Chances are...

"Trust in the Lord
with all your heart;
do not depend on
your own understanding."
~ Proverbs 3:5, NLT

Have you ever said: gee, I wish I would have had my camera!

Many times I come upon something like the

4 deer that stood next to the roadway, and watched me pass by slowly!

I can never plan on such a shot,

and even when I try to in my dreams,

at the last moment before I am ready to press

the shutter button, they always seem to flee away fast.

I usually try to be prepared, and be ready

for such moments, and am never too far from my camera.

As a photographer, I never know when opportunities

will present themselves, so it pays to be camera ready.

I have also learned that a back-up plan is also a good idea.

Usually when I go on a "photo shoot",

I have been known to carry at least

2 other cameras with different lenses attached,

so I really do have a back up plan in place.

Life is kinda like that too. We never know

what is in our future, and we need

to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances.

The best thing I can say here is that

I need to do my part as best I can, but not to

worry too much about what I don't know.

It is normal, I guess, to fear that which I don't understand,

and some portion of fear keeps me on my toes too.

Our best source of preparation is

turning to God, and the bible is our instruction book.

Our "back-up plan" is just knowing His forgiveness and

to trust in Him, without relying on our own understanding.

Love to all, Norm

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"Called to rise"

"And you must love
the Lord your God
with all your heart,
all your soul,
and all your strength."
~ Deuteronomy 6:5, NLT

Called to rise

We never know how high we are

Till we are called to rise

And then, if we are true to plan

Our statures touch the skies.

~Emily Dickenson

I know there have been many young men and women who set out to serve their country in the military, who really had no idea what the outcome would be. They plunged head-on to the task,and relied on their training, and their faith in themselves and God that things would be fine.

Families back home wondered whether their loved one would be back soon , or at all.

We pause to pay tribute to those who gave. They gave their dedication to God and country ~ some giving life it's self ~ that future generations might continue to enjoy freedom from oppression, persecution, and terrorism.

We also remember those families left behind, for they too are

"called to rise".

LOVE TO ALL, Norm

The content and pictures

of this blog are copyrighted.

Please do not copy

or use in any way

without express written

permission.

Thank you.

"...and know that I am God."

"Be still
in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently
for him to act."
~ Psalm 37:7, NLT

Sometimes you can just say no more!

Love to all, Norm

"It's a boy!"

"And he also said, 'It is finished!
I am the Alpha and the Omega—
the Beginning and the End.
To all who are thirsty
I will give freely from the
springs of the water of life.”
~ Rev 21:6, NLT

"Listen My Son"

Few things in life give us more pleasure than when a child is born to us. Those are just empty words when you have not been there. The instant pride, and feelings of accomplishment come over you, and you just want to tell the whole world about it!

I remember November 2, 1978 as being one of the busiest days of the fall harvest, as well as planting season for winter wheat. The responsibility I had to run a small branch operation at our local coop elevator sometimes was overwhelming for just two employees, but we managed somehow.

I had left my expectant wife earlier that same day, anticipating the blessed even very soon. She said I will be fine. I will call you when it is time. The day went by uneventful, and I was able to go home for lunch, as always. She said this may be the day! I told her to give me a little warning, and I would come running to get her to the hospital.

After several hours and checking 2 or 3 times, I was sorta thinking maybe she will wait until the next day. Well I had just finished dumping a load of grain in the elevator when I heard that horn sound to signal that the phone was ringing, so I ran inside to answer it. Sure enough, it was my wife telling me to hurry, because it was time to go!

I passed the truck that I had just dumped, and we barely made to the hospital with 20-30 minutes to spare. I let her out at the emergency entrance, and was going to move the car and hurry to attend the birth, but did not make it quite in time! After parking the car away from the emergency entrance, when I arrived he was just born. As I hurried in, the nurse said "It's a boy!" The Doctor had been paged, but did not make it in time either!

I remember holding him as he cried the first time. I said to him in a calm voice: "Listen my son". He stopped crying and seemed to look right at me! What a feeling as I handed him to his mother.
Love you much son! Happy birthday!

Love to all, Norm