About 2011

I began this blog January 2010 to use as a time of devotion and meditation. I love the insights I get from the photo's I have taken - showing God's world in a way we often just walk by without a second glance.

Often when I ponder a photo, a scripture or song or quote comes to mind, making me think a little deeper. And so in 2010 I thought I would try to post every day - 1 photo, 1 scripture, and one quote. Well I did it! With the help of God I am sure - every morning I was able to bring those three elements into a project that, for me, helped me to think and worship my King.

As 2011 begins, I find, even though I was scared, 1 year ago thinking, "How will I ever come up with 365 posts and not miss a day?" I am not ready to give this up. But I am not going to constrain myself this year. I do plan on posting 1 photo everyday in 2011. I do plan on giving this project once again to God and allowing Him to work thru me. Perhaps it will have a quote, perhaps a scripture, perhaps a song lyric, but I am not going to put constraints on myself this year. I want to Honor God and His creation, and draw closer to Him in all I do.

I hope you will join me in the journey!

365/365

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT: Intelligent Expressions 2011

also

all of the INTELLIGENT EXPRESSIONS 2010 posts can now be found:

Intelligent Expressions on Flickr

It is very overwhelming for me to see all of the posts in one place.

God surely has blessed me to be able to accomplish

this task in such a way as to bring honor to Him.

Thank you for all of your encouragement. I hope you will join me for 2011!

364/365

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT ABOUT: Intelligent Expressions 2011

also

all of the INTELLIGENT EXPRESSIONS 2010 posts can now be found:

Intelligent Expressions on Flickr

It is very overwhelming for me to see all of the posts (except for today and tomorrow) in one place. God surely has blessed me to be able to accomplish this task in such a way as to bring honor to Him. Thank you for all of your encouragement. I hope you will join me for 2011!

363/365

What is coming for Intelligent Expressions 2011

362/365

WHAT'S COMING IN 2011

361/365

360/365

359/365

Merry Christmas!

358/365

This quote is from another of my favorite songs, "Here With Us" sung by Joy Williams

Some of the lines are so amazing to think about:

It's still a mystery to me That the hands of God could be so small, How tiny fingers reaching in the night Were the very hands that measured the sky Hallelujah, hallelujah Heaven's love reaching down to save the world Hallelujah, hallelujah Son of God, Servant King, You're here with us You're here with us It's still a mystery to me, oh, How His infant eyes have seen the dawn of time How His ears have heard an angel's symphony, But still Mary had to rock her Savior to sleep Chorus Hallelujah, hallelujah Heaven's love reaching down to save the world Hallelujah, hallelujah Son of God, Servant King Here with us You're here with us (Ohh, mmm, here with us) Bridge Jesus the Christ, born in Bethlehem A baby born to save, to save the souls of man Chorus (2x) Hallelujah, hallelujah Heaven's love reaching down to save the world Hallelujah, hallelujah Son of God, Servant King You're here with us You're here with us

Here is a video using the song:

357/365

Did you ever wonder - if we would still collect manger scenes if they were like the real one. Ours are always clean and neat - some are sparkly and richly painted - and yet the reality was a crude and dirty animal home. I wonder if it was cold?

Since we don't really know the date of this great event (or season) and I am not familiar with the climate in that area - I often wonder ... were they cold? Were they hungry?

I know women have been "birthin' babies" since Eve - but it brings tears to my eyes when I think of a young teenage girl, with her new husband, who had kept her pure thru out her pregnancy . . . delivering the Savior of the world. I delivered 3 babies (they were 10lbs 10oz, 10lbs even and 7lbs 15.5oz) and I know, I would not have survived out in a stable all alone with only my husband to help me thru the delivery process - and he is not a carpenter but a farmer who was brought up around animals and such things.

But we can't lose sight of the fact that God was in the midst - and he was not going to let anything happen to them, that he didn't want to happen. He had a plan for this Son of His. A plan that includes you and me - and all of his children.

As we approach our Day of Celebration - I pray that God will be in the midst of your gatherings and festivities. I pray we keep our eyes on Him, Who He is and What He has done - more so than the gifts under the tree and the treats on the tables.

May God be glorified thru our celebrations and in our lives.

356/365

my prayer . . .

355/365

Every once in a while - I get the feeling I was 'directed in someway' in the creation of these posts. No, I didn't hear a specific word or voice - but as I fiddle around with different things, reading scripture and quotes - changing photos - I am often amazed at how they turn out.

I didn't like this one to start out. I had a photo of a sparrow on a green background. I know I wanted to stick with a "birth of Christ' theme - and so I decided ... haphazardly (or so I thought) ... to use the scripture from Matthew - kind of thinking about the wise men. Eleanor Roosevelt's quote came next - as I thought about how often we give gifts truly from our hearts - but realize there are a few who could take a lesson in how to give a gift. I put the words on a red background. "Very Christmasy" Red and Green. But it wasn't working.

The bird photo wasn't quite making it work - so I thought I would look for another ornament shot. This is a little gold plated manger scene that hangs on our tree. We put a yellow light up thru the bottom and it gives it a pretty glow. I like the way the shadows came thru in the photo - and so put it next to the words in the project. I fiddled a bit with the colors and it was complete.

Jesus Christ - the greatest gift of all - did not come with trumpets blaring - in fact most of the world missed His coming and many are still waiting for His first arrival. But he did arrive in a dirty cave of a stable - with the smell of animal dung - being laid in a feeding trough - to a man and a woman known by few, whom God chose specifically for this purpose. HE was an amazing gift - given on a dark night in a strange and lowly place.

Eleanor Roosevelt's quote is a good one as we look at how God gave the greatest gift to the neediest of people - us - we should take a lesson from that!

I hope as we lead up to Christmas Day, that you are able to take some time to focus on the gift of all gifts - given by our creator - to enable a restoring of a relationship with Him. I am struggling a bit - still having to work this week - and having so much to do - these moments in the morning - seem to ground me - in what really matters.

Praying they do the same for you.

354/365

353/365

Please continue to be in prayer for the Zwart Family (link)

352/365

351/365

Please pray for the Zwart Family - as this family of 5 shares their last precious moments with their dad and husband.

350/365

349/365

348/365

The quote: "I want to be evergreen" is from a song by the group called Switchfoot.

Although I like the melody, I am not so sure I understand

where he is going with the words.

But what I take away from the song - is that

I would like to live my life "ever true"

to the One who has given me life -

to the one who gave His life for me.

He is ever true

He is evergreen

and I want to strive to give that back to Him.

347/365

346/365

Sorry I have been late in posting the last couple of days. Holiday craziness, and my youngest son's crazy sports schedule, I guess. And with the last few days - we have had lots of rain that has melted the snow, making everything is rather drab, brown muddy and non appealing for picture taking. Tomorrow all this water is suppose to turn ice - due to a cold front coming our way. Perhaps some glistening icicles will be in our future.

345/365

344/365

I know the RR quote is kind of strange - but it made me think, as I looked at this photo, of how many folks (me being one of them - just a few years ago) haven't the foggiest idea of there being such an awesome variety of birds. Every single one has a uniqueness about it - singular in it's own way. Brightening up the world - in it's own special way ...

Just like people!

343/365

342/365

341/365

340/365

Too often, I find myself thinking of winter here in the Northeast as colorless - and often it is very black and white. But if I take a really good look - even on the bleakest days - there is color that abounds.

No it isn't the bright pinks and yellows of summertime, that I love so much, but colors a bit more muted. In the photo above I could look at the snow and the sky and be bummed - but then the branches of the willow trees - stand out at me saying, "wait you forgot about me."

If we are always looking at the hard spots - we forget to find the way out . . .

I love Oswald Chambers quote above - we need to keep our eyes on HIM!

Keep trusting ... have faith ... and above all honor the King!

Thanks for all the encouragement yesterday. I appreciate all of you!

339/365

Another lesson I wish I could take to heart and make it a part of who I am.

I am a fly off the handle, go crazy, lose my temper, get frustrated, way too easily kind of person. Perhaps that is why I like the calm of the early morning, when everyone is asleep and nothing disturbs me. And I love the silence and stillness of a freshly fallen snow. This is a SOOC (in color) shot (with the exception of adding the words) of my backyard Saturday (yesterday) morning. The snow blankets everything in a little cocoon of black and white stillness, it is all quiet and calm -

How I pray for my heart and my mind to be still and know - that God is God.

He is in control, He loves my kids more than I do, and if He can let go and let them make their own choices, then I have to do the same, no matter how hard it is.

My heart breaks as I watch them making the choices that they do . . .

Today I am praying God will give me the strength to keep praying for them and to cling to the knowledge that He wants none to perish. I continue to cling to the wisdom of Proverbs 22:6 and pray God will bring someone into their lives that will bring them to the realization that God is the One worthy of devoting your life too - in all ways.

338/365

337/365

336/365

335/365