Pictures Galore!

Welcome to this post of pictures!  You will be viewing the result of my Advanced EXCEL photography assignment: a photo scavenger hunt.  Please scroll your way through. I am very interested to know what your favorite picture is, so please comment to let me know! 
  
1. Stapler - This is the antique stapler that's been apart of my family for years.  



2. Reflections - I like the clouds in this picture. 



3. Leap of joy - Dove chocolate has a way of cheering me up.

4. Fear of Poison Ivy  -  I've been allergic to poison ivy for as long as I can remember.  

5. Coffee - No telling which country this coffee is from. My Dad is always bringing back different little packages. I found it in our cabinet and thought it would make a nice picture. (Comment and let me know if you can decipher the language.)  

6. Shadow of time - This is my shadow in our front yard, and no, my hand really isn't that big. 

7. Love of God - My God is the covenant-keeping God of the universe! Rainbows remind me of His unending love. Unfortunately, this picture only captures a fraction of the rainbow that was stretched across the sky.    

8. Shoes - I couldn't decide which shoe to take a picture of, so I threw them all together.

9. Date - This date on the calendar happens to be very special...it's my birthday.

10. Passion - Yes, I have a passion for kids.  These particular girls were my Incredible "I" Pre-exel team at the Big Sandy Regional Conference.  

11. Self Portait  -  This is me, the author of this blog. 



12. Making a Statement - This seems like a pretty bold statement to me.

13. A memory - Making memories with friends from church. (This was the day I discovered my favorite popcorn flavor: jalapeno-caramel. Yes, you should try it!) 

14. Weather - Rain, rain, go away.  

15. Broken - This was a fun picture to take. 

16. Green -  Green is my favorite color, because it represents growth.  

17. Music - I thought about posting a picture of my clarinet, but this picture won the race to the blog.

18. Dream  - I dream for a lush and flourishing garden.

19. A tool - Flowers have long since been my tool for happiness. 

20. Journey - Just as this flower, I want my life journey to be one that is constantly reaching towards THE LIGHT, Jesus Christ.

21. Funny - Don't eat Jelly Bellys because look what they're advertising: Fat Bellied Beans!  Do you want to turn into one of those? I guess you can tell I don't care for jelly bellys.

22. Fire Truck - WAY TO GO MCKINNEY FIREMAN! I caught these men headed to the rescue.

Thoughts from me...

Communicating Convictions

            Alcohol…what makes it a pleasure for some and offensive to others?  Why is alcohol not universally accepted like other beverages?  All are drinks, are they not?  Is it wrong to drink alcohol?  What is the big deal?  All these questions! But where do we go for answers?  Please read on. 

     

            As a Christian, my standard for determining right from wrong is the Bible, God’s Holy Word.  It is the source for my answers in every situation.  God has given us His Word, not for us to be overwhelmed and bound by the rules and regulations, but to provide us with instructions for following a path toward holiness.  So with this in mind, let us take a look at a few verses.  

Ephesians 5:18 says: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” To me, this verse is saying a person should be filled with the Spirit rather than be excessively filled with alcohol.  In most cases, consumption of alcoholic beverages hinders a person from being consciously aware of his actions and words.  How then, can a drunken person be walking in the Spirit?  Most importantly, we should ask ourselves the following question: Which one will fill us with something of eternal value?  Will drinking alcohol allow a person to be in the proper state of mind, to witness and share the love of Christ with others as the Bible commands?  

Proverbs 23:21 states: “For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.” I am not sure about you, but I do not want my choices to leave me in a state of poverty.  Proverbs 20:1 reads, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” Is wine honoring to God?

             I believe God’s purpose for the Bible is to give us instruction on how to live holy lives.  With this in mind, I do not believe alcohol fits into the purpose of a sanctified life.  Instead, alcohol would seem to detract a person from living fully for God.    

God's Perfect Faithfulness

                                                    

       Every time I see a rainbow I always think of the little phrase my parents taught me when I was little to help me remember the colors:  

Rainbows - R= red

Over - O = orange

You - Y = yellow

God's - G = green

Blessed - B = blue 

Vow - V = violet

     I was ecstatic the other day when I looked out my window and saw the most amazing rainbow stretched  across the sky.  After I ran outside to get a better view, I was even more thrilled to find a double rainbow staring back at me! (The pictures just don't do justice.) 

     When I look at a beautiful rainbow, I am always reminded of God's unwavering faithfulness to man.  God has and will keep His promise He made to Noah so many years ago: "... and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh."      

      "It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

     Praise God for His faithfulness and hope in Him!