Weekly Photo Challenge: Symbols

Posted on July 11, 2015 by joseph elon lillie under Pastor Wrinkles

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Symbol.”

This week the Daily Post has asked us to display and elaborate on symbols that are meaningful to us.

I suppose it won’t surprise anyone who knows me that the cross or the crucifix is one of the symbols that is most important to me. Every time I look to it I remember,

he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds we are healed.
⁶We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53: 5,6

I am also reminded that because Jesus died and rose again, We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— ⁵²in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ⁵⁴When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”^[h]

⁵⁵“Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”^[i]

⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. I Cor. 15:51-57

But I have other symbols which run a close second to the cross such as…

And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. 16Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.” Ge. 9:12-16

And also…

which stands for freedom, liberty and responsibility. And finally…

this symbol reminds me, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

⁸Love never fails.” I Cor. 13:4-8

Cee’s B&W Challenge: Large Subjects

Posted on July 9, 2015 by joseph elon lillie under Photography

This week Cee has challenged to bring Black & White to life in a big way by showing photographs of large subjects.

You can click the icon below to see how Cee and her contributors have largely expressed themselves.

Now, I thought to myself when I saw the topic, “What could be larger than the Giant’s Causeway?”

According to legend the causeway was built by the giant Finn MacCool as a road to Scotland so he could fight the giant Benandonner there. The story tells us that Finn went to Scotland but when he saw how big Benandonner was he fled back to Ireland only to be followed by his Scottish enemy.

Finn knowing he was outmatched implored his wife Oona for help. Oona helped Finn by dressing him as a baby and sticking him in a cradle. When Benandonner arrived, the story goes, Oona explained that the “baby” in the cradle was actually Finn’s son rather than Finn himself. Now giant’s are not known for their intelligence, and so it would seem Benandonner was outwitted by Oona; So the great Scottish giant returned home destroying the bridge behind him, assured that if he was nearly outsized by Finn’s baby he would never be a match for the giant himself.

This is called the Giant’s pipe organ. It is said that on a windy night you can still sometimes hear Finn playing a tune for his dear wife Oona. And who would not play a tune for such an obviously intelligent woman?

Al the Colors of the Rainbow

Posted on June 19, 2015 by joseph elon lillie under Photography

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “ROY G. BIV.”

We have been asked to show the colors of the rainbow and it reminded me of this song we used to sing in elementary school.

https://youtu.be/zhubfB1OV3E?t=14

RED

AND YELLOW

AND PINK

AND GREEN

PURPLE

AND ORANGE

AND BLUE

I CAN SING A RAINBOW

SING A RAINBOW

SING A RAINBOW TOO!

Cee’s Black & White Ground

Posted on June 18, 2015 by joseph elon lillie under Photography

I am writing this post in response to Cee’s Black & White Challenge on the subject of “Ground”.

Click the icon at the top to see what grounds other people have for posting. Here are mine

The Grounds of Blarney Castle

The Poison Pathway at Blarney Castle

The path from the Badger’s Cave. Blarney Castle

The Grounds Of Muckross House

Frozen Ground

Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Animals

Posted on June 5, 2015 by joseph elon lillie under Photography

This week Cee has asked us to bring Black & White animals aboard the ark. Click the icon above to see other black & white animal photos

Here are mine:

Geese in the Berkshires

Raven in Doolin

Sheep In Moll’s Gap

Share Your World 2015 Week #22

Posted on June 2, 2015 by joseph elon lillie under For Family & Fun

This week I feel the need to start this post with Cee’s fifth question which is always…

What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am so grateful to serve a God who walks with His church through the deepest valleys (we have had some deep one’s this week read about it HERE ). No matter what we go through we always find Him not just waiting at the other side but walking with us through the fiery trial. God is so good and so faithful and He is an “ever-present help IN trouble.” Psalm 46:1

This week coming I am looking forward to getting back on track with my blogging and writing schedule. During the last month or so I have been rather spotty because of the pace of life and ministry. But I feel like I am getting on top of that and launching into a new phase of writing productivity!

Here I am, beginning that new phase by sharing my world and inviting you to share your world with others by clicking the icon above and flying over to Cee’s blog to read about other parts of the world that intersect there.

Here are the questions:

Complete this sentence: Never In My Life Have I….

Never In my life have I been to Africa or Australia or New Zealand or Alaska or Asia or…. well that should keep me going for however long I am to remain on this spinning orb of life.

Complete this sentence: My neighbour wants me to help her…..

My neighbor wants me to help her… Actually I do not think my neighbors want me to help them do anything. I live in the midst of a pretty huge DIY neighborhood and I seem to be the only one who cannot do most things himself.

Complete this sentence: When I was little I wanted…

When I was little I wanted to be a superhero. I would spend hours pretending I was Superman, Green Lantern or the Flash. I have learned though that being heroic is not about the grand sweeping gestures. It is about the commitment to walk a path of little faithfulnesses everyday. Without that commitment, no superpower no matter how awesome will make you a hero.

Complete this sentence: Will you come here to…

Will you come here on a regular basis? If so I commit to doing everything in my power to introduce you to a world of encouragement, hope and light!

The sun glowing

The underside of the clock on the Nieuwe Kerk in Delft

Please click the Share Your World icon at the top of the post and it will take you to Cee’s blog so you see other people’s shares.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Unusual Angle or Point Of View

Posted on May 27, 2015 by joseph elon lillie under Photography

This week’s Fun Foto Challenge from Cee is soooper cool. I love taking shots from weird angles. Check out how others have seen the world from different perspectives by clicking the icon above.

Here is my gallery:

Sun through the winter trees.

Through a glass darkly

Through a glass darkly II

Smurf’s Home

On the edge of time

A heart of stone

Weekly Photo Challenge: Enveloped

Posted on May 16, 2015 by joseph elon lillie under Photography

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Enveloped.”

The Daily Post has asked us…What does enveloped mean to you?

I suppose to be enveloped means to be covered over….

Like my daughter was covered over by my dog, Mercedes in this photo. It reminds me of a song we used to sing a long time ago in church, ‘I am covered over with the robe of righteousness my Jesus gives to me….” I don’t know how righteous Mercedes is but she is a good dog and she is white.

I suppose to be enveloped could mean to be contained within something….

Like my daughter is contained in the arms of these two school chums.

OR

Like the light of the sun is contained within the branches of this bush. If that is so then maybe to be enveloped is more perception than condition.

One Word Photo Challenge: Cloudy

Posted on May 15, 2015 by joseph elon lillie under Photography

This Post is written in response to Jennifer’s One Word Photo Challenge: Cloudy. Click the link to see other people’s clouds.;

Here are mine:

Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.

Maya Angelou

“Yesterday I inhaled a cloud, and immediately my eyes started raining.”
― Jarod Kintz, Whenever You’re Gone, I’m Here For You

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”
― Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds