Day 178 (26 June 2012) Silence, or The End

At the end
There is silence
Silence in place of all that was
What does the silence say?
It echoes the voice of the past
Forever lost to Earth
Forever singing in Eternity

Ok, so I’m not a poet, at least not when I’m trying to put thoughts down at a quarter to eleven at night 🙂  The inspiration for today was the photo challenge hosed by Shannon and Nick.  When I read the list provided for this photo scavenger hunt and saw silence, my first thought was of death and the earthly resting place of our bodies, and how it contrasts with the eternal resting place for our souls.  As a Christian, I believe in both Heaven and Hell; and in neither of those places will one’s soul be quiet.

30 mm, 30 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100 (Silence)

This photo has some good color in the sky, but I felt that it distracted from the image and the story it’s supposed to tell.  For me this shows that while our bodies may be buried under the Earth, out souls exist in the Heavens 🙂

Here is the list I’m shooting from for the photo scavenger hunt.  I’m supposed to “find” 15 of these, 10 down, 5 to go!

• Chuck Norris Was Here
• “Big Foot Footprint”
• Reflected Love
• Abstract Self Portrait
• Framed Moon
• “Whats your sign”
• Anti-gravity
• Unusual Perspective
• Abandoned
• Silence
• Pride and Joy
• Emerging Star
• Buried Treasure
• Sparkler fun
• Clownin Around Upside-down
• Lyric Quotograph
• Summer
• Patriotism
• Night

Day 67 (7 March 2012) Combat

Today I was sitting at my table working, and looked over and saw the sunlight streaming through the sliding door.  It alighed upon my combat boots (staged there for when it snows), and it brought back memories of my time in Afghanistan.  I’m very thankful to God that I did not see any combat, nor have to fire my weapon in offence or self defence.  Other than a few tense moments on convoy, the memories are generally good.

But seeing the glint of the sunlight off the dog tag laced onto my boots made me pause and think of all those that didn’t come home.

Regardless of your views of the war and of politics, I urge you to honor those that gave their all for this country, and in hopes of bringing peace and prosperity to the oppressed.

55 mm, 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100, 18-55mm kit lens (In Honor Of Those Who Gave It All)

Day 39 (8 Feb 2012) The Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow

There are those to go through this life always striving for more; more pay, a bigger house, a nicer car, more ‘power’, higher social status, that legendary pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  When they do finally do reach the end goal, and find that pot, this is what they end up with:

18 mm, 4 min, f/3.5, ISO 100 (Pot of Gold)

They end up dead with nothing to show, except a tombstone and an empty, broken, rusty pot.

And yet, “Better to have one handful with quietness than two handfuls with hard work and chasing the wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:6

Remember what is important in life: God, family, friends, and helping others.  Don’t forgot to take time to enjoy life, this is where you will find your true treasure!