Focus your Lens

One thing that I have noticed about taking pictures is that sometimes when I get them home and look at them on my computer, I cannot believe the difference of what I thought I saw with my natural eye -vs- what the camera lens had picked up on. I started thinking about this wondering what is it that makes this so?

#1 The angle that you are viewing things from. Even though you pointing your camera in a certain area, since you don't really put your eye right up to the viewer any longer on the new cameras, you could be looking from an ever so slight different angle than what you are focusing your camera on.

#2 Things that we focus on with our eyes, are processed also in our brains. So, there can literally be something going on in our minds, that is altering the picture that we are seeing in front of us. A camera is able to take the image in front of it at face value. Did you know that our eyes are actually attached physically to the brain?

#3 The amount of light that is available to the camera will totally change the picture. In the same way, the amount of light that we have inside of us can cause us to see a different picture.

When I started thinking on these things, it was apparent to me that God was speaking to me using the camera analogy as a  parable to teach me.

We may not have the physical inner parts of a camera that is able to cast aside perception by nature, but one thing that we have available to us is CHOICE. We can make a choice to recognize when something is possibly causing a blurry picture, or worse a dreadful picture in our lives. We do not have to see through the lens of disaster and focus on problems and negativity. We can  choose to RE-FRAME and REFOCUS our minds to see the good in all situations and make a beautiful picture in our mind's eye. If we can see it there, we can in fact make it our reality. Individual reality is nothing more than individual perception. As a man believes in his heart so is he.

So, the next time that you are looking at a situation in your life, choose to see yourself as a camera that has the ability to only focus on the beautiful subjects in the picture, choose to only see the beauty in your picture. Even if you see things with your lens (eye) that you would typically perceive as ugly. 

I saw this little girl at an Icefestival. I so wish that I would have thought to chase the lady down that was with her to give her this picture. I did not think fast enough. I was trying to take a picture of the sculpture but the kids kept running up to it and when I clicked the picture anyway, a gust of wind blew and her hair went up in the air when I clicked the picture. You can just see on her face that she is so totally in awe of this sculpture. As if it took her breath away. The adults, they walked by the sculptures that day and looked at them but not like this little girl or the other children that were there. They were probably thinking of where they were going next, how to pay bills, what is for dinner, etc.
Take the moments in life to experience the beauty in all situations that God has given to you. Let them take your breath away in AWE of HIS BEAUTY.

MATTHEW 18:3
And he said: "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Philippians 4:8 
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Red Winged Messenger

A friend of mine had posted this after my Grandmother had passed away. I could not remember if I have shared or not:

Red Winged Messenger-

On Tuesday May 29th, 2012, the 3rd morning of the week, I headed out for my prayer walk to hear from God. I have come to know that God not only speaks to us through His word but also through His creation which is a manifestation of His word. My intention on the walk this particular morning was to lift my friend Angela up to Him, that He may comfort her and bring her peace over the passing of her Grandmother. I had barely taken twenty steps when a cardinal caught my attention. A scripture immediately popped into my mind, "a bird of the air shall carry the voice, that which has wings shall tell the matter." I knew in this instance that the voice being carried by way of the cardinal was that of God. The cardinal was standing on the largest rock boulder in our front yard just staring at me and making song. "What are you telling me Lord through this red winged messenger?" As I questioned it dawned on me that I had brought my smart phone along with me for taking notes. It hit me that I should google "symbolism of the Cardinal" when I did so, I scanned the links available and one caught my eye, "religious symbolism of the Cardinal". When I clicked it, this is what I saw, "the Cardinal Bird is symbolic of faith, it comes to remind us to KEEP THE FAITH. It also reminds us that we as believers are covered by the blood of Christ. I knew that the message, "Keep the faith" was not only a reminder to me, but was a message sent by God through this red winged messenger for Angela on behalf of her Grandmother.
When I went back through the email that Angela had sent to me, something I had overlooked stood out and confirmed the message was for her. The last thing mentioned that she noticed right after her grandmother passed, " a cardinal singing to me from the tree in the yard next to her Grandmother's house, which was the yard of her Uncle that had passed three years before." The passing of a loved one is always hard. It does cause us to reflect upon our faith and as we ponder it, God sends this very clear message to direct us, "Keep the Faith."
The picture in my mind of the Cardinal standing on the boulder is very strong imagery. It will forever remind me that Christ is the rock, the one solid foundation. The cornerstone of my faith.

Comments from me today 3-9-2013 :

I prayed a couple of days ago, God please let me have a picture of Cardinal in the snow and get it on my lunch break. I have studied the songs of birds and I knew the sound of the Cardinal. God led me to him but I also heard the voice and ran after it. If I had not have studied his song, I would not have known which direction to go in. If I had not sought after him, I would not have found him. 

 It is this way as well with Christ. The more you study the Word, the more you are able to recognize His voice when He speaks and you will find Him when  you seek Him with all your heart.