Seeing Clearly

I found this picture yesterday and thought it would be a good one to share.

My sons and I were exploring the northern California coast a few years ago, and as I recall a huge fire was burning somewhere in Central America. The smoke drifted all the way across to California, creating some tough conditions for photography, to be sure.

I'm in the center right of the frame - working to get a good position for landscape photography. Most of my images from that day weren't worth keeping - but this one is special to me.

I think I'm roughly in the same place today as I was in that photograph. Conditions are tough. The way ahead is uncertain. And at the end of the day, I'm not at all sure that what I'm doing is going to amount to anything at all. The world is grey and dim - its as if the pigment's been drained out of everything around me.

But then, of course, there's the sun. It's starting to break through in places - though quickly obscured again. "Come on! Can we please get through this? Blow, wind - blow this fog out of here and let the full light of day shine bright and clear."

And like that day on the coast, maybe those following behind me will have the best perspective and the most useful picture of the landscape we're traveling through.

That'd be fine too.
"And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light
of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and
they will reign forever and ever." - Rev. 22:5
Father, thank you for the moments of peace and light in these grey days. Bring your kingdom in fullness on the earth, and your light that outshines all others.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

At times it does seem as if the way is uncertain and if what we choose to do will not amount to anything at all. What matters really is the end of the story...That is the key..We have this one life journey here to make the most of the talents we are given. What was God's plan? Does it match what we choose to do?
Then there is peace. At times frustration but peace.IF not God's plan, then make a change..One life..One journey...Pray...
I had a dream once that I was lost from God in a fog,I saw the light of the sun but I chose to go farther into the fog. I became lost..and truly alone but still I held on to my will and walked further into the dark fog..I wasted a lot of time going in that direction..eventually walls, storms and clouds blocked the light.Then I became passive and depressed and stopped in any active life journey to please God. Unhappy, more divisions occurred, bad decisions, self worth issues and true loneliness. Death seemed the only answer to gain peace.. I saw the light again, but it was so far away, so much time lost..A choice to fight through the darkness and break down the barriers to reach God's light or give up and die..I don't know the rest of the story yet...

but I do know that in the grays of life there are colors and light, if you look around...

Anonymous said...

The picture within the picture. The foggy path, the clearer one from behind you. At times we all feel that way, and the sun soons shines through and we forget the foggy unclear way.