Signs of Life

The main topic of conversation lately is the weather. Here it is the middle of March and it seems more like June. People blame it on everything form Global Warming to the Apocalypse. Only God really knows. What I do know is that Spring is early and there are many signs of life around us. A friend of our has several animals and she told me that they have several new babies right now. This week I took some time to travel around and simply take pictures of budding trees. It is amazing how beautiful buds can be. My main problem is that I don't have a clue about the names of the trees I take pictures of If you can help me put a name on the buds that would be great.

   The buds remind me of another sign of life, when someone trusts Christ as their Savior. New Life in Christ becomes evident as they grow and mature in Him. Others should be able to see the "buds of life" in our actions and attitudes. Keep Budding for Jesus!

Personality of Geese

What a strange winter we are having here in N.W. Wisconsin! What would usually be a cold and snowy March turns out to be almost 70 degrees and warm. Even the geese are taking advantage of the warm weather. Already they are migrating and hitting the local lakes. Down the road from us is Trego Flowage and a beautiful place to take photos of the geese enjoying themselves. Tonight, just before dark, I stood on the banks of the river and took pictures of the geese swimming, coming and going. I noticed that they have a personality much like humans. They congregate in small groups, swim together and they love to make noise. When one of them starts to honk, it isn't long before the whole group is yacking up a storm. They also get mad at each other, chew each other out and even attach one another. (They must think they are in church). Our amazing Creator not only gave them personalities and temperaments, but a truly mind blowing sense of timing and direction. You might say they have a built in GPS that makes ours seem like toys.

Storm of the year - so far!

Yesterday was quite the day with the most snow we have had all winter. As a Wisconsinite this is really not a big deal, or at least should not be. Today I took a drive to see what photos I could take of the snow. One of the things I noticed is that the storm painted one side of the trees with a beautiful white. You could definitely tell which way the wind was blowing. It also showed me what an amazing God and Creator we have to decorate our world with His majesty and beauty. How can we but stand in awe of Him when we see His greatness!!!  I have included a color copy and one in Black and white of each to show contrast.

The Mystery and Romance of Old Buildings

There is something mysterious about old buildings, especially if they are abandoned or even barely standing up. When I take a picture of these old trophies, I often wonder what they were like 50 or 60 years ago, how long have they been left to rot, who owned them and what did they use them for. I especially like the abandoned picture of the house, which was taken in Springbrook. Who lived there, did they have children, was it owned by a prominent citizen of the town, what was it like living there? These old buildings may not be much to look at, but they have a story and a history and have a beauty beyond words. I believe that when God looks at us He sees us in a way that people around us may not see. He sees a thing of beauty, because He sees us through His Son.

His Eye Is On the Sparrow

There is an old hymn that says, "His eye is on the sparrow and I know He cares for me..." The song is taken from Matthew 10:29, where is it says, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care." I was reminded of that today in a very special way. For the past few weeks we have been feeding the birds in our back and front yards and they have been eating my seeds like there is no tomorrow. I have noticed that when there is snow predicted they seem to go crazy and come by the dozens to eat. This morning, after it had snowed for a while, I was heading for the house, when I noticed a lone sparrow on the ground, just sitting there. I thought for sure that when I got close it would fly off - but it didn't. I stooped down and touched the bird. It just sat there, so I picked it up and held it in my hand and started to talk to it. For a few seconds it just sat in my hand and then it flew off. I don't usually get that close to wild birds. If God cared even for that lone sparrow, that was stunned, He definitely cares about us who are worth a whole lot more to him than a little sparrow. He cared enough to send His Son to die for us. Yes, His eye is on the sparrow! But more than that His eye is on us!

Clear Lake Swans

Last night at Camera Club one of the men mentioned that he had taken some pictures of swans at Clear Lake - Thanks Tom! This morning I decided to brave the 8 degree cold and take a trip to Clear Lake. I was not disappointed. I bundled up and prepared my camera and headed for the lake. When you look at the photos they seem a little foggy. That is not fog - It is frost coming off the lake. How these creatures of God can handle this bitter cold water, I have no idea. In 20 minutes I took over 200 photos and then got out of there to my warm car and turned on the heater. The ones I am posting are a few of the better ones. My body is still shivering, but it was worth the effort. Even the frost is a wonder of a great and Holy God!

First Day of 2012

There are a lot of predictions about this new year, 2012, but only God know just what this year will really bring. The only thing I know so far is that the year came in with a winter storm. To me that is not a bad thing but a thing of beauty. Although I don't love the slippery roads and extreme cold, I do love what snow does to the landscape. It is indeed a winter wonderland of God's creation. One day things can be brown and ugly and the next day everything is covered with a white coat of glorious snow! The Bible compares it to the covering of our sins by the blood of our our Savior. Isaiah 1:18
Today I took some time to travel around and take some pictures of the area, especially some of the lake. With the blue sky it makes a great contrast to the white ground and water. God is a whole lot better artist than I could ever be!