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Praying With The Eyes

Connecting the beauty of God's Word with the beauty of his Creation

You Just Gotta Have Fun!

Portland, Oregon

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Our good friend, Deb, found these toy soldiers in her yard.  It was a rather painful time for her.  A large sequoia tree had to be removed.  This wasn't an easy task for her, but after a long battle, the tree was removed, the fence torn down and the ground ripped to shreds.  

Among the mess she found her son's toy soldiers long abandoned in the dirt.

With flashlight and camera, we decided to pose these soldiers throughout her garden and take pictures of them. It was a blast.

"When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, 'The LORD has done great things for them.'" Psalm 126:1-2 English Standard Version

The Lord has done great things for us. The Lord has done great things for you. As God's redeemed children we are set free to laugh and enjoy the life we have in him.

I hope you find your "toy soldiers" in the mud today and have some fun.

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You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes podcast on iTunes on the 1st and 15th of each month, as well as at SoundCloud.com by searching for "Praying With The Eyes."  

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  

Signs of Life

Fox Run Regional Park, Black Forest, Colorado

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I took this picture on May 6, 2013. Finally, there were signs of life in Colorado. The Rockies were still covered with snow, yet the days were getting warmer. Tree branches were finally displaying the movement of sap as leaves began to appear.

"You lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in your presence; you always give me sheer delight." Psalm 16:11 New English Translation

Contrary to what we see on television or read in the newspaper, there are signs of life. The news isn't always good, in fact it is often bad, yet God's Word tells us the reality that covers our lives. God leads us "in the path of life." And on this path of life there is an abundance of joy.

You might feel that there is nothing joyful about life. Don't confuse joy with happiness.

Happiness comes and goes. At times we feel sorrow instead of being happy. Happiness depends on the circumstances of life...and that's okay. It's okay to be happy and it's okay to be sad.

Joy is God's gift to us when we are both happy and sad. As I have contemplated this gift of joy it appears to me that joy is not so much an emotion but a gift. And this gift of joy is rooted in God's gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.

In other words, we don't have to "feel" joy to experience joy. Joy comes with God's gift of life, a life that will never be taken from us.

So, today look for signs of life and thank God for the "absolute joy" that comes from his gift of life.

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Join the conversation on our Facebook group: Praying With the Eyes

You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes podcast on iTunes on the 1st and 15th of each month, as well as at SoundCloud.com by searching for "Praying With The Eyes."  

(Click on picture to enlarge.)

Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner.  ARR.