#311

'We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.' (Rom 8.28)

#310

One solitary, but bold, bird chirping confidently like an opera singer doing voice exercises and testing out his voice...

'St. Paul calls his readers to take a sober look at themselves (Rom 12.3) and respond to the call of God according to who they are. Some are leaders; some are not. Some are teachers; some are not. Humility means recognizing both our limitations and our potential, recognizing where we need others and where we can make a contribution to meeting the needs of others. Humility graciously accepts both dimensions - our limitations and need for others and our potential, our ability to contribute to the well-being of others. The former does not diminish us; the latter does not inflate us. With sober judgment we simply accept who we are. And this humility is essential for effective discernment. Therefore, part of becoming a discerning person is to grow in knowledge of one's self.... Self-knowledge includes self-acceptance - honestly owning who we are. If we do not accept who we are, and more, actually like who we are, we will probably not be able to meet God freely and respond to that encounter. We will always be attempting to be someone other than who we are; we will be living a lie.' (pp 90-91 'Listening to God in Times of Choice: The Art of Discerning God's Will' Gordon Smith)

#309

'Desolation is any feeling of anger, depression, discouragement or inner turmoil. Sometimes it may be a feeling of malaise, not a specific feeling or reaction, just inner discomfort or dis-ease. ...there is no more significant counsel...than this: never make a decision or change a course of action when you are in desolation. Never. ...Desolation, in its various expressions, is never from God. God may permit it (as he did for Job and Jeremiah and others), but God never causes it. Therefore do not make a decision in desolation. Never resign from a position or organization when you are angry or afraid. Do not discontinue a program of study because of discouragement or abandon a time set aside for prayer because of restlessness. At such times we are not emotionally in a state when we can choose well. In desolation we should not change our course of action or make a decision. This does not mean that we will not feel disappointment in a decision. you may feel profound sadness in deciding to resign from a position or shed tears in making a decision that will cause pain to others but that you know is right. But the decision itself must be made in peace - not anger, not frustration, not in a state of discouragement.' (Gordon Smith, 'Listening to God in Times of Choice: The Art of Discerning God's Will' pp 52-55)

#306

More snow... taken yesterday during a brief respite

#304

Glorious sunrise (yesterday)...

#303

Silvery morning (from the weekend)

#302

Dawn breaking...

#301

Sky full of drama on a beautifully windy morning

#299

...the sun bursts out in full flame. (Note: It is not a good idea to stare directly at the sun, especially through a camera lens; never ever through a zoom lens. It can destroy both your eyes and camera.)

#298

Even on a frigid morning such as this...

#297

Curious about the moon, took another photo around the same time as yesterday. Sure enough, a slightly slimmer sliver of a moon was in the sky (which the photo hasn't captured) left of center in the Eastern sky...

#293

Clouds like strange creatures of the night scattering out to sea at sunrise...

Do I believe in the 'good will' of the Father...?

#292

A hushed, post-snow morning...

#289

At dawn this morning...

#288

Burning sunrise (slightly more northerly -or straight east - view than usual)...

#285

Air feels incredibly damp, creating this beautifully silvery effect...

'For this world in its present for is passing away' (1Cor. 7.31)

#285

Burning sunrise...

#284

Beautiful (tho windy) Christmas morning.

#281

Live and let live...

Manhattan silhouetted against a beautifully wintry morning sky

#280

Sunday morning sunrise...

'Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Christ.' (Matthew 1.17)