God’s photo opportunities

Posted on by
38

In my last post, I wrote that I’ve come to consider photography as a form of prayer, because of the way it encourages appreciation for God’s creation. This idea was first suggested to me by Howard Zehr, author of The Little Book of Contemplative Photography.

Zehr offers several exercises in which he encourages us to put aside any specific goals we might have for a photo session and simply pay attention to what presents itself. I really like that approach. One thing my own photo sessions have taught me is to pay attention. To notice.

Most of my best photos over the years have not been the carefully choreographed panoramic views of tourist attractions taken on vacations or the posed “grip-and-grin” shots taken at family gatherings. Instead, unexpected photo opportunities presented themselves and beckoned me to pay attention or miss out. I like to think of them as “God’s photo opportunities.”

Below are a dozen of my favorite examples.

While on vacation in Ireland, Pete and I trained our cameras on stunning emerald-green scenery, entire fields of furze, notable landmarks and castles galore. I almost failed to notice the pigeons populating the sidewalks of Dublin. This one seemed to say, “Hey, look at me!”

Likewise, Jerusalem offered a gazillion holy sites for everyone to dutifully photograph for the folks back home. But how could one possibly ignore His Majesty, the Cat? People in that part of the world seemed to like their cats, by the way. As we toured the Holy Land, we spotted several cat colonies among the tourist attractions, and the feral kitties always appeared healthy and well-fed.

Of course, some of God’s best photo opportunities have landed right in our own backyard. Small mammals may not be so glad to see this guy, but Pete and I think our resident hawk is magnificent! Pete likes to joke that we’ve provided a nice backyard deli for him by attracting all the other critters. I don’t like to think about that part. I just notice – and admire – the hawk.

In a project I like to think of as “God’s work, our hands,” Pete and I have been growing milkweed in our backyard for several years in an effort to protect the dwindling monarch butterfly population. It took nearly two years for the monarchs to find our plants, and we were beginning to wonder if they would ever show up. Then finally one day, I was SO excited to notice this little guy.

This busy little bee was so absorbed sipping nectar from one of my milkweed plants, he didn’t even notice me – which gave my camera ample opportunity to notice him and zoom in before he flitted to the next flower. He looked so cute and fuzzy that part of me wanted to reach out and pet him gently with my finger like one would do with a furry caterpillar, but the much-wiser part of me was content to admire him from a distance with my camera lens while he did God’s work of feeding the world by keeping everything pollinated.

Is this dragonfly magnificent or not?? I spotted him while walking through an outdoor labyrinth at Jubilee Farm – a little piece of Eden established by our community’s Dominican Sisters as a center for ecology and spirituality. Fortunately the labyrinth’s design invited me to spend as much time looking down as looking around, and I had my camera with me to capture this little beauty.

I used to get so frustrated with the squirrels in our backyard because they wouldn’t stay out of the bird feeders, and I tried everything I could think of to thwart the furry little trespassers. Finally I decided to enjoy the squirrels instead of fighting them. After all, I’m pretty sure our bushy-tailed buddies never got the memo that all the enticing delicacies were for birds and not for them. So these days I entertain myself by taking full advantage whenever God presents them to me for a photo opportunity.

We’ve traded in our neatly manicured lawn for a wildflower meadow since we stopped using chemicals of any kind in our yard. (Don’t worry, we do mow the lawn. But we don’t try to keep out the “weeds.”) Now the grass is interspersed with violets, white clover, dandelions and assorted small wildflowers that provide both nectar and pollen for our pollinators. This cute chipmunk inserted himself into the middle of things while I was photographing the wildflowers, and seemed to like our new lawn as much as the bees and butterflies do.

We all know how dark and depressing things can seem in the middle of winter. But one morning, in the midst of a bleak midwinter backyard scene, I spotted this brilliant flash of red.

I just love snowdrops! As soon as I notice these popping up out of the ground, I know that a long hard winter is coming to an end and spring is on its way.

For years, a gorgeous Rose of Sharon bush sat on the front corner of our house. From midsummer until the first frost, this lovely little show-off greeted me with hundreds of blossoms each time I pulled into the driveway. Its abundant profusion of blooms seemed to shout, “Glory to God!” The bees and the hummingbirds loved it. Then, a couple of years ago, an unusually harsh winter killed it. I’m so glad I was inspired the previous fall to pause my busy schedule long enough to take these photos of the bush and of a single perfect Rose of Sharon blossom.

When it comes to paying attention, my little Champie Cat reminds me to do this constantly. His whole personality seems to call out, “Notice me! Notice me!” And my camera loves him almost as much as I do. But he doesn’t stay in one place for long, so I need to be quick. He loves to turn pillows into cat beds and this is one of my all-time favorite photos – I like to call it “the Prince and the Pea.”

One thing I’ve learned about God’s photo opportunities is that – unlike tourist attractions or neatly lined-up groups of people – none of them are “posed.” They just appear, often when least expected – photobombing a scenic view of Jerusalem or swooping into my backyard or howling at me from the bedroom to get my attention. To capture them, I must pull myself away from my screens and my busy schedule long enough to notice. Or risk missing out.

Photography as prayer

Posted on by
22

Note: I’m taking a short break from writing in July to focus on some pressing personal priorities, so for this month, I’m reposting some of my favorite blog pieces from earlier days when I only had a few people following my blog. This was first posted in September 2020.

Can photography be a form of prayer? Howard Zehr, author of The Little Book of Contemplative Photography, thinks so. 

Photography can serve as a medium for reflection and meditation, and encourages mindfulness, he says. “By slowing down to reflect and meditate, by heightening our visual awareness and our imaginations, by cultivating receptivity and a more holistic way of knowing, we can renew ourselves while gaining new insights into ourselves, the creation, and the Creator.”

Some photographic subjects present themselves in an obvious way. An amazing sunrise practically screams, “Quick! Grab your camera.”

As do the brilliant fall colors in this park scene.

However, mindfulness is also about “being aware of and appreciating the ordinary, of being open to beauty and insights in the commonplace,” Zehr says. 

For example, who knew that chives going to seed could be so pretty?

“We often overlook things that we experience as ordinary or everyday,” Zehr says. “We tend to make preconceived judgments about what is worth looking at or photographing, valuing the ‘picturesque’ or ‘spectacular’ and failing to recognize many of the visual possibilities around us.”

How about a coneflower blossom?

Throughout his little book, Zehr gives us exercises designed to increase our awareness of the visual richness of ordinary objects and scenes. One exercise: Set out to photograph without a specific subject in mind, remaining open to whatever seems to present itself. 

Like a leaf that has floated to the ground.

A pair of acorns.

Or a single perfect rose.

“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place,” Zehr says. “I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”

Like bright red berries against a deep blue sky.

Or a starkly bare tree with a cloudy sky shortly before sunset serving as a backdrop.

“Ordinary things, when really seen, make extraordinary photos,” Zehr says. “Such photos seem to make themselves. They seem like presents that were given.”

I snapped this photo of icicles dripping from a twig on a bush next to my porch.

These fall leaves still flashed their brilliant colors as they peeked out from under a very early snowfall.

“One must always take photographs with the greatest respect for the subject and for oneself,” Zehr says.

Of course, one can’t help but respect this goose walking straight toward me in the park, who just begged to be noticed … and photographed.

“A contemplative approach to photography is an expression of wonder grounded in respect and humility,” he says. “As such, it calls us to live in right relationship with our Creator, the creation, and our fellow human beings.”

An attitude of wonder “requires that we look anew at the familiar, that we stop taking the world around us for granted,” he adds. “An attitude of wonder is essential if we are truly to experience the creation and the Creator.”

Nature prayer

Posted on by
21

Note: I’m taking a short break from writing in July to focus on some pressing personal priorities, so for this month, I will re-post some of my favorite blog pieces from earlier days when I only had a few people following my blog. This was first posted in June 2019.

Martin Luther is said to have observed, “God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.” 

Tertullian is quoted by Galileo (link HERE) as saying, “We conclude that God is known first through Nature, and then again, more particularly, by doctrine; by Nature in His works, and by doctrine in His revealed word.”

In other words, one can think of nature as God’s “other book.”

Regardless of the weather, I like to start my day by feeding the birds (and squirrels) while my morning coffee brews. During the growing season I tend several veggie, herb and flower beds. On warm sunny days, I take walks along an amazing tree-lined bike trail that runs beside a creek near our house. Sometimes I grab my camera and visit a neighborhood park.

Whether I’m feeding the critters, admiring the flowers in our backyard, snapping photos of flora and fauna at the park or strolling along the bike path, experiencing God’s creation with all my senses ranks as one of my favorite activities. Not to mention one of my most effective forms of relaxation and stress relief. (It sure beats arguing with complete strangers about politics on Facebook.) 

Immersing myself in nature’s majesty continually reminds me there is an ultimate Creator. As I’ve said before, I find it almost impossible to deny God’s existence when I’m outdoors with the evidence all around me. So, to ward off those nagging doubts that surface from time to time, I try to get outside as much as possible and engage in what has become my most potent form of prayer: Nature prayer.

According to the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest, author and editor-at-large of America magazine (link HERE), nature prayer is simply being “attentive to the presence of God in nature.” 

For me, this form of prayer doesn’t even necessarily need words. Just looking at the vibrant colors of spring blossoms and fall leaves. Listening to birds singing and cicadas humming. Drinking in the scent of lilacs. Feeling a gentle breeze against my face. Tasting the sweetness of a vine-ripened strawberry. 

I’m aware some Christians eye nature prayer with suspicion. Isn’t it too “New Agey?” Too “pagan?” Aren’t we worshipping creation instead of the Creator? Resistance to nature prayer has always baffled me, frankly, because the Bible itself is chock full of passages that extole nature and invite us to immerse ourselves in it, appreciate it and learn from it.

Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” 

Luke 12:27 says, “Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.” 

Being in nature not only brings us close to God, but can restore us physically and spiritually. The opening verses of the 23rd Psalm affirm, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul.”

Psalm 104:24 exclaims, “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” In fact, Psalm 104 in its entirety presents one long ode to the natural world – mountains that smoke, melodious birds, wine that gladdens the heart, trees and streams that protect and feed wildlife of all kinds.

Even Jesus found nature conducive to prayer and meditation. After a long day of healing, teaching and preaching to crowds, “he withdrew himself into the wilderness and prayed,” says Luke 5:16.

For those interested in pursuing nature prayer from a Christian perspective, the Web site Busted Halo (link HERE) offers suggestions for an “outdoor retreat.” Designed to “deepen our relationship with God and nature,” this retreat has three parts, each involving prayer and reflection – seeing God, listening to God, and breathing in God. To access the retreat guide, click HERE.

As I engage in nature prayer, I sense God speaking to me every bit as directly as God speaks to me while I’m in church or reading the Bible. 

When I watch a brilliant sunset dance along the tops of rioting fall leaves, I sense that God loves beauty.

When I watch a hummingbird flit from blossom to blossom sipping nectar while its tiny wings flap 70 times per second, I sense that God wants to inspire awe.

When I observe the more than three dozen varieties of flowers just in my own backyard, I sense that God prefers diversity.

When jonquils poke up through snow, I sense that God encourages us to feel hope. No matter how cold, dark and bleak life may seem, spring will come eventually.

Most importantly, when I’m immersing myself in nature, I understand at the deepest level that we are meant to appreciate and care for God’s creation. Because nature is part of God’s creation and a gift to us, we have an obligation to protect and preserve it.

An update, along with some really bad puns

Posted on by
35

My husband and I finally seem to be turning a corner. I hope!!

Slowly but surely, my Sweetie Petey continues to make progress in his recovery from the complicated cancer surgery he had in April and the three months of chemo he had prior to the surgery. He’s eating better and starting to move around with a little less difficulty, thanks to regular visits from the physical and occupational therapists sent to our house by our fabulous home health care team.

As for me, the exercise portion of my cardiac rehab program continues to remind me that I need to get into much better shape. I’ve discovered muscle groups where I’d forgotten I have muscle groups. Ouch. I’m getting some pretty good nutritional advice as well, and educational sessions on how to live with a heart condition.

We’ve both greatly appreciated all the many prayers we’ve gotten as we travel through this uncharted and often frightening and frustrating territory. ❤ Do keep the prayers coming. ❤

Meanwhile, Facebook friends have been cheering us up with some truly awful puns. I must share!

Okay. We’ll get back to our healthy eating and exercise program. Cheers!

Cute animal therapy

Posted on by
32

Pete continues to recuperate from chemotherapy and heal from the surgery he had earlier this spring. Though he’s had a couple more hospital stays to address complications, he’s hopefully starting to mend.

Meanwhile, I’ve begun cardiac rehab therapy, and family and friends have been wonderfully supportive, sending lots of healing wishes and delicious meals our way.

They’ve also been filling our Facebook pages with cute kitty photos and baby goat videos to keep our spirits up. Plus a few bad puns, because they know a certain someone in this household loves them.

So I can’t resist sharing some of my favorites.

We’ve also got our own sweet furry comforter. Champie has been through a lot, with sudden absences on our part happening for repeated hospital stays. He seems to have figured out that we do come back, though. Thank God for this little guy.

Of course, continued prayers are always welcome and appreciated!

Recipe: Fresh fruit parfait

Posted on by
20

A favorite breakfast treat or afternoon snack at our house is a fresh fruit parfait.

I start with fat-free plain Greek yogurt and pile on a generous layer of fresh fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, pineapple or mango chunks. I sprinkle low-fat granola over everything, and top with a dollop of sugar-free whipped topping.

Not only is this comfort food tasty, but it is chock full of good-for-you protein, fiber, calcium, potassium and Vitamin C. And it takes only minutes to make.

Yummmmm!

This recipe makes 2 generous servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 cup fresh fruit
  • 4 tablespoons fat-free granola
  • 4 tablespoons sugar-free whipped topping

Directions

Start with a layer of the Greek yogurt in the bottom of a tall glass.

Layer fresh fruit over the yogurt.

Add granola and sprinkle evenly over the yogurt and fruit.

Top with a generous dollop of whipped topping.

Nutrition information

Calories: 200 | Carbohydrates: 20 g | Protein: 16 g | Fat: 8 g | Saturated fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 10 mg | Sodium: 65 mg | Potassium: 295 mg | Fiber: 4 g | Sugar: 11 g | Vitamin C: 50% | Calcium: 15% | Iron: 1% 

Recipe: Dreamsicle fluff dessert

Posted on by
19

This sweet treat was a staple at church potlucks and family get-togethers when I was growing up. And it’s been perfect for enticing my husband to eat, once he got home from the hospital.

As usual, I’ve modified the childhood comfort-food recipe to make it healthier – reducing the sugar and fat content by using sugar-free pudding and gelatin mixes and substituting fat-free milk for half the sugar-free whipped topping.

The milk also adds protein, and the mandarin oranges add plenty of potassium and Vitamin C.

The result is still delicious!

This recipe makes 4-6 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 small box sugar-free fat-free vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 small box sugar-free orange gelatin mix
  • 15-ounce can no-sugar-added mandarin oranges
  • 1 cup sugar-free whipped topping
  • 1 cup fat-free milk
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 4-5 ice cubes

Directions

In a saucepan, bring the water to a boil and add the gelatin mix, stirring until completely dissolved. Add the ice cubes and stir until they are melted. Set aside.

Make pudding according to package directions, but using only one cup milk instead of two.

Add whipped topping to pudding and blend thoroughly, then add the liquid gelatin mix and blend.

Fold the mandarin oranges into the mixture.

Refrigerate overnight or until firm.

Nutrition information

Calories: 110 | Carbohydrates: 19 g | Protein: 1.5 g | Fat: 1.5 g | Saturated Fat: 1.5 g | Cholesterol: 0 mg | Sodium: 90 mg | Potassium: 180 mg | Fiber: 1 g | Sugar: 9 g | Vitamin A: 5% | Vitamin C: 24% | Calcium: 10% | Iron: .5%

God’s other book: Backyard bouquet

Posted on by
54

How sweet! This week, when I brought my husband home from a grueling 9-day hospital stay, God greeted us with flowers. In fact, God seemed to have turned our entire yard into one giant bouquet.

As Pete begins a lengthy recovery process, we’ve been able to feast our eyes on (from top to bottom) crabapple blossoms, irises, golden stars, redbud blossoms, lungwort, pink and white dogwood blossoms, mystery flowers (LOL!), tulips, violets, azaleas and … the ever-present dandelions.

What’s even more lovely: The flowers are all perennials, so I didn’t have to do a bit of work to enjoy this lavish display of eye candy.

Recipe: Spinach lasagna

Posted on by
17

I just l-o-v-e lasagna, but most traditional recipes include ingredients that make it a carb-and-fat-laden calorie bomb.

This meat-free version is great both for the Lenten season and for those looking to reduce their meat consumption during the rest of the year.

I’ve cut a substantial portion of the fat content by using fat-free cottage cheese and low-fat part-skim mozzarella cheese. I’ve reduced the salt content by using low-sodium marinara sauce and no-salt-added tomato paste, added fiber by using whole-grain noodles and even sneaked in an extra dose of veggies by doubling the spinach.

The result? While still not calorie-free (shucks!), the healthier ingredients improve the nutritional quality of this comfort-food favorite without sacrificing flavor.

Lasagna also freezes well, which makes it great for batch-cooking.

This recipe makes 8 servings.

Ingredients

  • 6 whole grain lasagna noodles
  • 2 9-ounce boxes frozen chopped spinach
  • 24-ounce tub fat-free cottage cheese
  • 25-ounce jar reduced-sodium marinara sauce
  • 6-ounce can no-salt-added tomato paste
  • 8-ounce package reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Boil the noodles until al dente.

For the filling, thaw spinach in the microwave oven and thoroughly drain. Add cottage cheese, tomato paste and marinara sauce to the spinach and stir to thoroughly combine ingredients.

Spoon 1/3 of the lasagna filling into a 9 X 13-inch pan, spreading evenly. Top with a layer of noodles. Repeat, then top with the remainder of the filling.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese evenly on top.

Bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Nutrition information

Calories: 280 per serving | Carbohydrates: 29 g | Protein: 21 g | Fat: 7 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Cholesterol: 10 mg | Sodium: 680 mg | Potassium: 430 mg | Fiber: 6 g | Sugar: 15 g | Vitamin A: 53% | Vitamin C: 2% | Calcium: 4% | Iron: 4%