Birds, Beautiful Birds

We've had lots of birds frequenting the lake behind our house. Today the sun broke through the clouds and made a fitting setting for some pictures.

This lovely couple was hidden in some reeds and came out as I was walking by. I hadn't even seen them. I was on my way to try to get some pictures of a group of vultures when these guys caught my eye. The vultures were shy and all flew away before I could capture them.

Mister Great Blue Heron was out for some food as well.

He didn't want me to get too close.

It's amazing how big these birds are.

Their wingspan ranges from 69-75". That's BIG. Yet they are so graceful.

Keen Eye and Patience

 I certainly don't have the patience this bird has. I saw him outside this morning and watched him for 5 minutes as he was looking for a snack. He didn't find one in that time so I gave up and went back inside.

Later in the day I went back out with my camera. He had moved about 10 yards down the lake edge - still hunting. He was still staring at the water with a keen eye seeking food. He caught a fish but was so quick that I missed the photo op.

It made me think, what am I that persistent about? What am I willing to wait patiently for, even if tired, hungry or bored? What does my eye focus on?  Who am I trusting in?                      

Lots to think about.

Matthew 6:26 "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?"

THE SHOT and Life Lessons

Emily's wanted me to get a picture of her split jump all season. I've never caught it. Sometimes I was at the wrong angle, or a split second early or late or didn't have the right lens for the arena we were in.

FINALLY, I got "THE SHOT". But as life is not always perfect neither was this performance. The judges were scoring everyone very hard - scores were consistently much lower than at state. Of course, any sport with judging varies from meet to meet. You hope that judges will be consistent with each athlete and across sessions within each meet.

Emily was also disappointed with her score (9.05) in relation to the other competitors. So when Emily first saw "The Shot" she didn't like it since it was part of the routine that got a lower score than she thought she deserved.

As a Mom, it's been interesting to see how Emily has progressed in dealing with her scores during her two years of competing. As she learns more about the fine points of deductions she is better able to assess her performances and accept her shortcomings on a particular performance. Then again, she is so competitive that she wants to make sure she gets the correct score for each performance and that the judging is fair. Boy, did I have it easy in track - there was so little for the judges to do - most of the time, it was totally clear about how you did as soon as you crossed the finish line.

We've had many talks and some tears about how life isn't always fair. Sometimes you'll never understand why a judge gave you that score or why someone else got the score they got. Just last night, I was watching the US Figure Skating National Championships and the girl who won was very upset about the score she got and how she thought others got too high of scores in the short program. It was a good object lesson for Emily that in every sport with judging and in life you have to deal with disappointment and things being outside of your control. What's important is how you respond. Will you let it get you down and let it keep you down or will you keep it in proper perspective (God's perspective) and let it motivate you as the figure skater used it last night?

We've also talked about how she is a perfectionist, which can be a great strength but it can also be a weakness. Very rarely do we ever hit perfection, how do we handle it when we fall short of our own goal? Perfectionism coupled with extreme competitiveness gives you great drive and determination - it can also weigh heavy when you don't reach your goal.

We talk about how Jesus was the only perfect human to live on this earth. What can He teach us? What does He value? And how He accepts us completely no matter how we perform. The peace He gives can help you face the pain of disappointment and broken dreams. It can also help you focus and put aside the fear before you compete. His peace and perspective can help you have the balance to handle extreme success. It just works in every aspect of life.

As an athlete, you also have to accept that sometimes you just don't perform as well as you want. You've put in the hours and hours of training but it just doesn't all come together at the event. Or it might be due to an injury or sickness. Whatever the reason, it still hurts. Athletes who face those disappointing performances for what they are, learn what they can from them, put them behind them and move on are the athletes who will continue to improve - physically and emotionally. Mental toughness will be a strength for them in the years to come - in all aspects of life.

Just as Emily accepted the fact that I didn't get "The Shot" after each meet, she has accepted that this was "THE SHOT" she had been waiting for. She decided that her floor performance was the best she could do at that time - regardless of what the judges thought. She will learn from the video and her coach what she can work on. She will think of a lot of things when she looks at this picture - great form, that her Mom finally nailed it and how she learned some hard lessons from this meet. She will also remember that she got 4th on floor at this meet, 1st on the beam with a PR and that she finished 2nd all around in her age group. She has to choose what memories she will focus on.

Tough lessons for a 10 year old. Life lessons. Sports can do that. Life can do that.

As a mom, I'm thankful for the lessons she is learning. Yes, they can be hard at times, but they are so worth it. And she isn't the only one learning along the way.

Determination

Determination is the condition of being determined; resoluteness.

Like a toddler standing her ground in the grocery store candy aisle, in the eyes of a cancer patient fighting death, in the heart of a soldier at Iwo Jima or the Alamo or every other battle for freedom. Like a student learning his multiplication tables, like a woman giving birth, in the face of an athlete focusing on her goal ...

the list goes on and on.

What's on your list?

Where do you need help to be determined today?


Who can help you?


Discipline in a Long-Distance Race


Hebrews 12:1-3 "Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!" Message translation

Sunsets

Sunsets are amazing. One night could be plain and simple, another obscured by clouds and the next spectacular. The physical mechanics of the sun and the earth rotating don't change. Where we are, the beauty around us, the clouds or lack of them, the clarity of the air or lack, and other conditions change. Often, we are simply too busy or stuck inside to notice.

Last night I had time - the girls were both busy outside the home. I made the choice to go experience the sunset. There was nothing present to make it a spectacular sunset but I knew the lake, trees and a few clouds would make it worth watching. Here are three shots from last night, see if you agree that it was worth making the effort, small as it was, to enjoy the sunset.

The tree below reminds me of a barren winter tree:

Here's the last one.

It was a peaceful time by the lake. As I think about how the sun rises and sets each day and how the earth continues to rotate perfectly and how the moon plays a role, I can't help but be thankful for the Creator who set all this in motion and for Jesus who holds all things together. Colossians 1:17 says, "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together."

Reflections

I love having a lake behind us. The sun sets behind it so we get some pretty views. Most people wouldn't call it a lake - it's really not big enough to classify as a lake. It's more like a pond. It's really a retention pond the builders built to make a place for water so our land would not revert to a swamp. But that's okay because I like the view it gives us and I like keeping water out of my house and off our land.

I went out to take some pictures of the sunset and ended up with another theme. Allison called the pictures: Reflections.

I did get a few sunset photos. Here is another one that fits the theme.

What is it?

I've been trying to think of a creative way to post something that has been a big part of my life the last month. It's not something I invited into my life, it just happened. It represents a hassle, an inconvenience, something that's been slowing me down and, at times, frustrating me. Can you guess what this is a picture of?

Here's another view:

While waiting close to two hours to see my doctor yesterday, I had a chance to read one of my photography magazines. It had a good article on macro photography. I thought I'd try to experiment with the above object. Have you guessed what it is? Kleenex.

Having battled a cold and sinus problems for close to a month and having, unfortunately, shared them with my daughters, we have used tons of kleenex this past month. Such a mundane thing, yet so helpful. I am thankful for modern conveniences, for an excellent doctor (even if I have to wait at times) and for medicine to fight what ails me. What are you thankful for?

Bath Time Inspiration

I went out to look and see what some vultures were eating across the lake and saw some ducks. This duck decided it was time to freshen up. It reminded me of a favorite old hymn written by Robert Lowry (my granddad's name but no relation).

What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

[Refrain] Oh! precious is the flow That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Now by this I’ll overcome— Nothing but the blood of Jesus, Now by this I’ll reach my home— Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Glory! Glory! This I sing— Nothing but the blood of Jesus, All my praise for this I bring— Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

I wasn't able to see what the vulture was eating, it was too far away, but the object lesson was there. The duck was giving itself a bath and the vulture was cleaning up a carcass and God has given Jesus to cleanse the sin from our lives. Birds act with instinct but God has given us a choice as to what we will do with Jesus. Have you been made whole again?

Christmas Birthday

My Mom's birthday is on Christmas Day so we always celebrate both. She was born in 1926 and experienced The Great Depression and the mindset it created in families who lived through it. I wonder how many people will be impacted (long term) by the recent economic downturn. I don't think it will have nearly the impact on financial and daily life choices as The Depression did - though we need it to.

Mom moved near us after my Dad died. He had been her caregiver. She is now in an assisted living facility that we (including my out of state brothers) all like. Being a member of the sandwich generation will be the topic of another (probably several) blogs.

I'm glad that we have the chance to be more involved in Mom's life. These are memories and pictures that we will always treasure - just as I remember the interaction I had with my grandparents - I, like my girls, had lost three grandparents by the time I was Emily's age.

Take time to smell the flowers

It's an old cliché but in the hustle and bustle of everyday life it's good to stop and notice the gift of God's creation. Photography allows us to capture just one part of the beauty of a flower. We can't feel it or smell it but the picture can remind us of that time we paused - even for a moment - to appreciate the beauty around us.

ICE

There is a special winter show at the Gaylord Palms each December. Tons and tons of ice blocks are carved by Chinese Ice Artists. We went for the first time after Christmas.

The exhibit is kept at 9 degrees to protect the ice. We had lots of layers on underneath the supplied parka.

The girls enjoyed it but wished there was more to it. George and the girls also enjoyed sliding down the ice slides. I forgot how fast batteries drain in the cold. My flash died just before the beautiful nativity.