My Father's World

This is my Father’s world, And to my list’ning ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world; I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas— His hand the wonders wrought. Those beautiful words from one of my favorite hymns have been an inspiration to me as a photographer to look for and appreciate and try to capture God’s grace and beauty … whatever the season.  And even in the dead of winter, God's grace and beauty embrace us. You can find them in bare tree limbs, their silhouettes gracefully framing a picturesque river scene.  In the bright GREENness of ivy growing in the wild … And in coppery leaves, stubbornly clinging to a twisted tree on the side of a road. The leaves of magnificent old southern magnolias are as shiny-bright as they were in the summer ...  Rustling overhead, defying winter's icy breezes ... While their massive roots gently cradle fallen seed pods below ... The branches of twisted and gnarled cedars are heavy with beautiful clusters of  blue berries. Wouldn't they be lovely in a winter bride's bouquet! God's grace can also be heard in water cascading over a fall in a winding creek ... And as it trickles around the rocks along the water's edge. And ...  "In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere." I hope you find God's grace in whatever the winter brings your way, and remember that no matter how cold it gets, or how long the days seem ... the flowers of Spring are quietly sleeping beneath their blankets of snow and leaves ... patiently waiting for God's "wakeup call. " I hope WE can wait as patiently!

Winter's Grace

The new year roared in like a lion, bringing extremely cold record-breaking temperatures to most of the country, including the Deep South. Here in Vicksburg, the bitter cold quickly took its toll on our plants and winter landscapes, creating, to all appearances, a drab, dreary, and colorless palette. However, from my experience as a photographer, I knew appearances can be deceiving, and the winter palette was far from "drab." The first mild day that came along loudly beckoned to me, as if challenging me to come out of hibernation and capture the essence of God's winter grace. So even though the day was cloudy and the temperature was in the mid-fifties, it seemed almost balmy (compared to the low teens of the previous two days), as I set out with my cameras and headed to one of my favorite places ... the Vicksburg National Military Park. No matter how many photo shoots I do in the park, I never fail to find beauty, serenity, and inspiration there ... and I wasn't disappointed on my most recent visit. I chose to share a few of the pictures I captured that day in a brief slideshow presentation, with the stirring strains of the "John Dunbar Theme" from the movie, "Dances with Wolves," playing in the background.  I hope you enjoy the pictures and will be able to imagine the rustling of the magnolias leaves, the sound of the water rushing over the rocks of Mint Springs, the crunch of the winter grass under my feet as I knelt to get a close up shot of the sage grass, and the awe I felt being in the midst of God's amazing "winter grace." [Don't forget to turn the volume up on your computer before you click on "Play," if you'd like to hear the music.]