As if we need another reason to stand in awe of God’s creativity. This moth is mesmerizing.
Out of the hundred different kinds of hummingbird moths, this is the “White-lined sphinx” moth (according to my brother who looked it up).
While attempting to photograph this late summer moth on our back deck, I discovered this very unique insect can move from flower to flower very fast, zip around corners and instantly hover as well as any hummingbird I have seen. Its face resembles an owl and it’s straw like limber tongue for sipping nectar is very long but can be retracted. In one picture it looks like its tongue is wrapped around his wing (it’s not)…that would hurt.
Click on any picture to enlarge.
And, yes, the purple petunias are amazing as well.
Those who have walked with God deeply tell us that creation in comparison is a small drop of water should God be like the oceans. Our finite minds need a reference point as an infinite God doesn’t compare to anything finite. So, here I am, thanking God and sharing a few mesmerizing moments.
This week I have watched the wonder and beauty of a snow storm. I took pictures until they all looked the same. Snow looks like snow. Always wonderful, bright and dazzling, alarmingly deadly at some point. I will plow out our drive this morning for the third time.
One snowflake at a time, millions perhaps, until a bough breaks or a tree snaps. Oh the weight of carrying all those snow flakes. How can a few snowflakes be responsible for breaking a tree?
One sweet bite at a time, an ounce on the lips, a pound on the hips. What??? Mirror mirror on the wall, a look of appall.
One word at a time, nibbling at the spirit of a spouse, until something breaks inside. Oh the damage of nibbling words. How can a few words be responsible for a broken marriage?
One tiny slip at a time, a stray thought, a loose word, actions and reactions change gradually. Sin is like that. Why is my spirit heavy? The weight of life is a season I guess. I drift as the winds blow. I once was blind and now again. Some say I don’t know it. I say I’m OK.
This long winded storm alone is a book of insights and parallels to life. I was just reminded of various progressions that seem to flirt with us, dazzle the mind, fleeting beauty, weigh down, break the weak in nature and overstay it’s welcome.
Our deck Christmas trees are still standing.
I love snow. The pure white blanket is mesmerizing. A little snow is good for the soul but not for the road (like a bit of wine?). It’s fun to look out the windows from a warm house and see the beauty. The little dog Buddy thinks it’s fun to be thrown in the snow and disappear as long as he is rescued quickly (the leash helps find him).
I’ll post some of these pictures on unsplash for free down load (just look up unsplash@garyfultz) they will be larger format. I have found using the “gallery” feature in word press is friendlier to cell phones as well as computer screens. I don’t know why but when using a slide show feature, every click counts as a view in your stats which in my view tells a wrong story but that’s how it works. Click on any picture to enlarge and use the slide show buttons. The captions give context.
I decided to rescue some trees from their weight of snow, especially the ones who were bent over so far they could break. Isn’t that the Christmas story? God becoming human starting out as a baby to experience everything human except the breaking weight of sin. I can just kick a tree to relive the weight of snow (at some cost). Jesus died (really big cost) to pay for and remove our weight of sin should we accept that invitation.
I did put my hood up to kick the second tree…fast learner here.
“Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. … Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest Matthew 11:28 (Jesus).
I wanted to show you a header picture I took this week. You had to be there to appreciate the full beauty and grit of an Iris flower growing in a foot of water and high grass. The dynamics and lighting were astounding. The color contrasts were worth staring at for a long time. Several species of bugs were attracted enough to have a steady stream of insect visitations. Then I tried to take a picture and capture the scene, the mood, the color and light and insects. I fell as close as one might fall in love for a wild flower as a picture taking artist-writer.
You may have just looked at the picture and said to yourself “hmm, nice picture”, if you like pictures of flowers. A whole lot of something(s) were lost from my experiencing the flower to your experience seeing a picture worth quite a few words (by my estimation). We just experienced this natural law; “The second law of thermodynamics states that as energy is transferred or transformed, more and more of it is wasted.” My emotional experience transferred to a photograph and words to you have lost about 95% of it’s energy. More than that if I cannot find good words to bring it together.
Simply translated: I write about an awesome experience or insight the world needs to hear about and the reader says “hmm, nice thoughts”. I take two hours or two weeks on a perfect fantastic picture which conveys the essence of nature in it’s fullest beauty. Someone looks at it and says “Oh, nice.” Yep, lost a ton of energy from the creator to the rest of the world.
So, let me add something to the picture (as I took more than one). I may get an “oh my, would you look at that” on this next picture of the same flower. Or not.
See the eye? You didn’t know flowers have eyes did you?
Now I have lost your interest in the flower and my flower picture is about the eye looking back at you. You are totally distracted. It’s a really good picture though and will probably be worth more words to everyone except botanical people. So what am I writing about here? Oh ya, how much energy is lost from writer to reader? About 99.9%
One more example from this weeks pictures. I took 20 pictures of this Barred owl placing it’s self in the same tree as nesting robins. our whole backyard was full of bird protesters of every small species incited by the robins. I named the spot beside the raspberries “Cacklephonia.” Seemed fitting.
Seems innocent enough. and yes, I got close.
I experienced these pictures in real time. I spent an hour attempting to shoot pictures I couldn’t get from the ground while listening and watching dive bombing birds at the big owl. The owl would merely mew softly like a cat while giving me “the look” everyone sums up in one word “who?” My point exactly made by a friend “that’s an owl”
If a picture worth a thousand words can, at best, convey only a small percentage of the experience of being there, think how hard we as writers, artists and photographers have to work at communicating our thoughts, emotions and stories. How much work and talent does it take to make a difference?
In this light, think of how amazing this experience was for the world to conclude this about the disciples of Jesus? “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13
I cannot begin to imagine the powerful experiences (many recorded) these men had to effectively change the world. So powerful the pagan world around them was constantly being changed. The second law of thermodynamics doesn’t work on God. Jesus last words prove correct for the last 2000 years and the great artist and writers energy is transferred 100% with no loss of energy
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8
This challenges me to the core. I want to know and experience Jesus in such a way.
Lets keep growing…noticeably, and rely on his power.
Visible New Growth in a balsam
Gary
Psst…And the eye on the iris flower?? it’s a bumblebee.
The photographer in me never seems to be satisfied. I take a picture of the moon. It’s a good picture but it’s worth one word, not a thousand. Moon. I take a picture of fall leaves. Now I have doubled my words in a picture. Fall Leaves. I need more ingredients, different light, more context, well maybe I don’t know what I need. Something with depth, something that evokes questions, something that says there is a story worth finding here, something that shares or illustrates a concept or just looks so nice it’s worth blowing up and putting on the wall.
Which leaves do I look at? Somethings missing. Too many leaves. This picture is not enough by being too much. Less is more?
So, if I take a bunch of these, add some of this and that and put more variety into the picture, will I call it “enough”?
This is a better picture but I was taking a picture of autumn leaves, now it’s not about the leaves anymore. It’s autumn though.
Every added ingredient changes what the picture is about. I would like to take a picture of autumn leaves that would make people say “wow, autumn leaves” in other words “enough”. Maybe less is more and thus “enough”?
OK, we are getting there. Autumn leaves. not all are in focus so the eye is drawn toward a few yellow leaves and some brown and a red leaf on the same tree. Still too much to be “enough” ?Autumn leaves. Some fallen some still attached on a very young tree. There’s a story here. Life, death, winter preparation, Will the young tree winter well and some day have thousands of colorful leaves to display the glory of God it’s creator?
What is enough? Is it not being satisfied with what we have? Is it being content in whatever situation we find ourselves? Are we not like a picture to the rest of the world around us? What do they see? Too much of ourselves? Vain attempts at too much of God with words? Too much of deeds with no apparent explanation? When otherssee us do they see a story they want to hear?
I sure hope my life on display evokes the postures of others to lean in and hear a wonderful story. A changed life because of knowing Jesus as my creator and rescuer, as my friend and Lord, as my guide through life and as one who is more than “enough”.
Last night in the boat I was thinking about what makes a picture “enough”? What makes my life “enough”? I glanced up to see a large hawk land in a tree. I was a long ways away from the hawk and even further from the moon coming up. Low light and I’m in a rocking boat so the odds of a picture turning out were short of miraculous. For just a picture I’m going to call it “enough”.
He is watching the moon come up and keeping an eye on me trying to get closer.
I like to think my life is worth more than any picture could be. Too much (of me) is never enough when less of me (with Christ) is more.
You Tube Video Link (skip music and intro at 24 minutes into it) (Life is like that) 4 Points listed below.
I was asked to share my personal template for my walk with God to our little but mighty church in the north woods of Minnesota. At the very least you will enjoy a personal story at the beginning of my talk. you can skip the music and introductory remarks by starting at 23:53 Watch and listen here
The picture I had put on the screen (unseen in the video) was a hummingbird picture featured in my other blog where I tell how to shoot these kinds of pictures https://garyfultz.com/2021/06/29/fast-photo/
I outline my template for living and growing a personal relationship with stories and scripture. Our little u-tube set up is just a camera on a tripod taking sound from the speakers mic. It works for people who cannot make it to the church service.
Take a Walk
Have a talk
Get Right
Stay tight
I share my heart. I will admit to being a better fisherman than a rusty, sometimes crusty speaker. I felt it worth sharing with you, Some of my side comments have been influenced by recent blogs (possibly yours). Life has been hard lately so I have been off grid a lot. I will enjoy coming back. Till then, I encourage you to know Jesus more and more, no matter what life is like for you these days.
I have a constant running quest for details. The reason for this is my weakness for noticing the little things. I often don’t notice the small details. Who can see the trees while looking at the forest? who gets bogged down with the details while quoting John 3:16 as the overarching message of the gospel is contained in one verse? I was reading a good piece written by Mercy Oluokun (yep check her post out) this morning and mentioned to my wife that many books were written on one statement made in one of her pictures “We are blessed to be called His people…Joint heirs with Jesus Christ” The details of that statement are not only life changing but they are eternity changing for those who have stepped from unbelief into belief in our savior Jesus Christ.
Want a closer look? Lets look at some more detail.
I want to illustrate some details with photos I took this morning in a soft rain. Some of the small details are as follows. #1) In cloudy weather the sun cannot cast a shadow and the lighting is very even. Just try taking a photo on a sunny day of someone with a hat on. The hat shadows their face so much you cannot see it without using your flash.
#2) The lighting is often extremely good on a gentle rain day, beginning of day or end of day for the camera to pick up mirror images, reflections and the colors are deep and rich. Too much light washes out color, too little light and the color doesn’t burn into an image.
#3 No wind or a small wind makes a huge difference in how long you can set the exposure on a camera. The longer exposures will pick up even a minute movement. Reflection photos need time and depth of field to work well. Using a tripod always makes for better still shots.
#4 Water droplets hang wherever they can build up slowly and can contain a reflection of the whole world around them. They are like a 180 degree fisheye lens in miniature, and you can take a picture with the right camera, lens, light, setting.
Fencing wire in the back yard with rain drops containing trees Forest in a raindrop taken this morning My first dew drop picture containing a Black Eyed Susan patch
If the smallest of details are so important in photography, are the smallest of details important that make up my character? How about the way I do my job? parent? handle anger, money, unplanned time or social media? how many small details have to line up for me to reflect the character of Christ so others notice that detail? These are questions I ask of myself when thinking about the little details.
If you would go on a wilderness canoe trip with me and I take you to one of my favorite walleye and bass lakes in the spring, I would get very detail oriented on your fishing equipment very fast. You will need a white twister tail 1/8 oz lead head jig on 6lb test line medium action rod and a good reel with a working drag to catch trophy fish. If you do what I say you will catch a trophy fish. You need me to guide you to where the fish are but you will catch a trophy. I told my oldest grand daughter this and here is the picture
Yea, a trophy walleye
I (at first) entitled this post Little Much and More because when all the little things are lined up and working there is much to be gained and so much more coming. I thought of this when I saw these words “We are blessed to be called His people” The blessing was overwhelming when the kids were little and they wanted to know Jesus. Overwhelming when I would talk long distance to them in college and they would assure me with detailed stories of their following Christ. Overwhelming when we said final goodbye to each of our parents. Overwhelming when I see such a detailed raindrop ready to fall to the ground knowing God has seen fit to count me as a “joint heir” with his son when he could have left me as insignificant as a raindrop.
So here I sit, looking at photos of raindrops, worshiping and thanking God. I am overwhelmed
My dad was holding the ladder while a friend at the top was attempting to nail a spike joining two walls together. The man swung his hammer missing the big nail endlessly. Finally after several splinters flew from the beat up wood he looked down at my dad fairly embarrassed and said “I give up”. Dad chuckled a little as he said “I had a hammer like that once”.
I marvel often at how I so easily lose focus. I remember as a teen in a (just for fun) snowball fight with my girlfriend. I threw a snowball straight up in the air and while she tipped her head back and watched it I pasted her in the face (for any teens reading this, that’s a deal breaker for any long term relationship).
Today, it was cloudy and below freezing. Frost formed everywhere. A photographers dream or possibly nightmare playing with light and focus. I have often struggled to get my camera and various lenses to focus clearly where I wanted. Cameras do their own thing sometimes if you let them decide (autofocus). Some times the lens is just a smidge off. The photo looks nice as a broad stroke but it’s not truly in focus. You be the judge as I took a bunch of pictures. Truthfully, I’m getting better. Click for slide show as the whole picture may not be seen here.
Did you see the chickadee? I’m not sure how it can hold a piece of popcorn in his claws and grasp the branch at the same time. I tried to focus on his feet.
Focus, with a camera or in life is an intentional discipline. We just have to be aware of where our focus should be. One of my younger brothers was in an intramural basketball team in college. They had a “Prevent 100” defense, meaning their goal was to prevent the other team from scoring 100 points (true story). They accomplished this goal much to the dismay of some really good teams. To answer your question forming in your mind, no, I don’t think they won any games.
We were designed like a camera with fixed focus. If our focus is not on Jesus then nothing else in the big picture is really in focus. We focus on our circumstances to make them better. We focus on ourselves and it’s all about us. We focus on our family and then the kids move out and maybe follow the Lord (from my jaded youth director days…often not). Focus on our career and all we get is a career until it’s over. We were designed and commanded to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:33
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” Hebrews 12:2
When we get our focus properly on Jesus, it’s not very far down the road and we begin to see our neighbors through God’s eyes, and they need Jesus. We begin to grow weary of prayer meetings only praying for our friends and families aches, pains and life’s discomforts because people need Jesus. We intentionally begin to invest our time and resources toward areas helping people find and grow their relationship with Jesus. Perhaps they even go so far as to learn how to use a computer, find out how to navigate the internet and write a blog pushing people to fix their eyes on Jesus.
It’s raining said the farmer as he spit into the wind…(An old saying on the farm). Yes, it’s a perception saying.
I took the above picture in the wind on my regular camera settings for still shots. Not very clear is it? In fact I spent part of the afternoon taking high speed pictures and captured some excellent mediocre shots. My subject matter was all over the place, often in the same picture.
I think they all moved slightly
This brings me to some questions we must all ask ourselves if we claim to be people of faith. “Does the subject of your faith change? When you feel like your faith is on shaky ground is it because your faith is really on your circumstances? recent events? other people? your faith community? The cataclysmic event that just happened in your life? I took a picture of a rock in our yard. It doesn’t move in the wind. Awhile back I wrote on it but that’s another time (The rocks cry out one of my first blogs way back).
Here is the deal. When others see us, watch us and take a look at our faith. what people see is a blurred confusing image if the subject of our faith is not Jesus Christ. He is our Rock and our salvation. We are to fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith and put to the side everything that gets in the way Hebrews 12:2
When Our Faith is all on Jesus, others can still see Jesus through our storm.
I put together some pictures taken in high winds from this afternoon. They may not be perfect but each one was in a protected niche from most of the wind. God is our shelter, rock, provide, protector,and I could go on…You get the picture. (Click for slide show)
I imagine God shelters us in ways we do not even see or understand. Consider a few lines from the old hymn “He hideth My Soul”
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord A wonderful Saviour to me He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock Where rivers of pleasure I see
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock That shadows a dry, thirsty land He hideth my life in the depths of his love And covers me there with his hand (repeat)
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord He taketh my burden a-way He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved He giveth me strength as my day
One more thought: I put my camera on a tripod for getting clear pictures whenever I can. People who watch our lives to see if Jesus is real (and they do) often have enough things shaking their world as it is. Hey, who among us sees clearly? Let’s not present a moving target of faith for shaky people trying to get the picture.
When Our Faith is all on Jesus, others can still see Jesus through their storm.
Gary
Check out the video of the haven of rest quartet G.W posted in the comments section. “He Hideth My Soul”
I took a picture of a rock in our yard. It doesn’t move in the wind. Awhile back I wrote on it but that’s another time (
Gods Ways are...Different 