Skywatch Friday Thoughts and More

This edition of Skywatch Friday isn't so much about the crystal clear blue sky as it is about the element in the foreground.  What is it you might ask.  Well, it's a monument.  A monument to what, you might ask.  It's in New Orleans.  Does that help?

It is a monument that honors the people and the city who endured the events surrounding Hurricane Katrina.  Of all the sights that I saw in New Orleans last week, this was the most interesting.  It spoke to me in a unique way.  There is a small plaque at the base of the tree.  These are the words.

"Scrap House"

by Sally Heller Artist

Like so many remnants of cultural debris left dangling from branches

brought after Katrina, Scrap House is a monument to nature's

unpredictable powers.  Like all my work the pieces are made from common

materials and recycled elements, including the bark of the tree that was 

fabricated by Travis Linde out of recycled oil drums.

There are a lot of things in life that we have little control over.  We simply have to endure them and rebuild after the debris settles.  That is why I find my faith so important.  It is my anchor, my center point.  The God of all creation supplies my every need. I don't need fame and fortune.  I need comfort, strength, perseverance, compassion, and love.  The Bible tells me that God is Love (I John 4:8).  It also tells me that the fruit of the Spirit that lives within me is, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22).  See, He supplies everything I need.

Have a wonderful week-end.

New Orleans Part II

More New Orleans

Wordless Wednesday

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The Grandcrew 2011

Fifteen

Eleven

 

 Nine

 

 Seven

Ruby Tuesday

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The logo below will serve as my primary Ruby Tuesday qualifier.  The rest is the real reason for the post.

Last week I attended the national AIA (American Institute of Architects) convention in New Orleans.  This was my first visit to "Nawlins".  I took my camera nearly everywhere I went, just so I wouldn't miss an opportunity.  Still, since it has a propriatary lithium battery, that I drained...and didn't have a spare on me, I missed a few captures that I would like to have had.  All in all, it was a great week.  The following are images that say New Orleans to me.  What do you think?

Walkin' Thru New Orleans

This last image is from a monument to the immagrants that first settled in New Orleans.  It is located along the River Walk about a half mile from the Convention Center.
The next couple of days I will share some additional images of New Orleans with you.  While you are viewing them, I will be headed out on business again.  This time, to Orlando.  Don't worry, I'll take the camera and share the results when I return.  I will be taking my wife with me and we will be celebrating a belated 37th wedding anniversary.  Our anniversary was Wednesday, May 11, but I was in New Orleans and we were not able to be together for the first time in all of those 37 years.  That won't happen again, I promise.  Have a great week.

Skywatch Friday Thoughts and More

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Sometimes different people see the same thing differently.  God made us that way.  Here are three examples of the same photo.  The first capture has minor adjustments made in order to sharpen the image.

 The second copy of the same image has a little more contrast added to it in order to enhance the colors and draw the eye into the image.  The viewer tends to focus on the warm colors near the bottom third of the capture.

Finally there have been major adjustments made to the color curves.  The result is that the viewer's attention tends to be drawn to the white space in the clouds above the colors.

Our lives tend to be similar to these photos.  There are days when we don't have a real focus.  We tend to just get through the day.  It is relatively uneventful and little changes are made to our life, much like the first image.
Then, there are days when we tend to focus on the world around us.  The colors, the activities, our busy schedules, it all just keeps our noses to the ground trying to make sense of it all, and hoping that tomorrow will be a better day.
For those of us who call ourselves Christians, we have the opportunity to focus on those things that are above.  We can focus on our relationship with our Creator and His plan for our lives.  Too often, we fail to take advantage of that relationship.  Too often, we settle for less than the best, because we don't have a real focus for the day.  Our lives could be so much better if we just changed our focus.  I know I need to get my eyes and mind off of the world around me, and look up to the One who created me, loves me, cares for me, and sent His son to die on a cross for me, that I might have eternal life.  I'm sure there would be more good days if I would just focus on 'How Great Is Our God."

"For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised."  1 Chronicles 16:25

Wordless Wednesday

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Ground ball to Third

Ruby Tuesday

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This photo was taken several weeks ago during a business trip to Atlanta, GA.  While you are viewing this post, I will be headed to New Orleans, LA and the American Institute of Architects national convention.  There should be plenty of photo opportunities in Nawlin's.