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We all have labor to do. The Hebrews of Moses day labored under an oppressive ruler. We may sometimes think we are having a tough day, but trust me, nothing like the Hebrews wished to escape. I’ve never seen a co-worker struck to the ground and killed because of poor performance!
No, while work can be grueling and hours long, my hands have never bled from carrying bricks for Pharaoh.

I think we are often guilty of taking our circumstances and blowing them out of proportion. Yes life can be tough, and tiring, but be careful before you complain too loudly. It has been my experience that sometimes when I act like a child, God allows me to find out what tough really is like. How could a loving Heavenly Father allow things to go from bad to worse in our lives. To fully understand we must really know what love is. As much as it hurts, for a parent to do it, sometimes we allow our children to go just a little to far so they can learn for them selves what the consequences are.

Years ago my son Wesley and I took a group of photographers to Africa. It was a wonderful trip and we learned a lot. One night I was laying on my cot and could not sleep, I whispered, “Wes, are you awake?” He responded that he was, we both set up in our tent and started to talk. The conversation went on until the sun rose. We shared, cried, and hugged each other. We had seen things we had no idea existed. We met people everyday that would never own in a lifetime what we had in our pockets. We were devastated at the realization that our lives were so blessed and we were often so unappreciative for it. During that night we decided we would change, that we would come back to America and never be the same. We’ve kept that promise to ourselves.

I warned Wes that we couldn’t tell others what we had experienced and expect it to change them.
I’ve sadly learned through out my life that some things must be learned the hard way, you must live them. Telling someone about the third world is not the same as experiencing it. Our Heavenly Father knows that better than we could ever understand. He loves us so much that He will allow us to have temporary discomfort to learn a greater lesson. His desire is for our growth in Him, and our maturing in Him. As much as I value comfort, God values growth.

The next time you think you can’t go on, remember that God’s love for you will hold you up through any adversity. God is never unaware of what you’re going through, and He always wants what is best for you. After a while, rest will come.

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you…….”

the pilgrim

Above All
Michael W. Smith

Above all powers above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There’s no way to measure what You’re worth

Crucified laid behind the stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a Rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all

Above all powers above all kings
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There’s no way to measure what You’re worth

Crucified laid behind the stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a Rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all

Crucified laid behind the stone
You lived to die rejected and alone
Like a Rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all

Like a Rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall and thought of me
Above all

* Photo Note: D7000, 24-120 AFS VR f4.

Health Update: Weighed in one day early. -3 more lbs. 226, down from 239
thank you so much for your prayers, they’re working……

Today, Valentine’s Day, February the 14th is a day of love, it’s also my 41st Wedding Anniversary. To say that this day on the calendar has meaning to me would be a understatement!
Sherelene and I have 41 great years of marriage and I’m as in love as a 16 year old even today.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (New Living Translation)
 1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
 8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!

This is the biblical description of love, love without boundaries or reservations. I wish I could always exhibit this kind of love, I try, but I often fail. Thankfully I know that even though I can’t accomplish this desire in my own strength, I can in His. Today I want to thank some special people for bringing love into my life. Of course the list must start with my bride and the love of my life, Sherelene, thank you sweetheart for 41 great years.

This weekend I got to spend time with three dear friends, Vinny Colucci, Melissa Southern, and Tim Isaacson. They have all been so supportive of me and are great to spend time with! We had a wonderful dinner on Saturday night and the fellowship was great. I also met a photographer that I have long admired and found him
to be a very nice guy as well.
Les Saucier is one of the top close-
up and nature shooters out in
the field today. He does work-
shops and lectures around the
country. His work is truly wonder-
ful. You can see his work at:
http://www.appalachianjourney.com/
The thing that impressed me the most
about Les was his open and giving
spirit. I went to Les asking for a big
favor, one that many shooters, would
have refused to give. I’m going to be teaching some more classes for Kelby Training and one will be on Close-ups. In the old days (70’s through the 90’s) I learned from the best of that era, John Shaw, Cliff Zenor, Larry West, and the late great John Netherton. It’s been I while and I knew it was time to dust off my techniques and knowledge before attempting to teach this class. Les really stepped up to the plate being completely open to share from his vast knowledge, what a prince. People can show love in many ways; Sherelene has shown it by staying with someone like me for 41 years, Vinny and Melissa have shown it by helping me, step by step, in the process of trying to get healthier, and in many other ways. Tim has been a spiritual mentor, and friend, who keeps me grounded. Les was willing to “give away” hard earned and proprietary information, just to help a fellow photographer, who he hardly knew…. By any definition these are all examples of love.

In addition to the other ways these people have loved me, they have also inspired me. On the trip
home I made a number of stops to shoot the images above, filled with a renewed desire to capture
my perceived beauty.

Use today to let someone who needs love know that you are there for them, as these people did for me.

Thank you Father for your love, that we can then share with others………

the pilgrim

*Photo Note: All images D700 and the new 24-120 AFS VR f4 lens. Hand held. At 65 VR really works!

Today was much like many work days, except the company was extra special. Working the CNPA (Carolina Nature Photographers Association) annual meeting is actually a real treat for me. They are terrific people, many old friends, all fun to be with. Even though the day is long for a trade show, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. it is at least in the company of good folks. After the show I had dinner with a dear friend from the show. We talked about a lot of things but when the conversation got serious, I listened as he shared about a large number of mounting frustrations in his life. He described how where he worked, a lot of the ways things were done, were just short of criminal. How uncertain the future seemed at times, and how much he wanted to support his family, but how many road blocks had been thrown up. He shared that he had been fighting these battles for a long time. It was a pretty depressing story. Then he broke into a big smile and said, “It has been great for me, it has taught me to really trust in God.”

I was struck with a great truth that often escapes me. God is in control even when we don’t like the circumstances He has us in.

I asked him how I could pray for him and he said, “pray that God’s will be done.” I want to thank him for sharing so openly and honestly with me. I also want to thank him for reminding me that things aren’t always what they seem. We talked on for about and hour and the more we shared the more deeply I fell under conviction. At the end of the dinner I was reminded of some vital, key principles of a walk with Him, please allow me to share them;

I’m not certain of a lot, but of these three things, I am very certain;

1. God has a plan. God knows what He’s doing and no matter how far out of control things may seem, if we are committed to Him, He knows right where we are, and exactly what He plans to do. We are never out of His mind and care.
2. God is under no obligation to tell us what the plan is. For whatever the reasons, God often does not reveal His plan until well after it has had it’s full affect on us.
3. If you have given your life and heart to Him, He not only can be trusted, He has only the best outcome planned for you. He will never leave you or forsake you.

I was talking to my friend and used an illustration that I think sums up how we are to live. I said to my friend, imagine that some thieves have walked into the restaurant heavily armed and approaching where we were seated. Imagine further that you are seasoned police detective and also armed yourself. If you said to me, sit very still and let me handle this, you can trust me, I’ve got this under control. I would be left with a big decision, do I really trust you, do I really think you can handle the situation? Would I trust you with my life?

How far are we willing to go with our Heavenly Father? Are we willing to trust Him with everything, no questions asked, with complete faith that He can handle the situation, all situations?
If we can’t, who can we trust? If we can’t trust anyone, what are we to do?!

I’m glad my friend shared with me, I’m glad that he caused me to re-examine my level of faith.
I’m even more glad that I know with certainty that God can be trusted, that He loves me, and that
even when I don’t know His plans, I can know that are what’s best for me and those I love.

Father, I do want your will to be done and not mine. That would be very hard to say if I did’nt trust you completely. Amen

the pilgrim

We had our millionth snow storm of the winter on my birthday, whoppeee! I’m ready for spring in a big way. The thing about any adversity is it makes us really appreciate it, when it’s over. I love snow and at Christmas it is a real delight, but once I have to begin traveling, I really hate it. There you go God, just like you said, can’t make em’ happy no matter what I do. I think it is pretty normal as human beings to always want what we don’t have, but I think we need to try and grow out of it. Why not try to cultivate an attitude of accepting things the way they are.

Since God has promised to never send us sanything that is not for our good, maybe we should learn to live with it, and see what the lesson is. I’m not preaching, I’m just as guilty, if not more so, than anyone else. I do realize that God doesn’t want me to live like that. I figure when I learn to listen, I’ll be a lot happier….

Thank you Father for trials and tribulations, I know your doing it for my good, just give me the strength to hang in there until I see what your doing……….Amen

the pilgrim

O.K. Mark, only for you my friend!

*Photo Note: D7000, 24-120 AFS VR. F8 @ 1/250th – ISO 800 120mm focal length.