A man like me

"The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit."
James 5:16-18 ESV

Something that God has been bringing to mind over the past few months is the idea that He tends to use ordinary people to accomplish His goals. Elijah was a man just like me. Elijah ate, slept and drank. (Hey, I can do that!) But he also called down fire and took a ride on a fiery chariot. (Still working on that part.)
When struggling with insecurity I try to bring this passage to mind. I find strength not in my courage but in God's power. I mean he even used Elisha after he had died(2 Kings 13:21). If God can use a dead person to do miraculous things, I might still have a chance.
This passage is also a reminder to check my prayer life. Elijah's prayers affected a whole nation. Often my prayers don't go beyond my own needs and desires. I need to get better at praying for others. Also, praying with expectation of God and His power to answer those prayers.
I wonder if He is just waiting on me to move and to pray.

in between

 

 

just because the flow of traffic washes by

does not mean you have to get caught in the stream
(though it can be fun to watch, at times)
everyone in a hurry to be somewhere else

The life of point A
and point B
forgetting about the in between
sometimes it is just a catch of the breath before the next thing

take a breath
pause
it may not change your life
but it might change the way you live

Painting Garrapata

To the best of my recollection this is only the third ocean scene that I have ever painted. 3 out of hundreds. I'm not sure why this is so. I guess moving from the middle of the country the ocean seemed unfamiliar with new challenges and new colors.
Garrapata is one of my favorite places to spend time by the ocean and frequent it often.
I have wanted to do a timelapse of a painting and thought I would do so with this painting. Timelapse of creation processes is something that intrigues me. So why not do one myself.

You can see the video here.

Fresh Influence

He who lives without prayer,
He who lives with little prayer,
he who seldom reads the Word
and he who seldom looks up to heaven
for a fresh influence from on high,
he will be the man whose heart will become dry and barren

Charles Spurgeon

Cicadas

Certain sounds trigger memories in me so real it is as if I am there. For example, whenever I hear the sound of cicadas, I am immediately transported to a childhood memory. I am lying on the bed at my grandparents’ house in rural South Dakota. I remember the rigidness of the hand-made quilt and the grooves in the footboard that I would rub my feet across, like rosary beads, praying for sleep. A podiatric lathe, carving grooves into memories. I knew them well because I quickly became much taller than the bed, and so was forced to study the footboard.

Still warm from the hot humid summer sun I lay on the bed listening and studying. The window open, in hopes of a cool evening breeze to penetrate the room, provided a channel for the steady rhythm of the cicadas in the ether of the night. I remember the curiosity that I felt about what was just outside, and then farther outside. What sights, sounds, tastes, smells would I come to experience in my life? There seemed like so much out there.

As I witness more, I become increasingly more aware that there is so much more yet to see. I frequent roads that are familiar, unaware, but curious of what lies just beyond the hill. Whole new environments, and beauties I may never partake of. People I may never meet. Things that will never be added to my life experience. And so I cherish the memories that I have retained and experienced while striving to take opportunities to discover new places, experiences and people.
My memories of home: my memories of family, friends and of the world around me. Some are old and engrained, others new, fresh and awaiting deeper discovery.

Hiking Garrapata

Garrapata is one of my favorite places to hike in the area. You get the combination of great coastal views, some steep climbs to get the blood pumping, some great wildflower displays, a touch of redwoods and some creekside strolling. It really is the full package. Did I mention the view from the top is spectacular and well worth the effort. Here are a few shots with Larry from a recent trip.

Johnson portraits

I had the opportunity to shoot Jeff and Liz a few weeks ago. They wanted to go down to Pacific Grove and get some shots while the purpe flowers were in bloom. It was a great idea and offered an awesome backdrop for some portraits of the two of them.

 Thankfully, it was warm enough and the sun peaked through the clouds enough to get some good shots.

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