Desiring the Different

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado

You can't tell from this picture, but these trees are growing next to a dry creek bed. During our monsoon season, these dry creeks will rush with water. This is a good place to take root if you're a tree.

However, from this picture it is difficult to know whether these trees are alive or dead. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, these trees will give evidence of life. There is a good chance they will because of where they're planted.

"[The godly] are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do." Psalm 1:3 New Living Translation

"Who are the godly?" Too often we think in terms of behavior. A godly person is a someone who does "x" and doesn't do "y." Godliness of an individual is determined by his or her ability to live a certain lifestyle.

The Bible calls godly those upon whom God has lavished his amazing grace through Jesus Christ. It is through Jesus that God calls us godly, not by living up to certain standards. God plants us along the riverbank of his grace and mercy. It is here that we drink daily.

This drinking of Jesus affects how we live. It's not about rules and regulations. It's about desiring something different in our lives, something that only comes from Jesus.

We desire to live differently because we've been captivated by the mercy of God in Christ. Does my broken sinful nature need help in understanding what it means to live differently? Absolutely.

In his mercy God opens up the Scriptures to reveal what this redeemed life looks like, but this redeemed lifestyle flows out of a relationship you and I have with our amazing God.

Question for the Day: Think about the last 24 hours. How have you experienced the mercy of God? How has this mercy affected you behavior?

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

All The Trees Clap Their Hands

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado

When I pray with people who are dying and their families I ask God for two gifts. I ask that God would give them both joy and peace that surpass understanding.

The promise of joy and peace was God's gift to the nation of Israel.

"For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12 English Standard Version

Through the prophet Isaiah, God promises his people that they will come out of exile for their sin, and, with the gifts of joy and peace leading them, make their journey back to the Promised Land. The nation of Israel would experience death when taken into captivity in Babylon, yet joy and peace will lead them home.

From the moment of our conception to the day we die we're on a journey home. On this journey God desires that we experience joy and peace, a joy and a peace that surpass understanding.

Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God gives you his gift of joy and peace now. The road on which you walk is difficult, isn't it? There are days when you're cruising alone and the road of life seems level and smooth, but there are other days when the road is filled with boulders and you want to give up.

More than likely there were difficult days when Israel made the trip from Babylon to Jerusalem. Their joy and peace on the journey was rooted in the vision of returning home.

This is also your joy and peace on this journey of life. God has given you a vision of your home, that place prepared for you.

With this vision you and I join the trees in clapping our hands in spite of the boulders we experience.

Question for the Day: Think back to a time when you experienced "boulders."  What do you remember about God's presence during those difficult days?  Do you remember experiencing the gifts of joy and peace?

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Bright As Crystal

Cripple Creek, Colorado

I can't imagine how difficult it was for the sculptor of this piece of ice to make these ice strands. They're beautiful. They appear to be flowing.

God has a river for his people that flows bright as crystal.

"Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb." Revelation 22:1 English Standard Version

We often miss the meaning of this picture of heaven to the people who first read John's revelation. We have water purification plants. No matter how bad the water might taste, we can still drink it. Not so in John's day. There were no filtration plants to purify their water. The water they needed for life might cause their death.

Flowing water is living water. The promise of John's vision is water that won't kill, but water that gives life. It's appearance, like the ice sculpture above, signifies purity.  This is an image of hope.

However, the image that brings hope isn't only about heaven, it is about today as well. Jesus calls himself the water of life. Even today the water that he gives brings life and is a picture of what we'll experience when we're in his presence.

Today Jesus invites you to drink deep of him. He comes to quench your thirst. His water is bright as crystal.

Question for Today: Where can I carve five minutes out of my day to drink of Jesus?

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Clear as Crystal

Cripple Creek, Colorado

Changing your point-of-view has the ability to radically change a photograph. The light changes when the subject is looked at from a different angle. Details change when you move in closer as is the case in this picture.

John's picture of heaven in his revelation has both a distant and intimate quality to it.

"And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal." Revelation 21:10 English Standard Version

John stands on a high mountain and see this holy city of Jerusalem descending from heaven. He gives us the big picture, a picture that in all reality we can't comprehend and which he struggles to describe for us.

His language is that which we understand. It is the language of intimacy, of precious jewels that we give to each other to express our love. Though he stands at a distance when he sees what God has prepared for his people, he desires that we not be distant from the vision.

His picture draws us closer to what awaits us. What is waiting is an intimacy with God that we've never experienced. This intimacy is not merely a jewel hung around our necks, it is a jeweled city that will become our home.

This picture which John sees is like a man on bent knee opening a jewel box with a ring for the woman who has captured his heart. Through Jesus, we have captured God's heart and he can't wait to open the box of heaven for you and me.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Getting Goofy

Cripple Creek, Colorado

I want to be this young man and ride this ice slide on a piece of cardboard. How about you? Look at the joy in his eyes.

The writer of Psalm 118 understood this joy.

"This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24 English Standard Version

To understand this verse you ought to read the rest of the psalm. The psalmist gives thanks to God for his deliverance. You see, the psalmist understood that rejoicing in the Lord happens even in the struggles of life.

We'd all like a life free from pain. There are those days (maybe rare days) when everything seems to click and rejoicing in the Lord seems natural. Rejoicing doesn't seem natural when we struggle; shaking a fist at God, maybe, but rejoicing, I highly doubt it.

Since this is Monday, and Mondays can get off to rough starts, you'll probably grab that second cup of coffee, turn up the music in your car and maybe pray a little harder.

How about getting goofy instead. This is the day that the Lord has made for you. He will be faithful no matter your struggles.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

What Does It Mean to Be Holy?

Garden of the God's, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Striving after holiness is like trying to capture the purity of the sun. We can never truly attain to the holiness that God expects.

"Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy." Leviticus 19:2 New Living Translation

I wonder what Israel felt as they stood at Mt. Sinai and heard these words relayed to them from Moses' lips.

I would guess that there were those who were caught up in the glory of the event and were ready to yell out, "We can do it!  Just tell me what I have to do to be holy." There is a part of each one of us that thinks we can attain holiness, that is, that we can become like God.

However, there were others who probably understood exactly what these words meant and headed toward despair. "There is no way that we can attain to the holiness of God. So let's give up!" Why try when you know that you're going to fail? Right?

What God wants us to remember is what he also wanted Israel to remember. This call to live a holy life is based on the grace of God. God had already made the nation of Israel his prized possession, even before he spoke these words to Moses. God has already made us his prized possession.  

Jesus was perfectly holy in our place. His holiness is our holiness. Through Jesus you and I have been declared holy. 

In today's reading from Leviticus God describes what it means to live as his holy people. If you want a sneak peak, then read Leviticus 19:9-18.  

We're called to a life of holiness because we have been declared holy.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

To the One Who Conquers

Cripple Creek, Colorado

I'm not a car guy. I can't tell you what this engine belonged to even though it seemed to sit on a motorcycle chassis. I thought it was part of an ice sculpture representing the Ghost Rider, but I wouldn't stake my life on it.

Though I don't know much about car engines, I do enjoy watching them race, and tomorrow is a big day for race fans. The NASCAR season kicks off with the running of the Daytona 500. At the end of the race, through all the pit stops and accidents, one driver will be crowned the winner of NASCAR's premier race.

What if I told you that I knew without a doubt who would win the race? You wouldn't believe me.  I can't predict who it will be.

However, I do know that all who remain faithful to Christ win the race.

"The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels." Revelation 3:5 English Standard Version

John doesn't say that the person who conquers in life might be clothed in white garments.  Instead he states emphatically that this person will be clothed in white garments, the garments that Christ has purchased for his people.  This person's name will never be blotted out of the book of life.

Most importantly, as you and I remain in this faith, Christ will confess our name to the Father. "Father, this is my brother, (insert your name)." "This is my sister, (insert your name)."

The beauty about winning this race is that it doesn't depend on us. It depends on Jesus. He finished his race, that he might guarantee our victory. He has given us his Holy Spirit to constantly guide us in the race that he has already won for us; for you.

Tomorrow one racer will conquer the rest at Daytona. One day we will realize what it means that we are victors in Christ.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

A New Birth

Cripple Creek, Colorado

I can't imagine how long it took the person to sculpt this butterfly. Every inch of this butterfly was carefully crafted.

However, in a matter of days this new creation will disappear into a puddle of water. Maybe it will start with one of its antennae falling off, or the wings drooping. However it happens, one day the butterfly will melt.

The butterfly has been used by Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of the dead. This promise of the resurrection has worked a new birth in us, and unlike this sculpture, our new life will not melt away.

"However, when God our Savior made his kindness and love for humanity appear, he saved us, but not because of anything we had done to gain his approval. Instead, because of his mercy he saved us through the washing in which the Holy Spirit gives us new birth and renewal." Titus 3:4 God's Word to the Nations

This new creation, this new birth, will last because it is based on what God has done not what we do. What we bring to the table will melt like this butterfly, even as beautiful as it is. Even our best works that we bring to God will not last.

Through the mercy of God, who didn't spare his own Son, we have been given our new birth and renewal. This is a new birth that is ours today and will last for eternity.

There are times that it might feel like we're melting, that our faith is weakening, that we'll never stand up to the heat of life. Just as it is the Holy Spirit who gives us this new birth, it is the Holy Spirit who sustains this new birth.

Like this butterfly, God has given you a new birth by carefully crafted you into a work of art. This work of art has been sealed with his mercy. This work of art lasts forever.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Fools for Christ

Cripple Creek, Colorado

Shaggy wasn't known as the most intelligent of the characters on Scooby-Doo, in fact, he was the comic relief, often scared of his own shadow.

Some people view Christians in the same way. They view us as the punchline of bad jokes, yet why are we surprised? Look at how Paul describes the message that shapes our lives.

"The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18 New Living Translation

"The message of the cross is foolishness..." When we look at if from the perspective of society why wouldn't people consider the message of Christ crucified as foolishness.

We confess that God took on our humanity.

We confess that this God was executed on a Roman cross.

We confess that this God rose from the dead.

There are many people who look at what we confess and call us fools, the Shaggies of society. However you and I know the power of this message that others call foolish.

We know that through this Jesus Christ, this God in human flesh, we have life; abundant life now and eternal life throughout eternity. It is this Jesus who invites us into his presence to find rest.

For this reason we're okay with being called the Shaggies of life, because we know the power of the message.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

"I Hate My Camera!" - Understanding ISO

ISO 100, f/2.8, 1/50 sec, 25mm

ISO is not an acronym.  It is pronounced “I-sow” - one word, not I.S.O. I'll write more about this for the geeky people at the end of this blog because in reality, this aspect of ISO belongs on Jeopardy.

ISO is one third of the trinity of photography. The other two are aperture and shutter. If you have not read the blog on each of these other two aspects of the photographic trinity you can follow these hyperlinks: Aperture Shutter 

ISO relates to the speed of your camera's sensor.  

WHAT in the world does that MEAN? I’m glad you asked.  

Back in the good old days of photography, when we used film, the ASA number (not ISO) referred to the speed of the film. A low number like ASA 100 meant that the film was slow and need a lot of light to burn an image on the film. A high number like ASA 800 meant that the film was fast and needed less light to burn an image on the film.

The ISO number does exactly the same thing. An ISO number of 100 means that the sensor is functioning at a slow speed and needs a lot of light to capture an image. An ISO number of 1600 means that the sensor is functioning at high speed and needs less light to capture an image.

You with me? Take a deep breath and say to yourself ISO, ISO, ISO.

Here’s the hard part...setting the ISO number on your camera. Grab your camera and pick up your manual before continuing…I’m waiting..

LET THE WORKSHOP BEGIN!

1. Look up “ISO” in your table of contents or index.
2. Find out how to change the ISO number on your camera.  
3. Practice changing the ISO number. Don’t worry about what this is doing to your camera. You won’t break it. When you feel comfortable changing your ISO number you might want to set it to ISO 400. This is a good general purpose ISO setting.

I know that your hands are shaking and sweat is beading on your forehead. You have just taken a major step in knowing your camera. Learning your camera is a process of trial and error (with intermittent desires to throw it against the wall, or take it back to the camera store).

Now that you know how to set your camera’s ISO (or soon will), let’s talk about why understanding ISO is important.

• It’s all about light: ISO 100 means that your shutter will need to stay open longer than ISO 1600 for a proper exposure.
• It’s all about shutter speed: ISO 100 will slow down your shutter and make objects look like they’re moving. ISO 1600 will speed up your shutter speed to help stop action.
• Here are four examples of how ISO can aid your photography.
• ISO 100 is good for landscape photography on a sunny day.
• ISO 100 is good, when used with a tripod, for making water silky smooth.
• ISO 1600 is good for indoor pictures without a flash when there’s decent light.
• ISO 1600 is good for action photography if your goal is to stop the action.  

So...let me completely confuse you with the following chart. I have my camera out and I’m pointing it at a mug on our coffee table. I have my aperture set at f/2.8. 

Here is the effect ISO has on the shutter speed:

ISO Setting Aperture Shutter

ISO 100 f/2.8 1/10 second

ISO 400 f/2.8 1/40 second

ISO 800 f/2.8 1/80 second

ISO 1600 f/2.8 1/160 second

When hand holding a camera shutter speed is EXTREMELY important. When your camera is properly focused, the faster the shutter speed the sharper your picture. In my opinion a couple of nice shutter speeds are 1/125 and 1/250 of a second. 

Here is the main drawback of high ISO numbers: The picture will have more “noise” or “grain” in it. In other words, it won’t look as smooth as lower ISO numbers and can become a problem when you enlarge a picture for grandma. This is especially true in point-and-shoot cameras because they have a tiny sensor which will exaggerate noise.

Here’s your project: Set your camera to aperture priority with an f-stop of f/10 and take two pictures of the same object. Take one picture at your camera’s lowest ISO number and the other at the highest. Upload them to your computer and compare the pictures. Then have fun experimenting with different ISO settings. You might even take a field trip with the purpose of switching ISO settings. You will note in the following pics the amount of grain in the high ISO photo compared to the low ISO pic, especially if you enlarge the pictures.

ISO 100, f/10, 5 sec.

ISO 16000, f/10, 1/40 sec.

OKAY GEEKS, back to where I started this blog. The ISO standard is set by the International Organization for Standardization. Here is their explanation of the word ISO taken from their website:

“Because 'International Organization for Standardization' would have different acronyms in different languages (IOS in English, OIN in French for Organisation internationale de normalisation), our founders decided to give it the short form ISO. ISO is derived from the Greek isos, meaning equal. Whatever the country, whatever the language, the short form of our name is always ISO.”

Enough said.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

The Mystery Machine

Cripple Creek, Colorado

I was thirteen when Scooby-Doo first aired on television in 1969. Yes, that's right, Scooby-Doo is now 46 years-old. He doesn't look a day over five, nor do his teenage friends look any older, especially Shaggy.

Some of you remember "The Mystery Machine," a glorified hippymobile in which they rode as they solved what were apparently paranormal mysteries. These mysteries always found some "normal" explanation.

Though the Apostle Paul didn't have a glorified VW bus taking him around the world, he did explain the mystery of God.

This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Ephesians 3:6 English Standard Version

His explanation of the mystery of God was huge for both Jews and Gentiles. These cultures were significantly dissimilar. They didn't necessarily like each other, yet Paul states that God's love in Jesus was meant for all.

That Jews and Gentiles were both "partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus" would have a radical impact on people's lives. The walls that separated the different cultures were broken down by Christ.

And though we still try to rebuild these walls of separation, the truth remains. Those who are baptized into Christ, who know his saving love and gift of forgiveness, are partakers of the promises of Christ.

We share in the promise of forgiveness.

We share in the promise of abundant life.

We share in the promise of eternal life.

No matter our cultural background, God's Spirit invites us to step on his bus and enjoy the ride on his Mystery Machine called the Church. All are welcome.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

A Reason to Gather

Sports Authority Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado

Sports Authority Field at Mile High seats 76,125 people. Tickets to a Broncos game aren't cheap. There are no $4 Rock Pile tickets like there is for Colorado Rockies games. In fact there is nothing that you can buy at Sports Authority Field for under $4.

People will pay the price because they want to see the Broncos win. Granted there is a great deal of other activity that happens at a Broncos game. This picture was taken at halftime. It was military appreciate day. Soldiers lined the sidelines ready to receive the appreciation of the crowd.

Yet people wouldn't pay $100 a ticket to see the side shows. They come to watch football.

"Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!" Psalm 95:6 English Standard Version

Why do we gather for worship?

There may be some people who come to a Broncos game to be seen, but they are by far the minority. May that also be said of those who come to God's house for worship.

May God's house be filled with those who are willing to bow down an kneel before the Lord, our Creator. And my the world see that it is for this purpose that we gather.

By the way, this day the Broncos won.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

It's Okay to Be Alone

Whittier, Alaska

You'd never know that there were over 2,500 passengers on this cruise ship by looking at this picture.

Being around people is exhausting. Granted, as Christians we are called into community. Paul describes the Christian community as the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). I need you, and you need me.

However, each of us needs alone time.

How can we get ourselves in a position where we are alone even when surrounded by mobs of people?

"And after [Jesus] had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone." Matthew 14:23 English Standard Version

Jesus had been surrounded all day by more than 5,000 people.Yet he found a way to be alone...well, not really alone, but alone with his Father.

There will always be people clamoring for our attention. To be alone with God is a choice, a necessary choice. This alone time with God strengthens us for the together time with Christians and others.

It's okay to be alone with God.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

What Does It Mean to Work for God

Benet Hill Monastery, Black Forest, Colorado

I thought that I'd try something different on Sundays, and address the theme that we'll focus on at the congregation I'm privileged to serve here in Colorado Springs; Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

We've be addressing a number of issues under the theme, "What does it mean..." Today we'll wrestle with the question, "What does it mean to work for God."

"I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." 1 Corinthians 3:6 English Standard Version

On the surface it would seem freeing for us to say that God takes our efforts and makes something amazing happen with them. We struggle to get it right, and it is a comfort to know that God takes our sin-tainted efforts and grows something for his good.

However, realizing that God gives the growth means that we're not in control.  

Paul planted the word of God. He spent only enough time in cities to plant the good news of God's love for all, then he'd bugger out of there. Apollos lived in Corinth. He knew the people. He kept nurturing that word that Paul planted, but God gave the growth.

And if God gives the growth, we have to let go of our need to get the results we want. We might be like Paul and love planting the Word of God or we might be like Apollos and enjoy nurturing that Word in people's lives.  In the end, we must give the results over to God.

This is the question that I'm leaving everyone with today: Can you live with the fact that when you work for God you might never see the results?

I raised this question on Twitter.  You can find me on Twitter at Douglas Brauner@pdoug0856.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

No Escaping the Reality

Wet Valley & Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Colorado

Why don't the residents of this home cut down the dead trees? The view of this peak in the Sangre de Cristo mountains is amazing. The trees are beautiful and there is even a hint of green in the grass, something unusual for much of Colorado but not for the Wet Valley.

Cutting down the trees and removing the wood ought to make this pastoral picture even more pastoral.  But death remains.

How we'd like for the reality of death to disappear. But it doesn't. Cut down these dead trees and eventually the living trees will replace them.

We deal with one person's death and not long down the road we find ourselves dealing with another person's death.

"On this mountain he will remove the veil of grief covering all people and the mask covering all nations. He will swallow up death forever. The Almighty LORD will wipe away tears from every face, and he will remove the disgrace of his people from the whole earth. The LORD has spoken." Isaiah 25:17-8 God's Word to the Nations

For those of us in Christ we know that one day our tears, brought by death, will cease. We don't need to lose heart, nor focus on the reality of death around us. With this promise of God we can even enjoy the mountains while living with death.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Glory to Glory

This scene caught my eye as I settled in to watch the Super Bowl. In fact, the game was about to start, but capturing this scene was more important than potentially missing the kickoff.

The sun was setting as it reflected off of the snow, yet it reflects differently as its scattered across my front yard.

All of us who know the grace and mercy of Christ, who cling to him for our life, reflect the glory of God and are changing in how reflect that glory.

"And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18 English Standard Version

Paul speaks in the present tense. In other words, we are presently beholding the glory of God. Paul writes about this transformation in the same letter that he talks about his suffering for Christ (2 Corinthians 11:16ff).

Being transformed from "one degree of glory to another" is not about suffering less and less, nor about sinning less and less, but about seeing Jesus no matter what life throws our way.

The light reflecting off the snow originates from the sun.  No sun, no reflection. The light with which we shine doesn't originate in us, but the light of God's love in Jesus.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Crossfire

You never know what you're going to get when you take pictures of a fire raging in your fireplace. With all the cold weather we've "enjoyed" this year, I've built a number of fires, but this was the first time I took pictures.

It wasn't until I posted this picture on Facebook that someone pointed out the cross in the middle of the fire. What a picture of our Christian walk.

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while." 1 Peter 1:6 New Living Translation

Trials come in various forms, yet in each Jesus stands with his cross.

We don't have to ask for trials to come our way. A phone call reminds us how fragile life is. A trip to the doctor reminds us that we're not in complete control of our health. Coffee with a friend reminds us that relationships can crumble.

And at times the fire seems intense and we're not sure how we'll survive.

Seeing the cross of Christ in the midst of trials doesn't answer the question why, but it does give us hope that the journey through the trial is not one we travel alone. Our God experienced the trial of death on his cross that we might know that he stands with us in ours.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Reaching Into the Sky

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado

I've written about winter trees before. In many ways they are more appealing to me than summer trees. Don't get me wrong. I'm looking forward to Spring when the leaves once again appear and cloth these branches, yet I love the sculpted feel of the intertwined branches.

These trees become more intricate as they reach into the sky, and so it is with our life in Christ.

"Righteous people flourish like palm trees and grow tall like the cedars in Lebanon." Psalm 92:12 God's Word to the Nations

These trees keep pushing upward, and as they grow their branches grow capturing more of the sun and the nourishment they need to continue to grow. For the trees to keep growing the branches must grow.

God has created us to grow as individuals and as a community.

God wants his baptized to grow together, gaining nourishment from him by caring for each other as Christ cares for his church. We are a community. Growing together is a part of our faith. It is a part of God's intent.

Not only does God intend for his baptized to grow together, he wants each of us to grow in his mercy and grace. God desires to be intimate with you. Evidence of this fact is the meal that he wants to share with you. "Take, eat, this is my body." "Take, drink, this is my blood."  

We tend to get hung up on the words, "body," and "blood," and lose sight that Jesus offers to be intimate with us, with you. This intimacy happens in the context of community. As we experience intimacy with Christ, we also experience intimacy with each other.

As a result we continue to grow as our branches of faith intertwine and reach into the sky.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Beauty in Brokenness

Ute Park, Colorado Springs, CO

I have a feeling that many of the little rocks, half buried in the sand, were a part of this larger rock. Summer heat, Fall frost, Winter snow and Spring rains have taken their toll on this piece of sandstone to the point that some of it has returned to its basic sandy condition.

However, there is a beauty in the brokenness.  I'm dazzled by the different colors that have been revealed as the rock crumbles. If the rock is whole, these colors remain hidden.

Brokenness has a way of revealing the beauty of God's mercy.

"As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!" Psalm 40:11 English Standard Version

Mercy isn't needed where everything is okay. Yet for broken, sinful people, God's mercy reveals the beauty of his love.

God delights in entering into our brokenness and creating a work of art like this rock.  You are that work of art.  God excels in revealing his beauty in your brokenness.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

"I Hate My Camera" - Understanding the Shutter

ISO 100, f/10, 1/10 sec, 24mm

I hated swimming. The summer I took swimming lessons was one of the most traumatic summers of my life. I was a guppy; that was the name of the group of fearful swimmers to which I was assigned. At the end of our week or two (seemed like an eternity to me) we had to jump off the diving board into water that would be, for the first time, over my head. UGH!

I remember my instructor holding out a bamboo pole so that I could hold on to it and jump. It took me a while but I did.

Pressing the shutter button on a camera might cause some of you the same fear. You scan the scene in front of you and determine the shot. You pull the camera to your eye, study the scene, put your finger on the shutter button but immediately freeze. You can't push the button, pull the trigger, jump into the pool.

WHAT IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG!?!?

Yes, the picture might not turn out the way you envisioned it, but fear of pushing the shutter button shouldn't concern you, especially in these days of pixels instead of film. Other than purchasing your camera, the only price you pay for these pictures is space on your hard drive.

This shutter button is connected to the actual camera shutter.  This shutter covers the aperture until you push the shutter button.  It then remains open for a specified length of time, allowing light to enter your camera and burn an image on your sensor or film.

The SHUTTER is one third of the photographic trinity. The last blog I wrote on this topic covered the aperture (you can click the hyperlink to read that article, or click on the hyperlink to the introduction if you want an overview of aperture, shutter and ISO.)

The APERTURE will determine how long your shutter needs to remain open to capture an image that is properly exposed (aperture priority mode), AND the SHUTTER will determine how open your aperture needs to be in order to properly expose your picture (shutter priority mode).

The PURPOSE of your picture will determine whether you set your camera to aperture or shutter priority.

Generally speaking (and I mean generally), if your goal is to control the depth of field then you will probably shoot in APERTURE PRIORITY mode.

If your purpose is to focus on action, then you'll probably choose in SHUTTER PRIORITY mode. Basically, you will want to either STOP fast action, or you will want to make the object look like it's MOVING as in the picture above.

A FAST shutter speed will FREEZE action, whereas a SLOW shutter speed will give the allusion of MOVEMENT.

YOU CAN CONTROL THE SHUTTER SPEED!

Once again, you might be fearful of controlling your shutter. Actually the shutter is crying out for you to change it. It's tired of the program mode telling it, as well as the aperture, what to do. It would you rather tell it how fast or slow it should open.

Controlling your shutter speed will allow you to let the creative juices flow, but like any skill, it takes practice and experimentation--which means it will take some time.

I suggest that you start experimenting by putting your camera into SHUTTER PRIORITY mode and go take some pictures. Here are my suggestions for how you go about shooting in shutter priority mode which are similar to setting your camera in aperture priority mode.

1. Pull out your camera's manual and find where it talks about how to set your camera to Shutter Priority. Read this section carefully. Shutter Priority means that the aperture will adjust to the setting of you shutter. In other words, if you set your camera to a Shutter Priority 1/125 second, that setting will remain constant. The aperture will change to give you a correct exposure.
2. Set your camera’s ISO to ISO 400. Don’t worry about what ISO means at this time, just do it. It’s even better if you camera has “Auto ISO.” Then you won’t have to worry about ISO for this project. In the next blog I’ll explain ISO. Consult your manual to find out how to set your camera’s ISO
3. Start playing with with different shutter settings. We’re not worried about what the pictures look like at this time. The only thing we’re trying to accomplish is learning HOW to use your camera in Shutter Priority Mode. Pay attention to what happens to the aperture size when you adjust the shutter speed.
4. NOW THE REALLY FUN PART. Start taking pictures of things that are moving with different shutter speeds. Upload your pictures to your computer and notice what happens with different shutter speeds. If you’re really geeky you’ll take notes.

Here are some tips on taking pictures in Shutter Priority.

• Pan with the moving object. Panning is where you move the camera with the object that is moving. Try this with both fast and slow shutter speeds to see the difference. This is a good time to tell your child or grandchild to ride their bike in front of you because you want to take pictures.
• Keeping your camera still (on a monopod or tripod would be preferred), have your child or grandchild walk in front of your camera from left to right or right to left. If your camera can do multiple pictures with one shutter release (burst) then use that function. Again, do this with with multiple shutter speeds to see the difference. 
• If you plan on hand holding your camera, avoid using shutter speeds slower than 1/60 sec. Slower speeds might cause a blurry picture. Some cameras can handle slower speeds with image stabilization.  You will need to experiment.  Two good general purpose shutter speeds are 1/125 and 1/250 sec.

TWO COOL FACTS ABOUT USING YOUR SHUTTER BUTTON!!!

Before we leave this topic of the shutter, I'd like to address two great things you can do with your shutter button on most cameras, including point-and-shoots.

1. Say you want to focus on your grandson, but you want him to the left of you picture. Every time you place him to the side and press the shutter button he goes out of focus because the camera, being a stupid piece of computer parts, will focus on whats in the middle of your frame. Here's how you trick your camera. Move your camera so that your grandson is in the middle of your frame and push the shutter button HALFWAY DOWN. You might hear an electronic noise at this point.  Most cameras will now lock in the focus. With your finger still on the shutter move your camera so that your grandson is to the side of the frame and push the shutter the rest of the way down. He will now be in focus and where you you want him in your picture.
2. Say that you're taking a beautiful landscape and your camera keeps metering the light of the very bright sky making the rest of the picture dark. Try this to lighten the landscape. Exclude as much of the sky in your frame as possible and push the shutter button HALFWAY DOWN. Keeping your finger on the shutter button lift the camera to the picture you desire and push the button the rest of the way down. The sky might be brighter than you'd like, but the landscape should be okay.

Here's another UNRELATED tip for taking landscapes. If you have a cloudless sky, try to exclude as much of the sky as you can. IT'S BORING, NEGATIVE SPACE! Actually, there's another blog...negative space.

Happy shooting!

UFO's Do Exist!

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO

"But when you give to someone in need, don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." Matthew 6:3 New Living Translation

Okay, so I over processed this photo but I didn't want you to miss the spaceship that landed in the Garden of the Gods. (Some of you might see the planet Saturn.  I can live with that.) For me this is proof that UFO's exist.

There is another kind of UFO that I have been graced to see throughout my life: Unidentified Free Objects. That is what God has made us to be in Christ. We are free to live our lives in obscurity...and enjoy it.

If God isn't going to love us any more or less because of the things we do or don't do, then we're free to live our lives doing what we do in obscurity and being okay with it.

Doesn't God's opinion count more than that of the public square? He sees you through Jesus and calls you his child. God has made you his UFO.

Project for the day: Perform a random act of kindness for someone just because! Wow, now that's freeing.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Piece of Cake

Monarch Ski Area, Colorado

Don't you want to strap on the skis or snowboard and head down this ski run? It looks so easy, so gradual. The snow is soft. The run is groomed. Shouldn't be any problem, right?

Then you stand at the top of the hill and start sliding away and your realize that you now straddle the line between control and lack of control (and it's only an intermediate run).

"Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God. I rule the nations. I rule the earth." Psalm 46:10 God's Word to the Nations

Skiing is one of those activities that teaches you to let go. If you spend the day worrying that you're going to fall it will be a bad day of skiing.

If we spend our lives worrying that something bad is going to happen to us we'll never enjoy the day. I'm not saying that everyday will be amazing but why worry about whether we're going to fall or not?

Faith is the act of letting go into the hands of our God who let go of his Son and sent him to the cross that we might cast all our anxieties on him. And when we cast our anxieties on him, God reveals to us that he indeed rules the earth.

I haven't strapped on my skis yet this year. Hopefully, in less than two weeks, Janice and I will head out to Cooper and enjoy a day of cruising. I'll be letting go!

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Swimming Together

Palmer Lake, Colorado

This was my last view of these beavers before I started the hike home. I don't know where these guys were heading but they were going there together.

We have so many different interest in our Christians congregations that we seem to forget that we ought to be heading the same direction. The women's group heads one way, the men's group another. The Board of Directors say this is the direction the church ought to be heading, and the Board of Elders point in a different direction. Instead of swimming together we're swimming in circles.

"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13 New Living Translation

We are free. As free people we have a choice: either we can either use this freedom to swim in circles or we can us our freedom to serve each other.

My gut tells me that it takes a lot less energy when the baptized swim together.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Coming Together

Palmer Lake, Colorado

I don't usually think of beavers as playful animals: river otters yes, beavers no. These two beavers must have been taking a break from their labors. For a few moments they swam a symphony for me. As they came together they started to swim around each other before heading back to the shore.

Christians are given the opportunity to come together to create a symphony, or rather, to live the symphony that God has written.

"And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us." 1 John 3:23 New International Version

There are two parts to this symphony.

The first is to believe in the name of God's Son, Jesus Christ. This is a communal activity according to John. The community comes together and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, lives in a relationship with Jesus. Faith is lived in symphony with other Christians.

The second part of this symphony is to come together to love each other. Christians are as broken as everyone else and to love each other is one of our most difficult tasks. However, we ought to remember that, in love, Jesus died for all of us "rodents." His love makes it possible for us to love each other.

We play an amazing symphony when we come together in faith and love.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR

Acceptance

Palmer Lake, Colorado

Let's get something straight: Beavers are rodents. As an Oregon Duck fan I must make that statement since I'll be writing about beavers the next three days.

Above the city of Palmer Lake, Colorado, are a couple of reservoirs. At the far end of the second of these lakes were three beavers who allowed me into their world. Beavers tend to be shy creatures but these guys permitted me sit and watch them.

Letting people into our lives isn't easy.

"Therefore, accept each other just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory." Romans 15:7 New Living Translation

Notice that Paul says "accept each other" he doesn't say "change each other." These beavers allowed me into their world. I didn't have to change. One swam in front of me, staring at me for quite some time.

There are people we want to invite into our lives, others with whom we're okay if they're in our lives and others whom we'd like to keep out of our lives. Thank God that he hasn't made the same distinctions among humans or some of us wouldn't be accepted by him.

Okay, so all of you Oregon State Beaver fans out there, I accept you and I hope you can accept a die-hard Duck.

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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-14 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR