Socks Disappear, But Mugs Multiply!

Cups used to multiply in my cupboard; ones with company logos, funny sayings, photographs and verses. Some arrived full of candy and wrapped in cellophane, others were earned, adopted, or left by former roommates. As such, they were full of stories and memories - even while empty - and I felt responsible to honor the memories by keeping those cups, even though at times I felt embarrassed by their unmatched informality.
Recently, I decided to have cups that were selected, and realized some of my old cups didn't even represent things I wanted to remember. So, I got rid of a few.
My new mugs are large ones in muted, solid colours: burgundy, blue, beige, grey. They are peaceful, replaceable, and chosen. I still keep a few mementos around, but they're not just what life handed me - they're what I chose to have and keep.

⁵ Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. (Psalm 16:5 NIV)

Too Little to Love?

Perched high in a tree, it's nose and feet are pinkish as though made to look like a child's stuffed toy. But the eyes of the opossum are not like a domestic animal, they have the determination of a creature that must always be vigilant, - for food, for predators, and even to maintain balance climbing trees.
I notice life does not always favour the tiny and cute, they can be stricken by the same ills that befall others. One might think because of their small stature and appeal that the Lord would spare them trials. The world, on the other hand, preaches survival of the fittest.  But if that were entirely true only large, brutish creatures would remain and our delicate species would have vanished. So while the small may not be favoured, neither are they ignored, but are given their needs just as all are provided for by God.

Luke 12:6

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.

Serious Fun

Dressed in businesslike black, my camera has many symbols in addition to the "Auto" one in green, for the curious to research and the artist to explore. And both would be pleased, the technical mind for the camera's precision and specs, and the creative mind for the excellent results achieved from those same features. 
Sometimes fun comes in lighthearted and silly ways, but I enjoy my camera though it is serious and complex. Likewise, a serious-minded person can bring enjoyment to others by their dedication to careful, precise work. And, unlike the camera, this work also deepens their personal satisfaction.

^{Titus 2:7-8 NIV  7} In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness ⁸ and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Ride On

Strong, sturdy horses of various sizes stand near the stable and wait for a ride. Ears perked forward, some are saddled English, some Western, with small shadows at their feet from the afternoon sun. A blissful day of riding awaits - for the horses as well as riders, for they were not unwillingly harnessed to work but freely invited to the procession. And no one, not horse or human, wanted to miss the opportunity.

This is the picture I discovered on a decorative tin. It captured my imagination, transported me to a world my heart longs for - a place of perfection I imagine briefly before reality calls me back. For "He [God] has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 4:11