Benefits

On By Charis PsalloIn Photography, Trees and forests

Photo: snowy apples

It’s so easy, on a grey snowy day that comes too soon, to trudge from point A to point B, hood pulled partway over my face to keep the snowflakes from landing on my glasses. I hate rain or snow on my glasses. I can’t see clearly. It’s so easy to keep my eyes on the ground, resigned to disappointment.

But then I hear a voice that reminds me to look up.

When I showed these photos to a friend she was angry.

“Why didn’t they pick them?” she demanded, “Why didn’t they at least let a poor person pick them?”

Perhaps, like me, the people who owned this tree were too busy trudging through life to look up and remember the benefits that were theirs.

I think blessings are like that. We need to let go of a compromised theology based on disappointment. We need to look up to see these benefits. We need to stretch as we reach to grab hold of them. Sometimes they are just beyond our ability to grasp on our own; we might need the help and support of others who can hold a ladder of faith for us, people with clearer vision, before we can taste and see that the Lord is good.

I wonder how much unclaimed provision is up there?

Bless the Lord, oh my soul. Bless the Lord and forget not all His benefits. (Psalm 103:1)

14 thoughts on “Benefits”

    1. Thanks for the compliment. I love the internet because I get to wake up to lovely comments like yours from around the world and to experience a little vicarious hot and sticky through people like you. I really shouldn’t complain; we’ve had a glorious warm extended autumn. It’s fun to watch the excitement of the foreign students as they make their first snowballs and post photos back to Kenya or Brazil or Malaysia and the skiiers are positively giddy when they see the white stuff. We put the snow tires on the car last week and it doesn’t take that much effort to put on a sweater and a warm coat and hat and mittens and boots and thick socks and a scarf and long underwear and grab a shovel and windshield scraper …
      Hmmm. I’ve never been to Australia.

      Like

      Reply

      1. “it doesn’t take that much effort to put on a sweater and a warm coat and hat and mittens and boots and thick socks and a scarf and long underwear and grab a shovel and windshield scraper …
        Hmmm. I’ve never been to Australia.”

        You can probably leave the sweater, coat, hat, mittens, boots, socks, scarf and underwear at home but bring the shovel so you can build sandcastles on the beach 🙂

        Like

  3. Your friend reacted to quickly. Not all the things we SHOULD do are possible. We need to be understanding. LOOK – what a beautiful photograph you have shared with the world. Virginia

    Like

    Reply

    1. That’s true, but perhaps it would be presumptuous on my part to think they were left there merely for my benefit. There were probably reasons we had no knowledge of and we needed to be more understanding. I’m glad you like the photo, Virginia.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Ah yes. You who specializes in beautiful colourful garden photography would understand how I feel about the greyness of winter. But heads up, my friend. I do believe there is much more to see in this coming season than we ever imagined. Joy to you.

      Like

      Reply

    1. Good eye for apples. I do believe they are Macs. Fresh apples may be rare in Arizona, but I remember the strawberries and lemons and the best grapefruit I have ever tasted in my life. There was an organic market near Southern and Rural in Tempe that had the most wonderful fresh produce. But the grocery store on Apache was great. 25 limes for $1.

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.