jam9663
ain
Member Since: May 11, 2006
 Subscriber Since: May 22, 2006
|
|
"Got to lie still....got to lie still!!!! Here comes that ‘claw’ thing again that took Bessie away...." Chester lay in wild-eyed terror certain he was going to be the next victim to fall into the clutches of the mechanical hand that fell far too frequently on those in the "pen".
I was walking around yesterday and came across this wonderful, beautiful place. It's a place many fear...a place that the majority of people talk about in hushed, solumn whispers. Yet it's a place that awaits us all. 
Gathering Place
It's a place where we measure a man or a woman's life with words and accolades...and sorrowfully, silently say goodbye, knowing that in a span of time we take our place in this great company. The Long Goodbye
For me, and those of you that have the knowledge of knowing "Who holds tomorrow", I look at this day as a day of rejoicing....a day of Jubilee...it's the day I get to walk in the garden...it's a day of reunion...it's the day I finally arrive "Home"...it's the day I get to see my "Father" face to face. Tree of Life.
I'm not trying to bum anyone out here...this is going to be a great "Day of Jubilee" and celebration.
While we were on our trip to Canada we were driving around out in the country and came across this in the woods. NASA has been looking for this for years and has never been able to find it. It disappeared about the same time as D.B. Cooper. We may never know what happened to D.B. Cooper but at last we have uncovered this mystery for NASA...the "Canooks" have cleverly disguised it to the point where it no longer resembles the proud bird it once was.
I think that one of the reasons that things like this go on up there...is because the citizenry is forced to watch the Red Green Show on public TV and because there is too much Pot on the beaches.
With all that's been going on with my mom and the hectic balancing act that comes with that, I forgot to post some pictures of our trip to Vancouver, BC. We went to see Phantom of the Opera at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and spent our afternoon walking around the town prior to the show. What a beautiful city! Whenever we got lost and had to ask for directions we were surprised at how easily we were able to pick up the language. Eh?
This was the view from our B&B at night....(BTW this is my first ever night shot) Vancouver at night
And this is the view from our room in the morning...Vancouver in the morning
I promised yesterday I would lighten up a little bit so....this being toward the end of summer and the beginnings of the harvest time I saw these apples and thought I would shoot them.There's just about enough "stuff" here for a "fruit" salad....
I saw this lady walking down the street the other day and I couldn't help but think that even in our old age we persist...we endure. We all travel a road towards our destination...our destiny...our "Home". And we are still capable of great things no matter at what age we find ourselves...The Long Walk Home
Remember the 60's? If not then you were there! The themes of the time were "love" and "peace"...but dispite the mantra, love and peace kind of devolved into what's going on today. The problem is that the "love" and "peace" that we preached then was an idealistic love and peace...and very little practiced.
Here are some enduring truths...
Beauty begets beauty...
Friendship begets friendship...
Caring begets caring....
and Love begets love...
But none of these things will happen if we don't practice them...if we don't sacrifice...if we don't serve...if we aren't willing to be second best in order to raise up a brother or sister....
PS...I struggle with this too...I always seem to let "me" get in the way.
The wonderful thing about life is is that we get a free pass to the show every day when we get up. We can choose to live it "front row center" or we can choose the "nose bleed" seats from the balcony. Our ticket allows us any seat in the house....where are you sitting???
Ever vigilant, standing guard over isolated staircases...we find our hero......Shadow Man !!!!Ok I know it's corny...but I had to do it.
Just a quick note to thank my Photographica family here for your prayers and kindness during this test of endurance for my family. My mom had her surgery and it was successful...but now begins the long road to recovery and rehab. But at least there is an end in sight.I was able to capture this picture of the hospital she is staying in...
We've always heard that "it's what's on the inside that counts" and I believe that to be true. How we treat one another...not just lip service...but with actions tells the story about us as individuals....True Love endures!!! So is your heart full of weeds? Or is your heart a bed of flowers for all to enjoy?
My mom had a stroke a couple of weeks ago....this week she has to have some surgery...so I will be gone the rest of the week to care for her...please keep us in your prayers.
Please forgive me, I don’t mean to seem pushy by not following convention, but I am unable to post the challenge via the “entry page” and I’m not sure what else to do… I need to post this morning as I’m going to be out of town this weekend and won’t be back home until late Sunday evening. Maybe one of the editors will put this post in the correct place.
These past two weeks we’ve seen a lot of examples of pain and suffering in our posts…and sadly enough, pain and suffering touches all of our lives at some point in time. There were those here within our family that have suffered loss, sickness, physical pain, mental pain, anguish, fear, doubt. Sometimes it seems that the 529 is right on time and is taking us straight through Hell …and it feels as though we can’t get off. Ahhh, but there is something within each of us that drives us…that makes us hold on…that presses us to the finish line…….and we endure. Webster defines it as a …”power to last, continue, remain…the ability to stand pain, distress, fatigue, hardship...” I think that it is something that was created within us…..our spirit. There are some many types and examples of endurance all around us….monuments of the past…the pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China…testaments to some of man’s achievements.
The heaven’s….they remain…endless…boundless…untapped…unexplored. Nature…wild, untamed…peaceful….soothing. We’ve seen some wonderful examples of an enduring Nature…in the pictures of Surfer Guy depicting the beaches enduring the beating of a timeless, steady ocean. We’ve seen the pictures of Wilk displaying the Grand Canyon...where a river endured to cut and carve it’s way through the mountains to find it’s way to the sea….and the end result of this natural endurance is breathtaking beauty.
Snoqualmie Falls Sunset We see the endurance in soldiers on the field of battle convinced of the “right” they fight for…and in athletes on the fields of competition driven with a will to win.
Sadly, there are many other things in this life that also endure…hunger, hatred, war, poverty, sickness, greed, corruption…..we see it told and retold in our history books. So why do we endure???? What drives us to go on? I will leave that for you to answer…and for you to display in your pictures in the next two weeks.
Anything Goes
I think...I know, that Truth endures…and will continue to endure long after we are gone…long after this earth is gone. In one of the most enduring Books that belong to us it says…”Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” This speaks two things to me…1) There is always going to be trials…pain and suffering here…and 2) there is a better day coming. That’s what keeps me going!!! Hope and faith!
No matter how dark it seems around you, if you look hard enough you’ll find the Light. Light In the Forest
The next challenge will be brought to you by Pablo57
There seems to be so much mudraking between politicians and parties today that nothing gets done anywhere. Well here are two nuts and a fruit at the international level.
Yesterday there were some posts about believing in things, quiet honestly, that I feel are just downright foolish.....well I was admonished in a PM to keep an open mind...so I tried...Light....and I felt like it was telling me that I should go look somewhere...for something.... Imagine how eerie it was for me when....I, I, I mean all my beliefs were Shattered when I looked up and saw the Sky Hook..... That's it...I'm going back to a "closed mind" it doesn't get as cluttered with "junk" as an open one does...
Photographica Feeds
