Stop Being a Worrywart!

 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life  —whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-27)

       In this day and age, there is so much to worry about. If you lost your job, you worry if you’ll find a new one — fast! If your company downsized and moved you into a job you despise, you worry if you’ll ever find a new position you’ll love. If you’re a student, you worry about homework, exams, and keeping up with all of your assignments. If you’re a mom or dad, you worry about your children. If you’re a daughter or son of elderly parents, you worry about their welfare. If you’re in your late 40s or 50s, you worry if you’ll have enough money for retirement. Then, there’s the terrorism, wars, and the rising crime rate.

       The list can go on and on.

       It’s in these times that it’s so crucial to know the Lord and to be in constant communication with him. Not only for the salvation of our souls, but to have an almighty, all-powerful God to lean on and trust in. Jesus simply tells us not to worry about anything, because He loves and cares about us more than we could ever imagine, and He’s got everything in our lives under control. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like He’s got everything under control when it seems as though many aspects of our lives are out of control.

       I’ve been worried and anxious lately about a particular aspect of my life. And I haven’t been in the best of moods. In fact, I’ve been in a real funk. But recently, the Lord reminded me of the passage in Matthew. Just weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised by a large flock of Robin Red Breasts that descended on one of my trees in my front yard.

       They came to eat the crab apples on the branches and those that fell on my snow-covered lawn. They didn’t seem to have a worry in the world as they pecked and ate the hard-shelled fruit, perched on the branches to rest, and chirped with one another. And it was freezing outside. It was an unusual site for a snowy January.

       But it was during this time that this passage came to life. Birds don’t have a worry in the world because our heavenly Father feeds and takes care of them — even in the dead of winter. And since we’re more valuable than they are, we’re not to worry about anything either. Why? Because God promises to take even better care of us than He does of them. He promises to sustain us, protect us, and look out for us no matter what.

       Knowing this brings me great peace. And I hope it gives you peace as well as you navigate the often rough terrain of life.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we watch the birds build their nests, forage for food, and fly through the air carefree, may we be reminded that we are more valuable than they are, and that you’ll continue to feed, cloth, and provide for us even more so. In Jesus name, Amen!

Please Visit My New Photography Blog!

Hi Everyone!

     It's official. I've started my new photography blog. So exciting!

     When you visit, you will enter a world of beautiful images of God's glorious creation. I invite you on my newfound journey to marvel at interesting and, sometimes not so interesting, photographs I'll be taking with my camera. Please visit me often and enjoy the view! The URL is http://www.judysphotogallery.blogspot.com.

Like some of you, I love photography and have always dreamed of launching a photography website to showcase my work. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I've rediscovered this long lost hobby and am pursuing it like never before. I really would love to have everyone who is following this blog to follow my photography blog as well. I look forward to hearing from all of you and reading your comments. Thank you so much. Hope to see you at my second home!

Blessings,
Judy


   

A Season for Everything

“And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground — trees that were pleasing to the eye” (Genesis 2:9).

     “Where did the summer go?” I sighed, as August ended and the month of September began. Now it’s October, soon to be November. Every year, I feel so sad when the hot weather gives way to the cooler, colder windy days and nights of autumn. Summer is my favorite season. I can wear shorts, tank tops, sandals, visit the beach, swim, enjoy the sunshine, go for early evening walks and watch the sunset at 9 pm instead of 7 pm. For me, autumn has always been a bleak sign that the freezing cold winter is fast approaching. The shorter days. Bare trees. The snow. Cabin fever. Ugh!

     But this fall season my perspective changed.

     Over the last few weeks, I’ve felt a strong desire to focus on the vibrant colors of the leaves and photograph them in all their splendor. For the most part, I’ve always sort of admired the fall foliage. But for some strange reason, this year the leaves really wooed me.

     The fiery reds and oranges, deep burgundies, vibrant yellows, golds, and browns came alive — especially through the lens of my camera.

     The multicolored leaves speak volumes of the Lord’s creative handiwork. The deep green leaves of summer miraculously transform into a veritable rainbow, a painter’s palette of vivid hues and tones. It’s so characteristic of our Lord to give us such a beautiful, transitional season to enjoy right before winter.  

     As I marveled at the brilliant foliage, I wondered, “How do the deep green leaves change into such a beautiful array of colors?” (I learned about this in science class years ago, but I forgot the details.)

     According to http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/leaves.html, leaves are nature’s food factories. Plants take water from the ground through their roots and carbon dioxide from the air. They use sunlight to turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and glucose. Plants use this glucose as food for energy and as a building block for growth. The manner in which plants turn water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugar is called photosynthesis, which somehow involves the chemical chlorophyll that’s responsible for giving plants their green color.

     As the days get shorter and shorter, the trees instinctively know it’s time to prepare for winter (Genesis 1:14). No longer is there enough light or water for photosynthesis, so the trees turn off their food-making machines, the chlorophyll disappears from their leaves, and the glorious yellows, reds and oranges emerge. Interestingly, small amounts of these colors are already in the leaves. We just can’t see them in the summer, because the chlorophyll dominates.

     So even if you’re a lover of the hot weather like me, don’t let this autumn season pass you by without stopping and enjoying the colorful landscape the Lord has painted. You’ll gain a new appreciation for the fall season and wonder why you didn’t take much notice before. 

Beauty in the Clouds

“Look up at the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds so high above you.” (Job 35:5)

          Isn’t God’s creation breathtaking? I took this shot this past summer just when the sun was about to set. Before I focused on the sun, this cloud formation captivated me. One thing I’ve learned is that the sky never looks the same from one day to the next. God always surprises us with his endless, infinite creativity. He paints the sky with a variety of colors and hues, uses broad and fine brush strokes to add interesting elements, such as the puffy white clouds, highlighting them with various shades of light. 

Marveling at a Sunset

"My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun" (Malachi 1:11)

    In the beginning of the summer, I revisited my long lost hobby of photography. It had been almost 25 years since I had a 35-mm camera — or in today's terms, a DSLR — in my hands. Despite my hectic schedule of working long hours, caring for my family, and fighting debilitating exhaustion at the end of the day, I decided to wind down each evening with a stroll around my neighborhood with camera in hand — taking photos of people, places and things. That's when God opened my eyes to the beauty of the trees, flowers, landscapes, the sunrise and sunset He created. I never took pictures of a sunset or sunrise before or even thought much about zooming in on the intricate details of flowers and trees. But that was the Lord's means of directing my attention away from my troubles to Him and Him alone through the lens of my camera. And through that tiny lens, I saw the greatness and majesty of God!
     While focusing on Him as I walk through my neighborhood snapping away, my stress disappears and my strength and energy return.
     Imagine if we all did this at the end of a busy, trying day. Not necessarily take up photography, but perhaps focusing on God by listening to your favorite worship music, meditating on a bible passage, or praying with a friend. Whatever gets your attention on the Lord is all that matters, because when we focus on Him, He speaks to us when we least expect it and promises to give us rest.


     Prayer: Heavenly Father, may you help us direct our thoughts toward you in the morning and at the end of the day so our strength will be renewed. Amen!