Texture

texture |ˈteks ch ər|
• the quality created by the combination of the different elements in a work of music or literature : a closely knit symphonic texture.

“The quality of our lives is a closely knit texture of all the gifts imparted to us through God.“
the pilgrim

Yesterday I promised to spend quiet time with my Saviour on the road and seek to find some not so obvious things for which I’m thankful. It was a good day, and He revealed some interesting gems to me. Remember, yesterday I’ve already listed my relationship with Him, my wife, family and friends as great blessings. Of course my job and professional associates must be on that list as well, but these are the things God brought to my mind yesterday;

Intellectual Curiosity: I’ve been blessed with a need to learn, a desire to know more, to read, pray, research, and experiment to gain knowledge. This applies to every aspect of my life, photography, relationships, and the art of serving others. God gives us that desire to excel for Him. God wants us to stay engaged. I love the old Kentucky basketball saying, “You will miss 100% of all the shots you do not attempt.”

Compassion: My children love to tease me about my extremely emotional nature. I’ve been known to shed a tear even over a McDonald’s Christmas commercial. God has given me a deep concern and care for others, it brings much pain as I see the hurt and distress in our world, but it opens me to the greatest of His joys, the knowledge of what it’s like to take great delight in the victory of others.

Laughter: The sweetest sound I can think of is the unbridled laughter of my grandchildren, my bride, and my friends. Laughter is one of the greatest natural healers, it releases something vital in all of us, the need to express sheer joy. Jesus told us that He wanted us to realize, experience, and share His great love for us and the incredible joy that brings.

Praise: I’m listening to contemporary Christian music as I write this entry and my spirit is soaring.
My greatest release is to openly and unashamedly praise Him. These wonderful musicians and performers bring my spirit to new heights as I join them in raising praise to the Man who died for me. I’m listening to Chris Tomlin sing, How Great Is Our God, Amen, no truer words were ever spoken.

Hope: We live in a world filled with fear, doubt, and anxiety, but God has assured us that the last thing Jesus said, will be true for eternity; “For I will never leave you or forsake you.”

Love: How could I live without Love, His love, my families love, the love of my friends, brothers and sisters. Love truly does conquer all. It is often misquoted that God loves. It says in the scripture that God IS Love. He is the very embodiment of Love. If you search the word and see what His Son did and what He taught us, there can be no doubt of this proclamation.

Please share your thoughts on thankfulness with all of us, you are welcome to use this blog site to share your thoughts of appreciation for all your feel thankful for. Remember gifts are meant to be shared and as we approach Thanksgiving, I can think of no better way to thank Him, than to share those blessings with others.

May we all humble ourselves as a little child………………..

the pilgrim

* I know it is Tech Friday, but I will move those thoughts to Monday. I will be shooting the Washington Redskins vs Tennessee Titans game Sunday with Donn Jones, the Titan’s official photographer, and my dear brother, Ricky Skaggs. I probably will want to share some images, and technical thoughts, Monday about that adventure.