Category: Photography

She Smiles at the Future

On By Charis PsalloIn Fields, Man made, Mountains, Uncategorized13 Comments

 

hayfield near bar u ranch

Strength and dignity are her clothing,

And she smiles at the future.

(Proverbs 31:25)

Can I be honest? For many years if I were to be asked who my least favourite Bible character was, it would have been that impossible “excellent wife” of Proverbs 31. She runs a perfect household, makes clothing for her family and half the town; she weaves her own bed linen, dabbles in real estate and farming and still has time to exercise and watch her husband collect accolades. It says she never let her lamp go out at night. Well, she’d have to stay up all night with a workload like that. At the time, when I was in a place where this scripture was used like a trudgeon by workaholic “ladies’ teachers” (the modern equivalent of Pinterest super-achievers) who said we could do it all if we were organized and disciplined enough, I was lucky if my kids’ socks matched and we could arrive anywhere within the same hour an event was scheduled to begin.

Finally one day, an older woman (with the teaching of kindness on her tongue) laughed at me when I went on a rant about the dreaded Proverbs 31 woman.

“She didn’t do it all in one day, dear! That was a life-time achievement award kind of speech. Relax. If God grants you health, life is not over when the kids go to college.”

Now that my children are grown I understand better. Those years with little ones and acting out teenagers seemed like they would always be my whole life. They were important years, and I beg young mothers to realize they go so fast and children can’t wait until you have time for them. They do come to an end (and I cried when they did).  You don’t have to accomplish your life’s work before you are 45. You don’t have to do everything on the same day, or even in the same decade! Leave something to look forward to. Relax once in a while. Take time to enjoy your life where it is right now. Be thankful for matched socks.

I have the time and freedom to pursue creative interests now. Instead of depression and exhaustion there is gladness because I am old enough to see how God delivered us from so many cliff-hanger episodes before. I can smile at the future.

And my light doesn’t go out at night -so I can find the bathroom.

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Presence

On By Charis PsalloIn Mountains, Photography, Sky7 Comments

 

fisher grey cloud IMG_4488He who dwells in the shelter of our God will find rest in the shadow of the Lord;

He who lives  in the practice of the Presence will find his soul restored.

(From 25 Ageless Psalms)

Captured by Surprise

On By Charis PsalloIn Photography, Winter6 Comments

IMG_5444 rain barrel leaves captured in ice

“The earth is art, the photographer is only a witness ”

― Yann Arthus-Bertrand, Earth from Above

The change of seasons is a vertical event in the mountains. We can watch the snow-line descend from the peaks, to the hills, to the valley. We can see it coming, yet we are somehow caught by surprise when ice and snow cover our own doorstep. The first snow that stays brings forth Facebook chatter like the queen has suddenly arrived unannounced. Skiers are thrilled, shovellers -not so much. (In these parts some folks complain bitterly about the cold and hazards of walking on ice. Others are giddy at the gleeful possibilities of ice fishing or skiing and being surrounded by pristine blue-white beauty.)

IMG_3666 Radium fresh snow

It amuses me that every year is the same; we can see it coming, but we are always caught off guard and need to dig boots and mitts and shovels out of their summer hiding places.

There are spiritual seasons too. We know there are changes in the air; we know there will be times for planting, and harvest, and times for rest. We can see cycles of learning and testing and play, and cycles of birth, growth and death ascending and descending the mountains around us. We need not be surprised, but we do need to be prepared.  The day adversity arrives, piled up like blizzard snow against the front door, is not the day to think about buying snow tires, or a shovel.

We need to seek the Lord in the good seasons of our lives as well as the tough times -because knowing that He loves us and holds our future in His hands is the main tool we have to have in an accessible place in our hearts to survive more difficult seasons. (He gives many others as well.) Those who understand that change is a constant can rejoice with every new thing, and when adversity descends like winter, they may even be able to strap on their skiis or grab their sleds and find the joy.

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My Cup Runneth Over

On By Charis PsalloIn Animals, Mountains, Photography, Sky17 Comments

 

steeples blue IMG_4487Photography for me is about learning to see.

Landscape photography is both a matter of learning to see the big picture and knowing what is not important enough to include in the frame.

Many things are factual, but not everything is truth. It’s a matter of focus.

It’s about following the light.

 

Rustling

On By Charis PsalloIn Art, Photography, Trees and forests2 Comments

wasa aspen IMG_2825You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that.

You hear it rustling through the trees,

but you have no idea where it comes from

or where it’s headed next.

That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’

by the wind of God,

the Spirit of God.”

(John 3:8)

wasa aspen vertical IMG_2827

Drawing the Line Somewhere

On By Charis PsalloIn Man made, PhotographyLeave a comment

IMG_6744 clay potsHe drew a circle that shut me out-

Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.

But Love and I had the wit to win:

We drew a circle and took him in.

 

~ Edwin Markham

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Larger Measure

On By Charis PsalloIn Black and white, Mountains, Photography3 Comments

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There are two ways of getting out of a trial. One is simply to try to get rid of the trial, and be thankful when it is over. The other is to recognize the trial as a challenge from God to claim a larger blessing than we have ever had, and to hail it with delight as an opportunity of obtaining a larger measure of divine grace. -A.B. SimpsonIMG_3467 burmis layer blue mtn bw

 

The Rest of the Story

On By Charis PsalloIn Photography, Uncategorized10 Comments

IMG_5567 jaffrey snow

Winter forces the earth to rest.

Sometimes rest is one of the attributes of God we find most difficult to understand. He is at rest. And He wants us to enter His rest.

To be honest, I find one of the most difficult things to do, especially in crisis, is to rest. I’m not just talking about sleeping, which I am notoriously bad at, but about resting spiritually, like a soothed child in my papa’s lap, trusting him to look after me, and waiting for his instructions. Some of the worst messes I have created have been when I’ve tried to control my anxiety by “doing something.”

Today my dear friend is in the ICU after emergency surgery. Again, I feel the frenzied urge to “do something.” Again I am snapping at my husband over trivial things, knowing full well my anxious thoughts are the cause, and not his human foibles. Again I hear the still small voice telling me to enter His rest, to give my time and attention to the One who loves my friend more than I do.

Resting my heart and mind in Christ, entering His presence with thanksgiving and allowing His peace to stand guard is like feeling the gentle snow calm my anxious thoughts, cool my embarrassing temper, and hush my worries.  It’s about trust.

Don’t worry over anything whatever; tell God every detail of your needs in earnest and thankful prayer, and the peace of God which transcends human understanding, will keep constant guard over your hearts and minds as they rest in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Like Snow
Like Snow

 

This song has been going through my head like a prayer today.

If I could save time in a bottle

The first thing that I’d like to do

Is to save every day

Till Eternity passes away

Just to spend them with You

 

If I could make days last forever

If words could make wishes come true

I’d save every day like a treasure and then,

Again, I would spend them with You

 

But there never seems to be enough time

To do the things you want to do

Once you find them

I’ve looked around enough to know

That You’re the one I want to go

Through time with

 

If I had a box just for wishes

And dreams that had never come true

The box would be empty

Except for the memory

Of how they were answered by You

 

But there never seems to be enough time

To do the things you want to do

Once you find them

I’ve looked around enough to know

That You’re the one I want to go

Through time with

 

Glory

On By Charis PsalloIn Mountains, Trees and forests, Uncategorized, Water8 Comments

st marys lake Glory is however God chooses to express Himself.

Sometimes His glory is the beauty he placed in creation.

Sometimes His glory is the beauty he placed in you.

High River Strong

On By Charis PsalloIn Photography6 Comments

They’re a tough breed, these ranch country people. A walk around town today revealed such contrasts, the broken and the restored, the old and the new, the open and the closed, the cold temperature and the warm hearts.

IMG_5612Mural

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Hampton Hills by frosty fields

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Superman’s barn

IMG_5603Filming “Heartland” at -11 degrees. One of the crew took me to a place to watch where I wouldn’t I wouldn’t be in the way, then offered me a hot cuppa tea.

heartland 2

 

IMG_5601“One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity. ”

-Albert Schweitzer