Fresh Start

“Do not call to mind the former things,
Or ponder things of the past.
“Behold, I will do something new,
Now it will spring forth;
Will you not be aware of it?
I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,
Rivers in the desert. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

Springtime and New Beginnings

Anyone who has dedicated themselves to a serious pursuit of landscape photography for more than one year will recognize that this is an art form that ebbs and flows with the seasons. What one learns over time is to not fight the seasons and wish for images that simply do not exist in one particular season or another. The key is to not lay aside your camera waiting for whatever you perceive to be “good weather” or “good light” but to simply consistently go out and enjoy shooting whatever reveals itself to be appealing in the moment.

Over the past few years I have shot in the sun and in the rain. I have shot pictures in ice cold mornings and sunny afternoons. Fog or blue sky, gray or somewhere in between. There have been hundreds perhaps thousands of throw away images for a small handful that capture my imagination enough to edit and share with you all. The key has been to learn from yesterdays and continue into today no matter what it may bring. I will take whatever the previous times and seasons have taught and apply those lessons to whatever today offers.

The image of the cherry blossoms that I have posted with this blog today are a wonderful example of seasonal flow and not wishing for something when it does not exist or opining for it after it is gone. The Japanese Sakura cherry blossom that you see here blooms in late March to early April and has a peak bloom that lasts for 10-14 days before dropping to the ground in a beautiful pink “snowfall” that covers the ground for a few days and then is gone until the next Spring.

The beauty of this blossom is that it bursts into beauty as though it is a shouting herald of the new life that Spring is bringing to the region. For the photographer it does no good to wish for the blossoms to come early in Winter or miss their existence when the weather is hot in the Summer. They come when they come and you simply get out there and enjoy the beauty that God has given in His own timing.

Life Application

Isaiah 43:18-19 seems to speak to these same lessons that the cherry blossom shows us. The past is the past and all we have is the future and what God is going to do today and in this moment. God tells us that He “is doing something new” and that it will “spring forth” followed by an exhortation to watch and be aware of what He is doing. So often in life we can get so buried in our day to day existence that we do not take time to be aware of the new things that God is doing in our lives. Just as with the cherry blossom blooming, it happens quickly and quietly. We must on purpose take the time out to recognize what is happening and slow down long enough to savor the moment.

Is God doing something new and fresh in your life? Are you opining for the past or fearing the future? Do you find yourself to busy to “taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him” (Psalm 34:8).

Slow down… savor the moments… and rest in His loving and capable hands. Enjoy some “cherry blossom moments” and thank God for all His blessings.

I hope these thoughts today have been an encouragement to you in your own walk and that you do enjoy taking these little photo journeys with me along the way! Praying for you wherever you are whether you are someone I know or may someday be able to meet. God Bless and don’t forget to take some photos along the way in your own journey.

Ken
Psalm 8:3-9