This photo was taken at Kiawah Island, during a morning bike ride on the beach. I saw these birds from a distance and assumed (hoped) they would take flight as I approached. For me, there is something mesmerizing about watching birds fly just above the water. I think it is in part because it seems so effortless.
There is something special about watching something (or someone) doing what they were created to do.
We truly live in an Information Age! This photo was taken at Sweet Arrow Reserve near Bellbrook. I wanted to learn what this purple flower is. Lots of information pops up on the internet when you search “purple black eyed susan flower.” I found that this is a coneflower (Echinacea). Echinacea is a supplement used to “boost” the immune system, and there are numerous studies that show it may or may not have a beneficial effect.
We live in a time when it is relatively easy to find good information on so many different topics. But it is important to remember that there is still only one source of truth.
This photo was taken in June at Congaree National Park. If you look at the far edge of the water, you see that the water is a dark brown color. At first we assumed it was muddy, but when you approached the edge of the river you could see through the water very easily. We were told that the brown color was due to tannins from leaves and tree bark. It could be thought of as a River of tea!
Those around us have a profound effect upon us (and vice versa).
This photo was taken on Kiawah Island; this is where there used to be the Inn and small market. Now it looks looks somewhat desolate. What you see now is deceiving – there is no evidence of its past history. You also can not see that this part of the island is otherwise completely developed.
How much more complex the lives of those we encounter day to day.
This photo was taken at the northern end of the beach along Kiawah Island. Though I’ve been to Kiawah many times, I had never traveled this far up the beach. The beach has a very different look here, beyond the extent of the dunes.
Sometimes, God calls us to go beyond our comfort zone. Where we have never been. But God is there.
This photo was taken on Kiawah Island, near the northern end of the beach. I was surprised to see eagles because I couldn’t remember ever seeing them at Kiawah in the past. Plus, I was out biking and just happened to look over to the dune and see them standing there not too far away.
As I read about the distribution of bald eagles in the US, I was surprised to find out that they are year round residents of the Atlantic Coast. We recently returned from Alaska, another place the bald eagle resides year round. So I shouldn’t have been surprised (but I was) when I saw two on the beach near downtown Anchorage.
What makes for a surprise? The unexpected, of course but what separates the expected from the unexpected? We are surrounded by God’s gifts, how many do we take “for granted” and how many do we truly delight in?
This is a photo taken at Congaree National Park in June. These are cypress tree knees; their exact function is not certain but it is thought they add stability to the tree in soft muddy soil. A sort of support system.
As a think about these trees, I can’t help but reflect on my support system. Friends and family that I know I can rely on. I pray that I provide similar support for others.
O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory. Because Your lovingkindness is better than life.
Psalms 63:1-3
(Photo: Hoosier National Forest)
This is the photo that I took in May in the Twin Creek Park near Germantown. It may not be obvious, but there is a duck just to the right of center. The duck almost blends in except for its bright green head.
There are times that each of us would like to blend into our surroundings. But remember that God has given each of us a gift and we are to be a light on a stand, a city on a hill. Or even a duck on the water.
We encountered this tree on our hike in the New River Gorge. From a distance, I really couldn’t tell what it was. Only once I got closer could I see it was a tree. What makes a tree grow like this? Something obviously happened – lightning? Another tree falling on it? Maybe a person intentionally bent it.
People have a history we don’t always understand.
