Tag: Canada

Yes, She Knew

On By Charis PsalloIn Christmas, Photography, Winter6 Comments

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I love the song, Mary Did You Know? I was thinking about how much Mary knew as I wondered and wandered out in the valley with it’s traffic-muting hush of new fallen snow.

I also love The Magnificat, Mary’s prophetic response of praise after her cousin, Elizabeth gave her prophetic confirmation:

You are blessed, Mary, blessed among all women, and the child you bear is blessed!  And blessed I am as well, that the mother of my Lord has come to me!  As soon as I heard your voice greet me, my baby leaped for joy within me.  How fortunate you are, Mary, for you believed that what the Lord told you would be fulfilled.

Mary responded with her own prophetic declaration:

My soul lifts up the Lord!

My spirit celebrates God, my Liberator!

For though I’m God’s humble servant,
God has noticed me.
Now and forever,
I will be considered blessed by all generations.

For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
holy is God’s name!

From generation to generation,
God’s lovingkindness endures
for those who revere Him.

God’s arm has accomplished mighty deeds.
The proud in mind and heart,
God has sent away in disarray.

The rulers from their high positions of power,
God has brought down low.
And those who were humble and lowly,
God has elevated with dignity.

The hungry—God has filled with fine food.
The rich—God has dismissed with nothing in their hands.

To Israel, God’s servant,
God has given help,

As promised to our ancestors,
remembering Abraham and his descendants in mercy forever.
(from Luke 1 The Voice)

Did Mary know?
She knew.

Elizabeth knew too. These two women had a greater understanding of God’s magnificent plan than the religious specialists around them. In the Christmas story God spoke through women as well as men and angels.

He still does.

A song of joy, great joy:

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Look

On By Charis PsalloIn Photography, Trees and forests, Water4 Comments

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But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Spread your protection over them,
that all who love your name may be filled with joy.

For you bless the godly, O Lord;
you surround them with your shield of love.

(Psalm 5:11,12 NLT)

When I looked out my window I saw a dull gloomy day. Landscape photographers are dependent on the weather. Fog and rain can make interesting lighting conditions but in the autumn when the trees are in colour I wanted bright light. I didn’t feel like it, I decided to go anyway. Once I was on the road I saw a small patch of blue in the sky to the north.

I simply followed the light and  came to the end of the road at a small lake at the foot of a mountain. I parked and waited, enjoying God’s presence and soaked in the warm breeze and the song of the birds.

Then the sun broke through.

Sometimes it takes some effort to follow the light and look for the positive and beautiful around us. I’m not ignoring alarming stories of fear and evil. I care very much. But when I stay in the gloom too long my eyes become dim. I stop looking to the horizon for hope and begin to add my own sad you-think-that’s-bad stories.

It’s not so much a matter of avoiding negativity as actively pursuing the positive – things for which we are thankful.

John, who recorded his experiences in the book of Revelation, began by saying he was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day when he looked. And then he looked, and then he looked some more. Seeing things from God’s perspective requires active participation on our part.

For me on that day, hope started by getting out of the driveway, looking to the sky, and heading toward the light.

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What Am I Doing Here?

On By Charis PsalloIn faith, Photography, UncategorizedLeave a comment

It is in the valleys that we are given provision for what lies ahead.
Blogging at Ishshah’s Story this week.

Charis Psallo's avatarIshshah's Story

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“I was the worship leader of a large church. What am I doing behind the bar of a coffee shop? I don’t even like coffee,” he said.

“I know I am called to be a missionary to the third world. I’ve studied pediatric nutrition, I’ve been to seminary, I’ve learned the language, I’ve jumped through red tape hoops, but instead I’m teaching privileged college students who are semi-comatose under the spell of entitlement. What am I doing here?” she said.

This is becoming a familiar conversation as I listen to friends and family whose lives have taken a detour. I know a lot of people who are asking the question, “What am I doing here? This was not in my five-year plan.”

I’ve seen some interesting career shifts: a former chaplain working as a tinsmith, a refugee physician pushing a broom, a former pastor working as a carpenter, a former…

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Shouts of Joy

On By Charis PsalloIn Mountains, Photography, Trees and forests, Uncategorized4 Comments

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And now my head shall be lifted up
above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.
(Psalm 27:6 ESV)

Give, and It Shall Be Given You

On By Charis PsalloIn Fields, Mountains, PhotographyLeave a comment

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Wherefore doth the Lord make your cup run over, but that other men’s lips might taste the liquor? The showers that fall upon the highest mountains, should glide into the lowest valleys. “Give, and it shall be given you”, is a maxim little believed.

– William Secker

Generosity

On By Charis PsalloIn Mountains, Photography, Trees and forests, Uncategorized1 Comment

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You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes.

(Philippians 4:19, 20 The Message)

From The Wide Open Spaces

On By Charis PsalloIn Fields, Photography2 Comments

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Thank God because he’s good,
because his love never quits.
Tell the world, Israel,
“His love never quits.”
And you, clan of Aaron, tell the world,
“His love never quits.”
And you who fear God, join in,
“His love never quits.”

Pushed to the wall, I called to God;
from the wide open spaces, he answered.
God’s now at my side and I’m not afraid;
who would dare lay a hand on me?
God’s my strong champion.

(from Psalm 118 The Message)

Change comes slowly with me. I need time to consider, to examine, to go deep. It’s like my mind is like a big ole truck with a wide turning radius. Fast sports car people wonder why it takes me so long to move in another direction.

Some of the hardest times in my life have occurred when people I trusted said they were tired of trying to fix me. (And I do need some fixing.) They had no more grace for someone who ruminated and pondered and repeated themselves and hesitated at every new direction – over and over.

They quit.

But in the midst of my sorrow and frustration with myself God gently reminds me: His love doesn’t quit.

God is love and love is patient. Love is kind. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. God is therefore patient and kind. God bears, believes, hopes and endures all things. God never quits.

Sure, I should be further along in maturity than I am. But I’m further along than I was. My steps, though slow and plodding, are moving on down the road with more confidence than before. I am learning to respond more quickly, less fearfully. Every year I can speak of His love with more assurance and say, “My God, You are relentless. You never quit.”

Thank You.

 

 

 

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In the Rustling Grass

On By Charis PsalloIn Black and white, Fields, Mountains, Photography, Uncategorized1 Comment

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This is my Father’s world:
he shines in all that’s fair;
in the rustling grass I hear him pass;
he speaks to me everywhere.

(from This is My Father’s World -lyrics by Maltbie D. Babcock)