June Caedmon's Blog, page 58

Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 17:52

This past week went by in a flash. Which tells me that I need to slow down, and smell the roses.

So I’ve actually done a bit of that, and have some to share with you. I need your opinion. I’ve been playing with some non-manual modes on my camera. Taking a hint from my friend, Gail, I’ve been playing with different aperture settings. So, which do you like better the one on the right, or the one on the left? (These are SOOC, all I did was resize them in PS)

These are Knockout roses, which I love, but they do tend to grow like crazy and I did not prune my bushes when I should have. After reading up on proper care, I learned that you really can’t over prune these, so I shaped them up a bit this week. My motivation was, in part, to make room for some other plants. I had some milkweed, specifically butterfly weed, that I wanted to plant in front of them. I’ve tried in vain to find other varieties of milkweed here, so this weekend I ordered a “kit” from Monarch Watch. {You may or may not know that the Monarch population alone has decreased by 1/2 from what it was a year ago.} I’ll share more when my kit arrives - so excited!

Kitty was helping me arrange the blooms I cut off the bushes. {She’s such a good helper}

I’m reading the devotional While I’m Waiting by Laura Hodges Poole. God has been using it to speak deeply to me about faith. I found this quote inspiring from my reading this week.

My “office” is set up in the loft of our cottage. Directly across from the loft is a large window that looks out into the trees. It’s almost like living in a tree-house. Almost. Earlier this week I was “disturbed” by a series of calls and chatter and was delighted to find, although it was a bit difficult at first due to his coloring, this sweet Carolina wren sitting outside the window. If you’re interesting in hearing what I heard, you can listen here.

I’ve been working on my flower beds a lot this week and am always wary when I see these girls poking around. Time to spray the deer repellent again!

Chickadees are one of my favorite birds, and usually one of the most difficult to photograph. They are so fast! I was delighted to find two {a pair, I think} hanging out in my front yard one evening. I usually only see them in the side yard by the feeders. One had a sprig of cedar in his mouth, but he moved so fast, I didn’t see where he went with it. I’m hoping the pair are building a nest close by.

These are Carolina Chickadees, which look nearly identical to the northern black-capped chickadees. The shot below is my favorite, because of the way it shows his “beard” ! The sun had already set when I spotted these two, so the shots are a bit blown, but I’m happy to have them none-the-less.

Finally, I’m waiting for this monster to bloom so I can set up some butterfly shots! This thistle is 5ft high, growing at the edge of our side yard. The sweetest man in the world was kind enough to mow around it for me. Even though he says it’s a week. {smile}

It was a bit of a mish-mash this week, but I hope you enjoyed

seeing life through my lens.

What does your week look like?

Blessings,

June

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Published on April 22, 2015 07:10

Inspired by . . . the time of singing

May His word draw you, up and away into the bosom of His love.

kk_avery

Draw me away! We will run after you.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with a lovingkindness I have drawn you.

I drew them with gentle cords, with bands of love.

I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.

Behold, the Lamb of God!

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.

We love Him because He first loved us.

My beloved spoke, and said to me: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, and the vines with tender grapes give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!”

Shalom,

June

Verses referenced: Song of Sol. 1:4; Jer 31:3; Hos 11:4; John 12:32; John 1:36;

John 3:14-15; Ps 73:25; I John 4:19; Song of Sol 2:10-13

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Published on April 18, 2015 08:02

Inspired by . . . 51 shades of purple

I was outside the other day and heard a strange bird-call. Looking up, I saw the bird, but it was flying too high for me to identify. The call sounded familiar, but I couldn’t place it at the time.

About fifteen minutes later . . .

. . . the Scissor-tail Flycatchers arrived!

Last year, we had a single pair nest here and had two fledglings. You can read about them and see pictures of their babies here and here.

I was so delighted that they had returned!

You can imagine how my delight intensified when I realized they had returned with their babies, or at least brought along some friends! {I think that may be one of the babies above}

Yes, we now have five {!} Scissor-tail Flycatchers zooming around {eating all those nasty mosquitos!} !

It will be interesting to see how many nests we end up with this year - stay tuned! {last year the babies arrived toward the end of May}

I was watching a Texas Parks & Recreation program on PBS recently about shore birds. The ranger, whose job it is to count the shore birds along the coast of Mustang Island {Corpus Christi, TX}, said that to most of the people, the birds are just background noise. The people don’t even notice them.

The truth of that statement breaks my heart.

Birds aren’t background noise to me, they weren’t background noise to Jesus, and I’m guessing they aren’t background noise to you, either.

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? Luk 12:6

Do you ever think about the fact that God didn’t have to create the world the way He did. He could have just created “service” animals {cows for milk, chickens for eggs, etc.} or no animals at all, for that matter. He could have created humans that lived on air, without the need for outside stimulants or nourishment. He could have made a monochrome world. Or 51 shades of purple.

The joy of food and the delight of the eyes {both of which can bring us as much misery as blessing} would be unknown to us.

And you know what . . . we wouldn’t know any better.

Do you ever wonder why He made a thousand shades of green, or bothered with the detailed marking on the back of a carpet beetle, which is all but invisible to the naked eye?

Do you ever think about what His creation says about His character?

Ever since God created the world, His invisible qualities,

both His eternal power and His divine nature,

have been clearly seen;

they are perceived in the things that God has made.

So those people have no excuse at all! Rom 1:20

All month long, Barbie has been sharing The Attributes of God from A-Z on her blog, My Freshly Brewed Life. What a wonderful way to meditate on His Personhood. I encourage you to start here, make some notes, maybe take your journal and your bible out into His creation and reflect on what He wants to teach you about Himself through nature.

I love to think of nature as an unlimited broadcasting station,

through which God speaks to us every hour,

if we will only tune in.

~George Washington Carver

Tuning in is the key that opens the door.

Jesus is waiting on the other side.

Listen! I stand at the door and knock;

if any hear my voice and open the door,

I will come into their house and eat with them,

and they will eat with me. Rev 3:20

Blessings,

June

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Published on April 15, 2015 02:10

Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 16:52

I love this time of year with it’s perfect temps and increased daylight. All of which = increased time spent outdoors.

If it wasn’t for the rain, my house would never get cleaned.

Seriously, if I had my druthers I would live outside, specifically in a tree. Yes, a tree house is dream of mine.

Someday.

Late last week I posted pictures of our glorious red, white and bluebonnets! As well as some other roadside wonders.

Today, I’d like to take you on a walk around my humble abode and show you what’s blooming here.

I was delighted to learn that these sweet little blooms are Wild Garlic.

I spotted this False Nightshade while chasing . . .

. . . and capturing, this Checkered White butterfly.

These guys really flit around - you have to be very sneaky, and have a good zoom to catch them! Can you see how his {or her?} body looks almost blue-ish? They are so pretty!

I also saw this Painted Lady.

While I was chasing butterflies, Kitty was doing what she does best.

Hiding out and annoying the Mockingbird. Poor guy. I’m sure he was hoarse by the time we headed for home.

We have Prairie Verbana everywhere. Some may consider it common. I disagree.

Here are a couple of other “commoners” that I find extra-ordinary. The Prairie Fleabane and . . .

. . . what I think is Slender Stem Bitterweed, in an image I shared on Sunday.

The scripture is from 1 John 5:4 and the truth of it is something that I am learning more deeply and more profoundly each day.

The sweet Phoebe was there to welcome Kitty and I home.

I’m pretty sure the pair are nesting again this year. They have stopped waking me up every morning with their mating calls, so I think we are into the next phase, egg laying. I hope to be around for the fledging! Their nest is tucked up under the eaves at the back of the cottage. There’s no way for me to get a picture of the babies in the nest without upsetting mom and dad. {learned that last year} So I have to be content to wait until the little ones start flying around.

My favorite wildflower, the Blue-eyed Grass, wasn’t blooming for some reason. All the little blossoms had closed up. It was a little cool, so that may have been the reason.

So for the finale, the Grey Virvain. A sweet little flower, easily overlooked. So dainty and precious, they’re worth looking out for.

Dear friends, my prayer for each of you today

is that you will pause to experience

God in His creation.

And that in doing so,

you may find peace.

Shalom,

June

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Published on April 13, 2015 16:32

Inspired by . . . thoughts on faith

God has been teaching me a lot about faith. Sometimes He speaks through His word, sometimes He speaks through circumstances, and sometimes He speaks through His children.

I believe faith grows, when given the proper conditions, and I believe those conditions look an awful lot like worries

and sorrows and grief and pain and long, dark stretches where God is nowhere to be found.

I don’t know why it works like that.

I don’t know why it can’t be that faith grows best in sunshine.

Perhaps it’s because if a thing is to grow well it needs roots that reach down deep and that hold on tight,

and all that root-growing takes place in the dark, dormant, worm-infested underbelly of the crust of the earth—

places the light of day just can’t reach.

I think, perhaps, the evidence of faith blooms in the sunlight as soft,

vibrant petals that clap and cheer.

But, the hard-won growth that matters and that holds,

is the growth that happens in the dark. – Deidra Riggs

Blessings,

June

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Published on April 11, 2015 19:54

Inspired by . . . red, white and bluebonnets

As I write this, the heavens are rumbling, the sky is flashing and the clouds are sending down their sweet nectar to water our earth. Processing these images to share with you has been a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dreary day.

The sweetest man in the world and I took a quick trip over to Brady, Texas last week and what an adventure it was! My senses are still reeling from the experience. I’m thinking about getting a sign for the back of our truck that reads, “I break for EVERYTHING!”

Seriously, I was like a kid in the candy store, times ten! Texas is really putting on a show this year! {and yes, I am that person laying on her belly in a field of wildflowers!}

All that rain we had {and complained about} this winter - well, we are reaping the blessing, friends!

Bluebonnets

Texas Paintbrush

I wrote about bluebonnets here last year, and if you’re interested in learning about the different varieties of the Texas state flower you can find the post and my pictures here.

This photo isn’t great. The fires burning in Mexico were really affecting our air quality that day. But I wanted to show you what our roadsides look like right now. It’s just a carpet of color.

Breathtaking.

There is a lesson for me here, in the abundance of the wildflowers.

A promise fulfilled.

A blessing given.

“I have learned that faith means trusting in advance

what will only make sense in reverse.” ~Phillip Yancey

And then there were these:

kk_gifted

Thank you to Wildseed Farms for the beauty you harvest and propagate!

You can read about the maroon bluebonnets here and here.

"Little things seem nothing,

but they give peace,

like those meadow flowers which

individually seem odorless

but all together perfume the air."

~ Georges Bernanos

Shalom,

June

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Published on April 10, 2015 07:00

Inspired by . . . the veil

The hardest part of Holy week, for me, is Friday.

I can barely get through a reading of the Gospel accounts of His betrayal, the mockery of the court, the beatings and, finally, the crucifixion of our Lord.

Can I read of Judas’ betrayal and not question my own heart?

Can I read the shouts of the crowd to, “Crucify!” and not remember that shouts of “Hosanna!” that came from those same lips just a few days before, and not be ashamed?

Can I read of Pilate’s cowardice, and not be filled with disgust?

Can I read of the mockery and the beatings, and not be filled with sorrow, horror and fear over the injustice?

If I let the words paint a picture in my mind, if I take them to heart and think upon these things, I am undone.

Yet, I force myself to read. And that is good. Because I need to feel these things. I need the hardness of my heart to be broken in grief, and in sorrow.

I need to feel His death.

Because He died for me.

But I also need to read because there are still things God wants to teach me. No matter how many times I’ve read these words, He has something new, something more to say.

Jesus again gave a loud cry and breathed His last.

Then the curtain hanging in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The earth shook, the rocks split apart, the graves broke open, and many of God's people who had died were raised to life.

They left the graves, and after Jesus rose from death, they went into the Holy City,

where many people saw them.

When the army officer and the soldiers with Him who were watching Jesus saw the

earthquake and everything else that happened, they were terrified and said, "He really was the Son of God!"
Mat 27:50-54

I wonder if those grieving at the foot of the cross were aware of the miracles that accompanied our Savior’s death. The Roman soldiers believed. But they did not understand.

Can you imagine the chaos in the temple that day, as the Jews preparing for the Sabbath witnessed the veil tear in two? This was no small curtain. The veil was, "fine twined linen, with Cherubims of cunning work,” a substantial tapestry that could not be torn by human hands. The veil separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies. A place where only the High Priest could enter, and even then only once a year. The High Priest entered, carrying the blood of the sacrifice, offered for his sin and the sins of the people.

The significance of this miracle is immense. Worthy of our time to study and meditate upon.

In the Pursuit of God, Tozer writes about the journey of the soul from the wilds of sin into the Presence of God and how this is beautifully illustration in the Old Testament tabernacle. Of the veil, he writes:

“this rending of the veil opened the way for every worshipper in the world to come by the new and living way straight into the divine Presence.”

Some of my favorite passages in Hebrews speak of this uncomprehendable reality.

We have this hope as an anchor for our lives. It is safe and sure,

and goes through the curtain of the heavenly temple into the inner sanctuary.

On our behalf Jesus has gone in there before us and has become a High Priest forever, in the priestly order of Melchizedek.
Heb_6:19-20

He opened for us a new way, a living way, through the curtain---that is, through His own body.
Heb_10:20

Direct access to God. Being in His divine Presence. The thought overwhelms me. I am so unworthy - you cannot truly stand in His presence and feel anything else.

Unlike the priest, I don’t come bearing the blood of goats or bulls. So what do I bring? What can I possibly bring?

Nothing.

There is nothing in my life, nothing material, or immaterial that I could offer God that would redeem the sin in my life.

Nothing.

This truth descends upon me like a cloak of despair.

But just as quickly, another truth, this truth . . .

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Rom 6:23

. . . falls like a sweet summer rain.

The blood of Jesus rains down, cleansing, redeeming, restoring.

The blood of Jesus is what I bring into His Presence.

The blood of Jesus is the only thing I can bring that He will accept, the only currency that will pay my debt.

Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:57

Victory because Friday wasn’t the end of the story.

We can endure through the dark hours of Saturday,

because Sunday dawns.

It is bright with Hope.

It is bright with Victory.

He Is Risen.

He Is Risen, indeed.

Blessings on your Easter,

June

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Published on April 04, 2015 08:23

Inspired by . . . Life thru My Lens 14:52

Well, it’s been an eventful week. In photos, at least.

I seem to find the most interesting animals in parking lots. You may remember my porcupine experience last August, at the local Whataburger. Well, the sweetest man in the world and I were leaving our favorite restaurant the other day, and I spotted this little guy across the parking lot.

The sun had already set, so it’s not the best picture. But it’s true what they say, the Killdeer are indeed a shorebird you can see without going to the beach! We actually have these on our property quite often, and someday I hope to share with you a better shot!

Speaking of that sun that was setting, I shot this on the way out . . .

I mentioned last week that the Hummingbirds are back. I just love spending time with these little wonders. Consider yourself duly warned, you will likely see pictures of them here on this blog, weekly, at the least!

Here is a series I shot of a female, pretty sure it’s a Black-chinned Hummingbird, as I haven’t seen any Ruby-throated males yet this year. The females of both the black-chinned and the ruby-throat are nearly impossible to tell apart.

This little gal seemed almost as interested in me as I was in her. What I love about these captures is the detail of her feathers.

We had a bit of excitement on Sunday, when I got a call that some peacocks had been spotted on the property. Did I want to get some pictures of them? Does a bear have hair? LOL

These aren’t the best shots. With the wind gusts of 20mph, and the birds not really interested in posing for me, getting a crisp shot was impossible. But I wanted to share them with you none-the-less.

Their jeweled necks simply glowed in the sunlight. I was hoping for the coveted tail shot, but I guess they were too nervous to do any fanning. These are big birds and I wasn’t interested in provoking them!

Here is a link to a pretty cool, interactive series on fancy males that Cornell put together. It really is worth checking out: http://biology.allaboutbirds.org/features/fancymales/fancy-males

The moon has been rising in the afternoon and I was able to get this shot of it waxing gibbous, about 79% illuminated a couple of days ago.

I think a lot of my shots could benefit from the use of a tripod. I’m in the market for one, if any of you have any recommendations or insights, please share in the comments.

That’s my week.

What have you seen through your lens this week?

Blessings,

June

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Published on March 31, 2015 06:55

Inspired by . . . The Triumphant Entry: A Palm Sunday Reflection

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!

Behold, your king is coming to you;

righteous and having salvation is he,

humble and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zec 9:9

Reading Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem always leaves me with mixed emotions. I wonder if Jesus felt the same. Not to say that I can identify with Him, but because He can identify me.

He knows what is in the hearts of men. He knows my heart.

But Jesus on His part did not entrust Himself to them,

because He knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man,

for He Himself knew what was in man. Joh 2:24-25

I rejoice over the picture of Jesus riding on a young colt. To see Him coming in humble majesty fills my heart with JOY. I can picture His mother watching. Thinking of another time, years before, when she bore Him on the back of a donkey.

Despite the shouts of the crowd, Jesus still comes quietly.

This is no picture of a conquering king.

And yet that is what the people wanted. That is what God's people have always wanted. {1Sa_8:5-6} I wonder if that's why their hearts turned so quickly against Him. They wanted a king to rule them, to save them from the Romans.

But Jesus came to save them from themselves.

kk_tuesday

He comes the same way today.

It pains me to know that the same crowd that shouted, "Hosanna!" on this day, shouted, "Crucify him!" just a few days later. It pains me because I love Him. and because I know if I'm not careful, I can do the same.

For us, Palm Sunday is all sunshine and shouts of praise. But as our Savior rode into the city, He saw the shadow of a scourged and beaten man carrying a cross pass by. A man Whose heart was heavy with the sting of rejection, and Whose ears heard cries of hatred.

This account, found in all four gospels, reminds me to be careful. It reminds me to question the motives of my fickle, human, heart.

Am I looking for a King when I really need a Savior? Do I reject the blessing when it doesn't look the way I thought it would?

These are good questions to ponder. Questions that shed Light in dark places.

Because just as Jesus died and rose again, there are things in our lives that have to die before we can take up our cross and be made more like Him. Luk_9:23

In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Heb_12:4

As we travel the road to the cross this week,

may our steps take us deeper into the

heart of our Savior.

Shalom,

June

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Published on March 30, 2015 02:57

Inspired by . . . a month in photos: March

March has been a lion! And with only two days left this month, I’m hoping it does indeed go out like a lamb. Looking back over the month, I can see why I’m so tired.

I wanted to post this yesterday. But we were gone all day, and so here I am posting on Palm Sunday when I should be talking about other things. Events that happened over 2000 years ago, that I’m processing anew today. So I’ll write about them later. And maybe that will be okay.

March was, again, a month of settling into the new. Accepting grief. Learning it’s boundaries. Testing them. I know that makes it sound like a tangible thing.

Some days it is.

But March was also a month of digging deeper with God. Using His word as the Lamp on my path. Continuing the journey.

Finding JOY. Every day. Deliberately seeking it out.

Spring arrived somewhere along the way. I reJOYice as I watch God dress-up His world in new frocks of green, and paint the roadsides and meadows with orange, blue and yellow. He’s still hard at work, He has only just begun.

So here is March. From ice crystals to the return of the Hummingbirds.