Loud Inaudible Us

Posted on by Gary Fultz

After some hints, pushing, prodding and blatantly outright suggestions (yes, I exaggerate) I have taken Ted Martins advice from several comments on my comments section and put some of my photos on a free share website. Yes, they are free and you can use them for your blogs or thankyou cards or whatever, however and whenever you use pictures. Thanks Ted for the push. View Teds site here https://rhetoricandhomiletics.org/

What we pass on to the next generation and others around us matters

I don’t know what process you use for giving away free stuff but I’m willing to think you like to receive free stuff. I just hope my pictures are useful to someone besides me.

I noticed that many bloggers that I read use Unsplash for downloading free pictures and chose that site to set up an account and share. As I type this my 16 pictures have 9,528 views and 137 downloads in October. You can look at my very limited selection of free photos and then go on to search from the thousands of great photos at https://unsplash.com/@garyfultz

I’ll download more as Unsplash begins to trust me with downloads according to their specs. I sometimes ask and am asked “why give?”

My stuff

I may not have much from a worldly point of view, but I am very wealthy and gaining daily. When I die I stand to inherit a whole lot of free stuff given freely by my Father, but, that means nothing if it does not show up, in some way, shape or form as a voice to the little corner of the present world I touch.

Christmas and gift giving and receiving is so exciting

I see an inaudible voice in sharing photo’s. I watch inaudible parent child language. I see inaudible marriage interchange. I even see inaudible messages in blogs between the lines and so do you. Let’s face it, our inaudible messages through all the mediums at our disposal speak so loud no one can hear what we are saying.

All this to pray “May my photos speak inaudibly Gods voice to the world.”

The Son changes everything

A note of encouragement: Only God can manage our loud inaudible voice to the world around us, if we let Him. However, Speaking of Gods inaudibles like nature and his workings in us, God’s audible Word changes us. Where God uses the inaudibles of people, life and nature to get our attention, He uses his audible, eternal and perfect WORD to change inaudible us.

After 6 days in the wilderness…we all need to change

” In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” John 1:1-5

“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

Gary

Bad Investment

Posted on by Gary Fultz

Life’s stakes are high. Daryl Maddens Poem hits it well.

Two voices in your head
Struggle for control
The loud voice of the ego
The whisper of the soul….. Read more here at Daryl’s blog

 It’s so human to buy a lot of ego stock for the short term and hold, sometimes into eternity, as if we can control the dividends

This morning I saw and captured a whole garden in a dew drop. Think what God can make of us when we trust Him

Instead, Invest here: “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” 1 Peter 5:6

Think of the solid foundation from which we speak. If you believe and know Jesus, you have been forgiven, made whole, and have been made absolutely perfect (way more than a dew drop) before God. “For He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” 2corinthians 5:21

Long Term Thinking: Eternity (see you there?)

Running with the Steers

Posted on by Gary Fultz

I got run over by a 1600 pound steer. It’s true. Not as glamorous a story as Grandma and the reindeer but this steer was 5 times as big as any reindeer. I’m quite sure no classic Christmas song will come of it either. I’m OK, thanks for asking.

I had agreed to drive two hours to bring a steer to market for a brother. It was an easy job. I was to drive the truck and livestock trailer to the beef processing place, back up the trailer to an animal chute and let the attendants chase the steer out into the chute. Easy. After I backed the trailer tight to the open chute gate, two professionals opened the trailer door. The steer ran out of the trailer and up the chute a few feet, stopped and stomped in a small circle while blowing his nose loudly. The steer seemed very angry. The professionals closed the trailer door and shut the chute gate, and then tried to chase the steer up the chute by banging on the sides of the heavy wooden chute.

All of this looked easy. I got out of the truck, walked to the back of the trailer to ask if my part was done. As I innocently stood at the mouth of the closed gate, the big angry steer turned around and charged toward one of the men banging on the chute near me. 1600 pounds of steer smashed into the side of the chute making an opening at the end of the gate in front of me. I had no time to react. The massive animal saw the small opening and charged right through the opening and into me. His big head caught me in the chest and shoved me down into the hard gravel straight ahead of him. I heard his hooves pounding on each side of my face as he ran over me. Thankfully no hooves mashed me.

My body was sore in places where I didn’t even know I had places. Some odd memories were coming to me. I now believe those who tell about their whole life flashing before them in less than a second during a near death experience. As I was flying through the air and skidding on the gravel, I distinctly heard my dad’s voice saying “this is teachable moment son.” Thanks Dad!

At days end, evaluating life might be a good thing.

Many unplanned-life-altering events and most accidents seem to happen very quickly. I mean, what unforeseeable accident happens slowly? We all have our accident stories, near accident incidents and many of us have several pieces of medical equipment handy should we need them again. But learning from my steer episode has taken me on a much longer journey.

It’s just not natural for me to be completely living in the moment throughout the day. I’m focused on my tasks, thinking forward, leaning toward goals and planning next steps. At the end of the day, I tend to spend too much time in reflection. This is my natural default system. I prefer to remember the adrenaline of the steer story. I prefer to tell the story rather than learn from it.

Some changes have taken place. Mostly in the relationship building area of my life. I believe I am more present and living in the moment than ever before. I pray more in a relational way and am less distracted. I find myself being thankful. I gaze out the windows each morning and thank God for the new day and our beautiful place in the woods. I ask to be present, aware and willing to accept the challenges of the day. I hang around our handicapped daughters room a little longer, converse a little more and tend to her potential needs beyond the immediate ones. I spend more time with my wife, enjoy small talk as well as deeper conversation. The other day I found myself enjoying a longer than normal grocery store line. I found myself getting to know some strangers. That was…different!

Gary

Super Cooled

Posted on by Gary Fultz
sunlight through clouds 2eml
The Sun Shines through even on an old life battered, seemingly barren tree (even me)

I have often thought: “what causes the first frog to croak, or the first cricket to sound off, the first wolf to begin it’s blood curdling moan and all the others join in?

A friend of mine talked about walking out on the dock one frosty late fall morning. The lake was evidently “super cooled.” The moment he stepped onto the dock the vibrations triggered the whole lake to instantly freeze over in a thin layer of ice. The sound of snap, crackle and pop of a lake freezing over in a couple of seconds will be indented in his memory forever. What causes the first molecule of water in the lake to freeze come winter to ice over the lake in a few moments?

What causes a whole congregation to lift up a raucous praise to the Lord or a moan before the throne in one accord? What causes my eyes to lift to the Lord in a burst of heartfelt praise from depths of my soul? Maybe, when the sun peeks out in my Life after a long storm? When a prayer is answered to my relief? When something works out? When…?

This morning my heart was “super cooled” in a good way. I was ready in my spirit to Praise my Lord and Savior and voice what was in my heart. May all God’s people be ready in their own hearts to join in. May the world hear our sound of unified praise. Oh, it’s not the song leader or the praise band in church. It’s God’s people whose hearts are “super cooled” and ready to break loose in praise, in loving God through a kind spontaneous act or smile or something creative. It’s something God has prepared in you because you have been walking with HIM. Daily.

That’s it. Our walk with God in obedience. Our Hope in Christ. Our Love for one another. Our eye’s fixed on Jesus as we run this race through life. Our morning coffee time in the Word and prayer. A prepared heart set for whatever life brings each day. Please someone, step on the dock of our little lake. God has “super cooled” my heart.

May we all be in the process of becoming “Super Cool” before the throne.

Ready for God’s Day? Every day that is today is God’s Day. The Son is peeking!

Gary

For Reasons. Some Unknown

Posted on by Gary Fultz

Today, I will pack up the rest of the house to move 5 hours away to a foreign familiar land. The place where I grew up and lived over half of my life. The last couple months of this transition I have taken to heart Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”  

I had asked God for some type of sign that I really should move back home and begrudgingly put the house up for sale. 48 hours later it was sold. It’s hard to do 2 out of 3 on that one but I wanted another sign. “God, would you go ahead of us and help us to follow?” was our household prayer.

On one of my moving expeditions with a huge trailor, a rainbow double was beside the truck for an hour. I stopped at a side road and took this picture. Iroically, when we had moved with the company I worked for almost 7 years ago, a rainbow was arched over the building I would call my work place. I guess we have had several rainbows (literally) in our decision making life.

roads end rainbow eml

“Ok Lord, you got this..

Whenever I wish I could see around the next corner of life, I am reminded

Jesus has gone ahead. He summons. Lets follow.

Gary

Always Amazed

Posted on by Gary Fultz

I’ve been waiting for the perfect time to take spring pictures, knowing the best time is when I can. When I will. When I do. Like all important things.

This morning I walked out the front door with the camera and started taking pictures of whatever seems to tickle my fancy and seems poised for the occasion. 

I was reminded how absolutely amazing life is. The beauty of living things has such a stark contrast to what is dead. 

 
From the Chickadee gathering nest material, the blades of grass moving with a breeze,  to the flowers I didn’t identify, the yard was alive. Amazing how I just take this all for granted and it’s right outside the house.

Did you notice all the dead stuff?      I didn’t either.

This is an illustration of eternity you know. When someone or something dies they are gone and the signs they ever lived begin to fade away. 

I found a very symbolic picture of death, old growth and new growth. It’s always challenging to me when I see the new growth on the ends of trees especially. It makes me ask “am I growing?” Mentally, physically, socially and spiritually, “am I growing?”

old seed cone new growth eml
The old spruce cone is dead, decaying. Seeds inside still. See this years new growth? soft, silky while the old growth is stiff and prickly. “Am I alive?  growing?”

 Consider what Jesus said about life and death:  And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:11-12

This is why it’s important to know Jesus. Don’t wait for the best time to believe and be a follower of Jesus. To be alive and not dead is everything. I took all these pictures today and I am amazed. Again.

By the way, my wife will let me mow the grass in a month or so and it will look like a well manicured lawn again…The flowers will grow back (that’s what I tell her).

Gary