Tag: inspiration

This Now Place

On By Charis PsalloIn Mountains, Photography, Poetry, Sky, Trees and forests, Water4 Comments

frosty forest creston ch 5x7 IMG_0446This Now Place

The fog wraps itself around me
like soft flannel encircling a child who twists to see.

Mystic air muffles the crying crow,
the howling wolf.

Damp cloud strokes my cheek
and covers my brow.

I catch a glimpse of mountainside
floating like a memory of the future in the sky.

Then silence.

mountain peak clouds fisher ch IMG_8592

Beside secret stream,
as in a dream,
I walk on wood chips,
sainted cedars,
lives laid down
to cradle my steps.

The shoulders of giants hush my footfall.

DSC_0037 turquoise stream ch kootenay park

Between fervent moss clinging to rock
the fountain flows, in unexpected joy
between somewhere and somewhere,
beauty colouring only this place,

this now place,
this here place.

I settle my soul upon Your breast and breathe Your love.

The mountains stand
shoulder to shoulder
like guardian angels around the valley.

Whether I sleep or wake,
whether You hide Yourself
or gently wake me to see Your glory.
I trust You.

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Say Three Nice Things

On By Charis PsalloIn Photography, Uncategorized2 Comments

3 nice things blocks ch

 

When our children were young, squabbling and tattling drove me nuts. He said… but she…and then he said…

I’d try to listen and straighten things out.

And then someone played the trump card – THAT’S NOT FAIR! Every. Single. Time.

No matter what I said, the atmosphere, which could have been perfectly cheerful only moments before, suddenly filled with anger, malice, slander, and curses. SELFISH! STUPIDHEAD!

We decided that the children themselves needed to learn to give honour and respect to their opponent, even if they disagreed. That’s where the three nice words policy started.

For every insult or negative word spoken against a brother or sister we asked the children to say three nice words about them before regaining privileges. Every protest of “But Mom, he is so…” doubled the required nice words.

Now when you are really mad at your brother it is hard to come up with three nice things to say about him. Sometimes it took a period of thinking about it in their room and they had to dig deep. You are good at tying your shoes.

After a while I realized I needed to say more nice words myself – especially after the toddler told someone he thought his middle name was Stop-it.

Words can change atmospheres. When we come in the opposite spirit we avoid getting sucked into the vortex of tit-for-tat nastiness. I changed my words from “How could you be so careless?” to “You are learning more about how to pour milk. Let’s try again.” The result was a better attitude in both of us.

I read through some of the posts on my usual social media sites today. These posters are my “friends.” Some of them are learning more about how to disagree respectfully. But honestly, sometimes I feel like going all Big Mama on them and telling some writers that now they need to say three nice things about the politician, the preacher, the journalist, the bus driver, the pharmaceutical companies, the pipeline workers, the other denomination, other party, other country, other province, other gender, other orientation, other team.

We can talk about what we believe, that God is love and that he will take care of all our needs, but if we have nothing kind to say and merely squabble and tattle to other people or try to guilt them into taking up our cause by shouting THAT’S NOT FAIR! we demonstrate that we don’t really believe in His ways. We forget we can talk to him about our problem (especially if it is caused by the choice of someone else.) We act like scared victims left to our own devices, in this case, electronic devices.

What we truly believe shows up in our words and actions when things don’t go our way.

So here’s my challenge. Discussing ideas is one thing. Tearing down people is another. If you have neglected to bless the person or institution who has you so riled up and you have posted negative things about them, say three nice things about them. (Do it on you own page — very few will read it here.) You can change atmospheres.

If you can’t think of three kind words, you have a bigger problem than they do. You might need to go to a quiet place and think about it for a while.

“But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.”  – Jesus

Outside the Lines

On By Charis PsalloIn Photography, SkyLeave a comment

sunset innisfail 2 IMG_8773

Don’t assume that God will always work in your life the way He always has. A sunset is proof that God colors outside the lines. He has no status quo. Even the laws of nature are His to interrupt. As many times as you’ve prayed before, today may be the day when God sends the answer so swiftly-so divinely-that you’re windburned.
– Beth Moore

Bigger

On By Charis PsalloIn Mountains, Photography, Uncategorized, Winter6 Comments

Fort Steele Presbyterian ch church winter fisher DSC_0145.jpg

It is madness to wear ladies’ straw hats and velvet hats to church; we should all be wearing crash helmets. Ushers should issue life preservers and signal flares; they should lash us to our pews. For the sleeping God may wake someday and take offense, or the waking God may draw us out to where we can never return.
– Annie Dillard

Keeping the Peace

On By Charis PsalloIn Trees and forests, Uncategorized, WinterLeave a comment

frosty sapling creston forest DSC_0251

You will keep the peace, a perfect peace, for all who trust in You,
for those who dedicate their hearts and minds to You. (Isaiah 26:3)

One of the most frustrating positions in the world to be in can be that of “middle management.” It’s that place where a person feels like they carry responsibility for other people’s actions without enough authority to fix things.

Here is what I am learning: If God has given you an area of responsibility you can trust him to give you authority and provision in that area. We have access in Christ to the very throne of heaven.

If he has not given you authority in this, it is probably not your job. You will lose your peace if you keep striving to do something you were not asked to do. Don’t steal another person’s joy of discovery of the goodness of God by standing in their place.

Disturbing the Present

On By Charis PsalloIn Man made, Photography, Uncategorized2 Comments

building fire burn leamington IMG_8748_edited-1

 

There is no improving the future without disturbing the present.
-Catherine Booth

The lot across the street from my mother-in-law’s apartment building is a mess. A gaping whole exists where the bank used to be because, one dark night, the old empty Leamington  Mansions burned down. When she heard about about plans architects and engineers have to fill in that space with a higher, more modern luxury apartment and shopping complex she was worried about losing her view, but right now she has a view of a huge muddy hole surrounded by burned rubble.

I don’t always look forward to change, especially when it’s noisy and messy and disrupts my life, but if it weren’t for change we would still be living in powerless, cold, makeshift huts on dirt streets with knee-high horse droppings in the middle of the road.

Something is up. I feel it. Spiritual growth sometimes means building  and sometimes it means trusting God and letting go of the familiar. A lot of other people I talk to also feel a holy discontent with ways of thinking and doing that have, until recently, been perfectly good – or good enough. Letting go of the past before we have a firm grasp of the future is scary.

The Leamington Mansions building was charming, but empty. It sat next to a little branch bank building which couldn’t handle the high traffic of the downtown area of a major city. It looked more like it belonged in a suburban strip mall than on Jasper Avenue. It’s time for change.

I have had dreams of crowds of street people, of women and children, of First Nations people, of marginalized people leading the edge of a great wave of souls who discover freedom, forgiveness and joy in Christ. They won’t fit in the structures of the past.

What if there is more? What if God has bigger plans? Has he given you a view of the future? What do you need to let go of first?

Foggy Day

On By Charis PsalloIn Photography, Uncategorized, Winter7 Comments

barn silver roof fog Creston ch IMG_0449

 

We were kind of disappointed. The weather report promised blue skies and temperatures warm enough to keep the roads bare and dry. With a whole day off and an open road before us my friend and I drove to Creston, British Columbia to pick up a bed. Of course we brought our cameras. The thought of mountain peaks glistening in the sun and the wonderful long valley views had us all excited.

We left early and assumed the early morning fog would soon burn off when the sun rose fully above the mountains. By the time we carefully drove into the village of Moyie without yet seeing the lake the twisting road follows we knew this was not merely a foggy morning. It was going to be a foggy day. The roads were dry and bare, but we still had to slow down because of the poor visibility. This was going to take longer than we thought.

After we loaded the bed in the van we walked around a hilltop farm which usually has some of the most beautiful views in this part of the country. But not today. My friend and I talked about how we both took up photography as an exercise in a new way to see. It’s easy to take photos when the light is right and the scenery is marvellous. Looking for beauty on a dull, dreary day requires one to look more carefully. But there is always beauty somewhere. Sometimes it’s only to be found in the reflection of sky in a junkyard puddle. Beauty requires the open eyes of a a beholder.

She pointed out the little blue birdhouse to me. I pointed out the silver-roofed barn to her. The more we looked, the more we saw.

 

blue bird house ch winter grey DSC_0256_edited-1

 

Being thankful is like that. This morning I woke up in pain. I had that dismal foreboding feeling that this is going to be a disappointing day. I gave up trying to sleep and toddled stiffly to my desk. I answered some emails and listened to music while looking for a song for someone.  Unexpectedly that act lifted my spirits as the cheerfulness of bluegrass  poured out of the speaker, still turned down low so as not to disturb my husband.

As I look out my window diagonal pink clouds of dawn streak the sky as if they have some place to go today. The kettle is boiling and soon there will be a mug of hot freshly ground and brewed coffee sitting beside my keyboard. I am reminded there is always something to be thankful for.

Some days we are overwhelmed by beauty and wonder. Some days we need to slow down and look for it. But there is always, always something to be thankful for.

 

 

Victory Over Fear

On By Charis PsalloIn Photography, Sky, Uncategorized, WinterLeave a comment

Community forest ch winter snow Mt. Baker sky DSC_0101

“Our first place of victory [over fear] is in believing the truth concerning our relationship with God. Paul tells us that, “having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom 5:1). We reject the lie that insists God is our enemy. We come to believe He is our Helper in the healing of our souls!”

-Francis Frangipane

Inheritance in the Light

On By Charis PsalloIn Black and white, Mountains, PhotographyLeave a comment

Steeples range winter bw ch DSC_0093

 

My prayer for you today:

May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.

(Colossians 1:11,12 Holman Version)

Story

On By Charis PsalloIn Black and white, Just folks, Uncategorized18 Comments

talking sq IMG_1195_edited-1

Small talk is only small to the person waiting for a chance to talk about himself.

Everyone has a story. Everyone has a dream. It takes a listener to draw it out.

The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters,
    but one who has insight draws them out.
(Proverbs 20:5)