Photography

When I was a teenager I was into photography. I had my own dark room, took photography in school, and was a pretty good photographer. When I was in my twenties, I began to travel a lot. While travelling, I was struck by the "Ugly American" syndrome. American's oversees are much more obnoxious than I could have imagined. One area that was particularly obnoxious, even more so than how they critiqued their hotel rooms while the locals were living in shacks, was how they incessantly took pictures. In fact, they took pictures so often that I don't think they ever really "saw" what they were taking pictures of! From that time forward I gave up photography and tried to enjoy what I was seeing.

However, recently I felt the urge to take up photography again. Maybe your forties is when you recover from your twenties? Anyway, since I now have Jesus living inside me in a new and powerful way, photography has become much more interesting. I noticed that I "feel" a photograph, then capture it with the camera. I don't really know why it is that what I am taking a picture of should be a good photo. I just kind of know that there is a story in the picture waiting to be captured. Then after I see the photograph, I meditate on it for a few minutes... kind of like I used to wash the paper back and forth in the development solution in the dark room... and I understand what the story in the photograph is! Here are some examples of photos I took on a trip to NYC with my Honey for our anniversary.

This picture is from Manhattan, near the entrance to the Battery Tunnel. If I were to name it, I would call it "Going Up?". The Street Light is a symbol of the "light of the world", Jesus, who is supposed to guide our path. However obscuring our view of the light is the One Way sign, and No Standing sign. The world has a direction of its own that it seems like we are "required" to go in, and we are pushed along with no time for standing. Destined for great heights, the world seems to be against us!

I knew there was something special about this picture when I took it. The depth of field, the center piece, background, and framing of the trees was visually captivating. I would call this photo "The Mission", and it is personal for me since I work at DHS. The center of the photo has the American Flag, with the wind blowing at a powerful rate. Wind is typically a symbol of the Holy Spirit, silently guiding and directing with only its effects being perceived. In the background is the Manhattan skyline, minus the twin towers. In the foreground a family merrily interacts, somewhat oblivious to forces at work around them. The trees with their winter coats on symbolize the season we are in. Although the sun is shining brightly, the reality is that we are in the final season. Will there be another spring, or will this be the last? The wind knows, and directs us with it unseen authority.

I was really pleased with this picture of the Statue of Liberty, it is as good as any postcard I have seen. The real story here is the shadows. Light and Dark, divided by three dimensions. I have a hard time verbalizing this story. The shadows are in the foreground, which is not typical. The green grass, very blue sky, and copper lady liberty seem to also speak of the separation of things. These forces are at work, and we are but a small part (notice the very small looking person at base of the stature). Ultimately the things Lady Liberty stand for are in contrast with her surroundings, and further highlight this division of dimensions. Light, Dark .. Height, Width .. Grass, Sky .. Big, Small ... Liberty, Bondage?

This photo snuck up on me. I didn't really notice it until I had some 4x6's made of the trip. This is a photo of the main building on Ellis Island, where immigrants were taken for processing during the mass immigration of the late 1800s and early 1900s. My ancestors came through this very building. The trees, less leaves, seem to be hanging over the beautiful building, obscuring it as if the stories of the immigrants are what really matters. In a way you can hear the souls, with their hopes, dreams, fears, standing up and saying "I am important, don't forget me". I was stuck by the almost "ghost" like feeling which is about Ellis Island, and I think that is what is being captured here.

If you finished reading this, thanks for investing your time! I hope it was rewarding.

What If?

In the Book of 1 Kings, chapters 17 and 18 we read about the life of Elijah. Elijah had incredible spiritual power. Elijah prayed that it would not rain, and it didn't. Elijah prayed that it would rain, and it rained. Elijah prayed and made people wealthy supernaturally. Elijah raised dead people back to life. Elijah prayed and sick people were made well. Elijah prayed and well people were cursed with sickness. Elijah prayed fire down from heaven. And finally, when it was Elijah's time to go, he prayed and chariots of fire came down and took him up to heaven. Take the time to sit down and read 1 Kings 17 & 18, it is a great read that will take no more than 15 minutes. Then Elijah's disciple Elisha followed after him and did twice as many miracles as Elijah! There are many other examples in the Bible of people with incredible spiritual authority (Jeremiah, Daniel, Samuel, David, Peter, John, Paul).

How did these people, men and women like you and I, get such spiritual power? Think about it. Of the billions of people who have lived since Adam, why and how did these get such authority? Was it something they were born with, kind of like a musical ability? Was it something they learned, like a PHD? Was it something that was imparted to them supernaturally?

I know that answering a question with another question is frustrating, but here goes...

What if a man or women devoted every waking and sleeping moment of their whole life from birth to death to the purpose of the God of this universe? Every ounce of energy, forsaking every other interest including food, sleep, friends, family, clothes, houses, ... everything fully devoted with all of the passion in them to the things of God. This makes me think of the early Catholic tradition of Monks and Nuns. But I am talking more of the former discussion. Was that what happened to these men of God? Did they devote every ounce of their being, forsaking everything else to God? And if so, is that why or how they obtained such power and authority?

Ok, so now another question to answer the question which answered the first question!

What If? What If... someone today were to do just that. What if someone were to devote every ounce of their being to pursuing the things of God. Would they see the spiritual authority that these men saw? Wow. It would only take a lifetime to find out!