I  know I came down a little hard yesterday on working an event like the Derby, but I had a reason, it was a set-up, I set you up!  God has taught me some very valuable lessons over my life.  Maybe one of the most important is that no matter how bad you think things are , they could be much worse.  The photo above was made of me early in my career when I worked in Eastern Kentucky for a coal company.  My job required me to go into the mines quite a lot.  I will be very honest, I didn’t like it a bit.  I was scared down in the mines, and for good reason, it was a very dangerous environment.  I saw more than few men die during those times I was working in and out of the mines.

 

When I finally left that industry, I never looked back, but I never forgot how thankful I was to work, above ground!  God lets us experience things sometimes that may not be pleasant, but leads us to an understanding of just how fortunate we are, and how much He has blessed us!  Do I want to go back into the mines?  No way, but I’m glad that I had that experience, it reminds me often that my worst day is nothing like as bad as those days, five miles back under a mountain with only 32 inches from top to bottom to crawl around in.

 

Don’t curse God for your circumstances, ask Him to show you what He wants you to learn from them.  Know that He never allows anything to come into our lives that will not help us in the long run.  If you’ve given Him your life, you can trust Him with it!  And the next time you think you’re having a tough day, stare at the photograph above for a few minutes!  I bet you will feel better!  If I endured it for no other reason than to make you thankful you’re not in the picture, it was worth it……

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

First day at the Derby, the gear arrived today, and as usual, it was a load!  Over 75 bodies, 12 600’s, 12 400’s, 8 500’s, a dozen 300 f2.8’s 23 28-70’s and more and more goodies!

For the benefit of all my friends that think no one could be luckier than being at the Derby, here is how it all arrives, in 14 rolling cases and large, heavy pelican cases.  Arrives means at the street about 50 yards for the Media building.  It was a simple job to push them over half a football field of cobblestone, not sweat, well actually I was ringing wet by the time we got them all in.  Then it was unload, every trunk, check every serial number, and organize everything for loans to start tomorrow!

Then sort the 24-70 from the 14-24, put all the teleconverters together, line up all the 300 f 2.8s and 200-400s.

Now all I have to do is set up the loan department, help Francis get ready to do clean and checks, pay for lunch for all the photographers and help sort out the shooters vests for the media from all over the world!  Just another fun filled day on vacation!

 

O.K. enough with the sarcasm, I really don’t hate this job, and the work involved, I just get tired of well meaning buddies, thinking I’m off hobnobing with George Clooney, drinking Mint Juleps, and winning on the horses!  Hey really don’t want to do any of that anyway.  You see,  God always has a better plan, a much better one, so I’ll just suffer through another Derby, and wait and see what God has planned!

 

It’s amazing how he uses these situations!

 

the pilgrim

 

 

This week, starting tomorrow, I will be at Churchill Downs for the week.  It is a great assignment as we get to see and visit with lots of great friends in the horse racing photography world.  This is a great historic place that holds a lot of meaning for many Kentuckians, most of whom love horse racing.  I could take it or leave it.  I think it is colorful and entertaining, but it’s just not my cup of tea!  I will be working with a great team, Sara Moosebugger, our tech from Los Angeles, and Francis Yeh our repair tech out the New York office, great folks!

 

Pray that this week that God will give me many  opportunities to serve others for His sake and in His name. When hundreds, thousands of people are going to be around your life, God can open so many doors to offer encouragement, a kind word, even just a warm smile.  The longer I walk this path with Him, the more I realize how much He wants us to just be there, ready to serve Him.   The miracles of daily life with Him are incredible, the greatest blessings in life happen when you simple stand where he planted yo, and reach out with His love to others.  Please pray that I will stay focused on His work, His will,  this week!

 

I’m going to let you in on a little secret, when you ask God to give you opportunities to serve Him, He will!  I promise to share the miracles that He will bring to pass this week.

 

the pilgrim

Just as little bragging Sherelene shot this at lunch of my granddaughter Abigail lower right and my niece Gracie between us!

 

I was thinking about the last umpteen years of sharing Christ with a lost world, and I thought of some of the great questions I’ve been asked, and thought you might like to hear the questions and the answers God has given me to share!

 

Question: Does God keep a record of rights and wrongs, and is that how we get into heaven?  More rights than wrongs?

 

Answer:  God knows all, but he is not keeping a score card, salvation and forgiveness can only be accomplished in one way, confession of our sins, genuine repentance, and acceptance of Jesus’ forgiveness.  Nothing else will work.

 

 

Question:  How can you live a Christian life?

 

Answer; The line I love from the much discussed movie “What If ” sums it up very well;  “Everything in life boils down to this;   God loves you, so love other people.  God sacrificed everything to be with you, so, sacrifice everything.”  There isn’t much more to say!

 

 

Question:  How can I forgive others that have hurt me so deeply?

 

Answer:  Take a lesson from Jesus life.  Judas was Jesus friend, and he betrayed him even to the death, for money, and not much money at that!  But, Jesus wanted to forgive him, he really did, in spite of his betrayal Jesus still loved him.  If we are willing He can give us that kind of forgiveness for others.

 

 

Question:  What will the Christian life give me that I don’t have now?

 

Answer:  Peace, joy, assurance ,and a purpose greater than what the world gives us.

 

 

Question:  How do you know that?

 

Answer:  That is what He has given me!

 

 

Question:  Can I have that?

 

Answer: Yes, all you need is to desire it more than want to keep control of your life, and are willing to trust Him with it, to accept Him, and ask Him to come into your life and change you into what He has always wanted you to be.  

 

 

Spend the weekend contemplating these questions and answers and if you haven’t already, find your own answers from the only one that has them!

 

the pilgrim