in rain and from the right

The Same Dandelions by Headlight

As I was leaving work tonight, I noticed that the dandelion on the left which I had photgraphed earlier in the day had already bloomed. Pretty amazing, but I guess they grow fast. I really tried hard to get a steady picture by headlight, but this was the best I could manage before I grew weary of the process. Still, I think it has a kind of cool, ghostly kind of vibe to it.

red

handed ::: headed (well, kind of)

And, I’m Back…

The Rest of the Shoot

Well, though I am taking a needed break from taking pictures, here some that go with the ones I recently had published in Catapult and which I promised to post today.

A Lunchtime Walk or Proof That Lewis and Clark Community College is Extraordinarily Beautiful

A major reason our grounds are so lovely is that we, along with SIUE, are part of the Missouri Botanical Gardens East program.
It should be noted, that the most delicately beautiful flower of the bunch, the first one, is natural and would not survive in most suburban yards, having been killed either chemically or by the mower.

Addendum

Upon seeing one of my latest pictures in Catapult, my boss insists that he sees a ram in the rock behind it, adding significance to the paschal theme of the picture. I am not seeing a ram, maybe a donkey or a horse or big horn sheep, kind of, but not a ram. Do you see anything? Because if you do, I am thinking dollar signs.
Other co-workers, too, sort of saw the ram, while one accused me of placing the leaf for dramatic effect. Ah, the temerity! I am hurt. If truth be known, though, I am so NOT beyond doing that, but this one was au naturale.

Reason #47,228 why we wear pastels on Easter

I have several photos in the latest issue of Catapult which celebrate some symbols of Easter. They are under the Gallery section.
Along with the entire issue, I also recommend to you Kirstin Vander Giessen-Reitsma’s reflection on the goodness of the body and matter.
and Nathan Birma’s reflections on the role of the Psalms in Holy Week.
and Katie Houston’s reflection on a spouse’s suicide.
And, stay tuned on Monday for further pictures from this last roll of digital film which has more flowers and buds.

Let every creature rise and bring, Peculiar honors to our King

Last night, just after we sang this hymn a dog barked outside the window. During either this hymn or another song, the fish in the picture above did a little shimy up one side of the aquarium. In my anthropomorphising of their behavior I ascribed these acts as they bringing their “peculiar honors” to their king.
Even as I wrote that previous sentence, I realized that my labelling of their actions as anthropomorphic, though essentially true, betrays my mindset to give rather to much due to science, or more precisely, to naturalism. This same bent leads me to perhaps overly question the miraculous. This problem which I find in myself, I find to be even more of a problem in some Christian circles, even conservative ones. Sometimes we truly think and act as if we were materialists, and in so doing sell our birthright as Christians.
So, while the animals were not likely joining in with our chorus, they will and all creation will be completely realigned with God one day, and honor him in whatever peculiar way they are made to. Without knowing how it works, we need to be a little less metaphorical about all creation praising God.
Lewis has some lovely passages trying to depict this truth in both the Chronicles of Narnia and in his Space Trilogy.
At any rate, last night the first few songs of house church were old school hymns, which warmed my heart. Whatever one might think/feel regarding the hymns/choruses discussion, it cannot be denied that some of the old hymns have some lovely poetry in them.
This blog post’s title is from Jesus Shall Reign, which has some lyricsthat have a decidedly colonial bent to them. However, allowing for that, the sentiment of the hymn is brilliant, that all peoples and creatures will one day praise God and the Curse will be undone.
Blessings abound wherever He reigns;
The prisoner leaps to lose his chains;
The weary find eternal rest,
And all the sons of want are blessed.
Where He displays His healing power,
Death and the curse are known no more:
In Him the tribes of Adam boast
More blessings than their father lost.
Let every creature rise and bring
Peculiar honors to our King;
Angels descend with songs again,
And earth repeat the loud amen!
Oh, and we sang this hymn with a nice refrain created by our church’s music director which drives home this message.
“Heaven and earth resound! Jesus shall reign.
Far as the curse is found. Jesus shall reign!”
Amen and amen.

Three Views of a Flag in Snow ::: St. Patty’s Day