Inspiration Thursday

If you read this blog very often, you know that I have a love of photography and I have pursued getting better at this hobby since I retired nearly two years ago.  I have had a few successes.  I've even placed in some local competitions.  I like photographing wildlife, landscapes, street scenes, sports, and cars.  A conversation that I had with a professional photographer the other day really made an impression.  Regardless of how good we get and photographing certain subjects, don't ever forget to chronicle the family.  A couple of generations from now (or much sooner), no one is going to care about my images of a good high school football game, or a perfectly composed landscape filled with the colors of autumn.  The photographs that will survive and that future generations will actually pick up and view will be those of their ancestors.  I have a few photos of my childhood, some of my parents and grand parents, even a couple of my great grand parents.  They are very special images to me.  They recall good times with family.  Many people don't like to have their picture taken, but there will come a day when they would love to look back on the good times.

 These are my parents when they were dating in 1941.  This picture was taken at the Frisco Railroad depot in Henryetta, OK.  The depot, the building in the background and both of my parents are gone now, but this image survives to tell the story of a different time and place.

The oldest girl in this photo is my maternal grandmother.  The others are her sisters.  Again, the image was taken in Henryetta, OK probably between 1907-1910.

This is our daughter, her husband, and the grand crew.  There is no shortage of images of the grand crew.

There are even a few images of my wife and I scattered about in the archives.  The point is this, family is precious and memories are priceless.  Photos capture both.  Get a camera, aim it at the family and push the button.  You won't be sorry.  Have a blessed day.

Inspiration Thursday

When you have a craving for comfort food, where do you go?  In the chain restaurant business, most people would consider Cracker Barrel the king of comfort food. I'll have to admit, they are right at the top of my list.  I can eat breakfast there any time, and their sausage is just the best ever.  However, if you were to ask our grandkids where they like to eat breakfast, the answer is probably going to be "Nana's House".  Whenever they come to visit, a good home cooked breakfast is a given.  The menu must include scrambled eggs, biscuts, bacon, sausage patties and gravy, and milk and orange juice. The fact that they get to help crack the eggs, make the gravy, and set the table only adds to the magic that is Nana's Kitchen.  The sign hangs above the kitchen window and it is all true, meals and memories are indeed made here.
What about your soul?  When it craves comfort, where do you go?  I go to The Rock.  The Bible tells me that God loved me so much that He sent His only Son to pay the price for my sinful behavior in order that I might be able to have an eternal relationship with my Creator.  In fact, the Holy Spirit is referred to as The Comforter.  I find comfort in His Word.  I find comfort in people that He has brought into my life.  But when life becomes a burden, I find comfort in knowing that this earth is not my home, and the place that He has prepared for me will provide eternal comfort, where there are no more tears, anger, sickness, hurt.  There is just joy in the presence of Lord.  Have a blessed day.

Inspiration Thursday

 Precious Memories

Have you ever noticed that the older you get the more important memories become?  In fact, it seems that the past becomes more important that the future for some of us.  During the last few years of my father's life his military service in WWII became more important to him than at any other time in his life.  Some one gave him a WWII veteran baseball cap with the profile and name of his ship on it and he wore it everywhere he went.  There was a time in my life when my military service and time in Vietnam meant very little to me except that it was two years out of my life that I will never get back.  Today, I am proud of that time and when veterans are recognized at various events, I find myself filled with emotion and gratitude for the recognition.
One of the reasons that I have gotten relatively serious about photography is that photographs are a way of capturing memories.  Even when our mind has temporarily lost recollection of an event in our lives a photograph will bring it back to life and we can re-live special times with family and friends.  Those are the most important images to capture.  Yes, I take photos of cars, landscapes, autumn leaves, etc., but the most important images that I capture are those of my family and the times that we share.  The most important photographs that I own are some of those taken of my ancestors, long before I was born.  Those images connect me to people, some that I never met, who lived life in different times, but I am where I am because of some of their decisions.  Even if you have no real interest in photography, take the time to capture memories, print them and save them for your children, grandchildren and future generations that you will never meet this side of heaven.  Memories, they are precious.