Monthly Archives: June 2016

 

 

So many things have happened this week that I wanted to share some thoughts on, so here goes!

 

THE ORLANDO SHOOTING:  While I am not part of the LBGT community I was still shocked and saddened by this pure act of terrorism and hate.  I stand with the victim’s families and injured in demanding answers to how this could happen.  The FBI apparently had this man in custody twice and had lots of information that would lead anyone to believe that he was a real threat, yet he was able to get a concealed carry permit and buy an AR-15!  Something is badly wrong with the people that are supposed to be protecting us!  I think our federal agencies owe us, the people, an explanation!

 

ANOTHER ROUND OF GUN CONTROL TALK:  When our politicians and their agencies fail us, they immediately blame it on the gun.  I challenge anyone to find even a single incident where a gun went into a crowed room by itself and shot a bunch of people!  The term assault weapon is being overused and used in a wrong context.  An assault weapon is a weapon that is being used to “assault” someone.  An axe can be used to attack someone in the hands of an “attacker”  but we do not call axes, Assault Axes!  An AR-15 rifle is a semi automatic rifle, it is not an assault rifle until it is used to perpetrate an assault.  I own a AR-15, but I have never used it to assault anything except paper targets.  I have no intention of ever aiming it at anyone, unless they are assaulting me or my family.  That is called self-defense and it is legal under U.S. law and under the faith of almost all religions.  I wish people that are afraid of guns or just don’t like them, would just stay out of the debate.  If you want to talk about this subject objectively, take a training course, learn the proper way to handle a firearm, spend hours at a range and learn to understand and respect guns.  They are not to be feared, but bad people with evil in their hearts are to be feared, let’s start there!

 

THE EVIL IN WASHINGTON:   What I’m about to say does not apply to every single person in government, but it sure applies to far too many!  We elect REPRESENATTIVES to go to Washington and watch out for the interests of the people.  We have trusted them to keep their oath to uphold the constitution of the United States of America.  When they get there they immediately find out that a great deal of money, wealth and power can be had if they simply play ball with all the special interests.  Soon the addiction of power, money, sex and corruption is too much to walk away from and then they need only one thing,  since the lobbyist have provided everything else, and that is to stay there, get re-elected and re-elected.  So they lie to us, they steal our money through taxes, they transfer our wealth to the poor to buy their votes and allegiance, and they do it all while acting like they are really in it for us.  You should be ashamed, no, you should be in prison!  You pass laws that apply to all of us, but that you do not have to obey.  You have fabulous health care and you give us Obamacare.  You live like kings off the fat of the land, and we provide the fat!  Well my friend what goes around, comes around, and trust me, there will be a final accounting.  I hope I’m within earshot when you stand before God and have your sins read aloud!  It’s time to repent and get right, soon it will be too late!

 

SOMETHING YOU NEED TO KNOW:  Go to Youtube and watch the videos by Mike Mahoney:  Money VS Currency and The Biggest Scam in the History of Mankind.  It will teach you about Fractional Banking System.   If you think Madoff was a thief, wait till you see what the Federal Reserve and our banking system is doing to us!  I can highly recommend Mike’s very instructional videos!

 

LIONS  & TIGERS & BEARS OH MY!!!!!!!  So the world has gone crazy, we’re being robbed by our elected officials, terrortist live next door and are starting to kill us on our own streets!  The media tells us that more and more people do not believe in God or any god.  Things we grew up being told were wrong are now fine!  What are we to do?????

 

GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL:   Whether you believe in Him or not, He believes in you!  God has a plan, He always has, and He is allowing us to be what we have always been, fallen man.    We can choose to believe on Him and live in His grace and forgiveness or reject Him.  It’s our choice.  One things is for sure, He knows just where we are and what will happen next, our job is to keep our eye on the ball, (HIM), and trust Him,  and work at bringing in the Harvest before night fall.

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Please allow me to share a few more images from the Oregon Coast trip.

 

 

Fun with patterns!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Love that Acros.

 

 

Lens selections from top to bottom.

 

Fog in the trees  –  18-135

Green Beach scene – 18-135

Sunset on beach – 18-135

Pastel nets  –  56 f 1.2

Nets and Hooks – 55-200

Yellow float and green boat  –  55-200

Blue barrell floats  –  55-200

Green foliage – 90mm

Lobster floats Vertical & Horizontal – 18-135

Wood on Beach with rocks  –  10-24

 

 

Strange thoughts come over you when you are photographing the most minute of nature’s treasures.  As I walked along Bandon Beach concentrating on what I saw on the sands, scanning very small areas while walking slowly and seeking for something graphic, something  interesting, I saw this black rock and lines in the sand.  As I looked through the lens adjusting my angle it became aware to me that this small 4″ X 6″ landscape was a microcosm of our world.

 

I think this must be how simply and at the same time complex God must view us in this world. Complicated and convoluted, but also beautifully simple.  We can choose to see our world as impossibly complex, or realize that in the fundamentals we can find the real meaning of life.

 

This little scene is really simple, and so is life; faith, family, friends and the joys of life. We over complicate our lives with stuff, money, fears, and misplaced priorities, the same thing that messes up a nice photograph, messes up our lives, too many subjects, not enough light!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

Standing along the bay banks, watching the light change and the wind become still.  Bantering with the friends and sharing the joy of seeing this through the viewfinder, and then on the LCD!  It’s rewarding to take people to a great location and see the light happen and then see the sheer joy they can have!

 

Jack and I were talking on our way back to Portland for me to fly home and him to go onto the Palouse for this weeks event!  I’m really, REALLY,  glad to be home, I truly am, but then a part of me would love to be doing sunrise from Step Toe Butte in the morning.  Isn’t that the way we are as shooters, always want to be where the action is, the light, the magic photographic moments.  But then last night I sat on the couch with my wife as the last light happened in my own back yard!  That was pretty spectacular too!

 

What is my point to all of this, I’m not sure I have one.  I love life!  If I’m with Jack and some shooters trying to capture that magic moment,  I’m happy, but then if I’m with my bride, just being together, I love that too!  I think God has blessed me with life that is good either way.  I really miss Sherelene when  we are apart, but that just makes the homecoming all the sweeter.

 

God promised us that if we would accept His Son, Jesus, we would be forgiven of our countless sins, and that He would lead us into a “Abundant Life!”

 

He has kept that promise for me!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

You can have an Abundant life………