A ‘silver lining’ exists in the Shelter In Place directive the coronavirus pandemic has imposed upon us . . . an unforeseen, yet unknown interval of time to come apart from civilization’s hectic pace. My morning’s ‘plan nothing’ interval was spent lying in Nature’s lap, immersed in the silent, calming, exquisite beauty of emerging life.
Amidst these troubled times, may these few photos to provide a glimpse of hope that “This too shall pass”, and “The best is yet to come” . . .
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things.” – Matthew: 6:34
Be safe, grasp the elusive tranquility this interval of time COVID-19 has provided, and . . .
+ ^ Keep Looking Up
“I am not what I ought to be. I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be. But still, I am not what I used to be. And by the grace of God, I am what I am.” – John Newton
Now you know the ‘Hidden Signature’ Ole Freddy saw . . . I never claimed I was normal 🙂
Wandering through His creation, the massive magnificence of it all never ceases to astound me . . . eagles soaring on the wind . . . beach pounding surfs . . . blazing fire sunsets. Yet, amidst the immensity of it all, a silent smallness often speaks to me.
Perhaps it’s because I’m approaching Elijah’s age bracket, but it’s in those moments I hear the whisper of my Creator . . . “…not in the wind … not in the earthquake … not in the fire” … but in “… a still, small voice” (I Kings 19:11-13). Such was the soft, ‘Hidden Signature’, celestial murmur Ole Stumpy shared with me.
Discovering hidden symbols, secret codes, messages and signatures in art and other objects has always intrigued me.
Besides being a gifted artisan, Leonardo da Vinci was also an accomplished musician. Using rolls and hands in the place of music notes he painted a song into The Last Supper. An Italian musician discovered, when he lined up the rolls on the table and the hands of the Apostles on a standard musical staff, they played a song.
Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has a minuscule code hidden in her left eye. Members of Italy’s National Committee for Cultural Heritage reported that, when viewed under a microscope, the letters LV are visible in her left eye along with other less-decipherable letters. Also visible is the number 72 on the arch in the background. It remains a mystery as to what these symbols mean.
The shape of the red cloak surrounding God painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam is a remarkable, anatomically correct rendering of the shape of the human brain.
Browsing through beach-combing pictures taken at Edisto Beach, SC recently, one of a weathered stump embedded in the sands suddenly caught my attention . . . was that the ‘hidden signature’ of the artisan carved on it?
I’ve been accused of having an active imagination . . . an enjoyable ‘silver-lining’ of being ADHD 🙂 . Look at this picture and decide for yourself. I’ll identify what stuck me as a signature in the next post.
Hey! . . . it’s a COVID-19 shelter-in-place time activity. Be safe . . . wash your hands . . . and have some fun!
The present coronavirus pandemic has evoked a global fear and concern unprecedented in modern times. Economies are plunging world-wide; protective gear and virus test kit shortages mount; biotech firms scramble to discover an effective vaccine; and ‘social distancing’ has become the new moniker prompted to mitigate its spread. Detection focuses on three symptomatic questions –
Do I have a persistent cough, respiratory difficulties, a fever of 100.4 degrees or more?
Thankfully, in the midst of the frenzy, encouraging virtues of human concern have emerged as individuals selflessly ‘un-distance’ themselves to serve others COVID-19 has directly affected and/or quarantined . . . an inspiring testimony of how the worse oftimes brings out the best in humankind.
Sadly, there exists another insidious viral pandemic which has plagued mankind since time began. Its unspoken moniker is ‘prejudicial distancing’. Detection focuses on one brutal, personally introspective question –
Have I ever . . . in thought, word or deed . . . ‘distanced’ myself from another because of their race, ethnicity, religion, creed, past, social status, etc? The totally transparent, blatant truth is, at some time in our lives, to some extent, we all have. Regretfully, I have.
COVID-19 is a physical condition that can result in death. ‘Prejudicial distancing’ is a psychological condition which digs two graves, and most often the perpetrator isn’t aware one is theirs.
Thankfully, there exists a simple, 100% effective, but extremely difficult to self-administer ‘vaccine’. Most likely you’ve heard of it, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” – The Golden Rule.
Its Author was the sole individual who never once succumbed to ‘prejudicial distancing’; chose not to ‘distance’ Himself from infected mankind; willing went to the grave for us; and forever forgave and mercifully ‘nailed it’ on a cross for each of us some 2,000 years ago.
During these disconcerting coronavirus times my prayer is each of us will appropriately practice ‘social distancing’; appropriately ‘un-distance’ ourselves to those in need; and strive our best to personally resist spreading the virulence of ‘prejudicial distancing’.
There’s a line in the song I Hope You Dance that says “I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean” . . . an indescribable feeling commingling creation’s infinite grandeur with mankind’s finite smallness.
Such was mine to bask in this past week strolling the sandy shores of Edisto Beach, SC. . . . an awe-inspiring glimpse of our Creator’s omnipotent majesty.
“For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and the sky. Though everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” – Romans 1:20 (NIV)
Wandering the vast wilderness reaches of The Last Frontier and the forest stretches of the Great Smoky Mountains are among my life’s greatest joys . . . not to mention, that after nearly six decades, I recently got to ‘milk’ a cow again.
A couple of days ago I went to check on a game camera set up along the creek that flows by our home. Rounding a bend I surprised a couple of local neighbors scoping it out. At my “Hello there!” they took off hightailing into the forest.
I’m aware 77 years on the planet has etched it’s toll on my appearance, but didn’t realize I was quite so scary looking. Must be like Indiana Jones once said, “It’s not the years, it’s the miles”.
“For every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” – Psalm 50:10
Abba's Art 