Tag: photos

Like the Refreshing Rains

On By Charis PsalloIn Art, PhotographyLeave a comment

sunshower from deck warm IMG_2667

I stood on my deck surrounded by a glorious sun shower. The abundance of light and refreshing cleansing rain seemed like  dramatic contrast to the ugliness of hatred in the world today.

This is part of  King David’s final prayer before leaving the rule of his country in the hands of his successor:

True God, bestow Your honest judgments upon the king
and anoint the king’s son with Your righteousness.

May he be honest and fair in his judgments over Your people
and offer justice to the burdened and suffering.

Under his reign, may this land of mountains and hills know peace
and experience justice for all the people.

May the king offer justice to the burdened and suffering,
rescue the poor and needy,
and demolish the oppressor!

[May the people fear You] for as long as the sun shines,
as long as the moon rises in the night sky, throughout the generations.

May the king be like the refreshing rains, which fall upon fields of freshly mown grass—
like showers that cool and nourish the earth.

May good and honest people flourish for as long as he reigns,
and may peace fill the land until the moon no longer rises.

(Psalm 72:1-7 The Voice )

Praying David’s prayer. May peace and justice fill the land -like refreshing rain.

 

Save

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.