great way to remind myself that I need to fuel myself with Him. When I am too busy to read my Bible, pray, or even just sit quietly and listen to his voice, I notice that I get run down. I’m not motivated as much to do good, to seek his help as I come into a trial, or to share the gospel with those I meet. I can easily “fill my tank” with things of the world through social media, television shows or even just talking to friends.
But when I keep my tank full with Christ through studying and meditating on His Word, my days go better. Trials can be managed knowing I’m full of this strength. I fill ready to share his love and message with those I meet as I feel the power of the Holy Spirit in me. I can be confident that He is with me and hears my gratitude, call for help, or request for forgiveness.
Next time you fill your gas tank remind yourself to fill your personal tank with God’s word. Keep your tank full and be confident that you can take that next step knowing He is right there with you.
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