7thSeas Photo gallery for April

Occasionally I like to put up some of my latest instagram photo's. Hope you enjoy.

(any queries about the photo's contact the email address on this site)

This was taken out front of where I live 

 "Red rims"

Seagulls

blue version of

"Bureigh Heads"

Mollie B

Kirra

The skies were made by God's command; he breathed the word and the stars popped out. He scooped Sea into his jug, 

put Ocean in his keg.Psalm 33:5-7

put your listening ears on

I used to get told, especially as a kid in the school room, to "put on my listening ears"... as like most children - being distracted or day-dreaming was a way of life.

From time to time in my life too, I've found myself in the middle of an argument with a family member and said to them "your hearing the words, but your not really listening".

To be honest I've said this to my kids from time to time... they're making the right faces of standing there when I've been 'discussing' something with them, but I can tell they are mentally elsewhere.

Hey! I've done the same myself, especially in boring tutorials and even when someone is telling me a long winded tale. I may be looking at you, but my head is somewhere more interesting.

If you can relate... then is it fair to say that listening involves alot more than the ability to physically hear with your ears?
We may understand and have cognition of words and there meaning but we aren't really analysing the content and engaging in there purpose. We don't comprehend, either by distraction, or by purpose.

On purpose? --- when I've listened to guys start talking about football or sports. I switch off, I find it dull and purposefully don't absorb the content of the conversation. I'm sure the opposite can be true of girl talk in the other direction.

Disinterest?  --- I remember once my daughter and I were talking about fashion magazines and my youngest son was only about 4 years old and piped up "how can you keep talking about magazines and clothes? It's only paper and material!"  He was pretty annoyed at the content of our chit chat and refused to comprehend. In a way I don't blame him!

What about when someone mentions Jesus, God, Church or faith? I know alot of people immediately switch off, or just don't want to listen. Maybe out of human politeness listen for a little bit but don't really don't want to "hear".....

Some find the idea of God beyond comprehension

God doesn't make any kind of logical sense. There are too many unanswered questions and because faith in God seems an uneasy prospect to fully grasp. It's left unheard and unattended. Listening isn't worth it.  

Words about Jesus, faith  and God may slip over our ears and heads and fail to make an impression on our minds. There are too many difficulties - like a radio wave we try and tune in on an old radio.. the signal isn't clear. It's too hard to make sense of.

HOW DO WE HEAR GOD ? CAN WE HEAR HIM?

Jesus says we can --

This Bible verse out of the book of Revelation has Jesus saying to people, including you and I...

"Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you".

rev 3:20

How can we "hear" Jesus call ... ??  If this verse is believable by everyday people then how do we open our ears to his voice?

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them,

 and they follow Me; - (jesus )

John 10:26-28

In both these statements Jesus says that we will be able to hear his voice... and we would follow him and sit down and share life with him.  How can we literally do that?

Christians believe that it's by the way of "faith" that we hear Jesus. It begins in the heart and soul of person. A kind of heartbeat which comes alive when the story of who God is is communicated. Something deep inside resonates "yes" and draws us to find out about him, and know him. It's so difficult to explain... but Ken Chant makes a statement about it in his book "Attributes of Splendour" which reads ...

"Most thoughtful people come to the same conclusion - there is not enough evidence of God to make belief in him quite reasonable, but no so much that no room left for doubt. In the end the recourse must be had to the grace of God himself and to faith.

But then something wonderful happens - those who believe know!

Faith brings its own authentication."

Maybe the "listening ears" of the heart need to be switched on somehow.. breaking down the barriers of doubt and putting aside disinterest.  Be open hearted if not open minded to genuinely seeks to find that a relationship with Jesus could be possible.

That God could be real...well, anything could happen.

Sea call - a poem

Deep calls to deep
hark can you hear him?
Sheperds cry to mine

Deep calls to deep
O' poet king and warrior
entwined


For all the kingdoms come and go
the rise and falling long
your ocean waves revolving
as in lovers circling song

Deep calls to deep
O' tune of moon'seas
tidal rise and fall

Deep calls to deep
and fiercest fire
O' lantern to my shore

Hark can you hear him? Poet king
this restless at my feet
am drowning in awaiting
O'loves deep who calls to deep

I see God all around me, do you?

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen,

being understood from what has been made,

so that people are without excuse.Romans 1:19-21

I saw this bumper sticker on a car one day which had a picture of a tree on it and the sticker read

 "Nature is my Church"

 I supposed that meant by being out in nature, among the trees and rivers, birds and flowers etc was how this particular person felt they found some kind of spiritual answer for God. That God wasn't found in Church or perhaps any organised belief system.

 Hey! I can relate about the nature stuff -  and yet - I have a feeling God might not totally agree about the church business.

 How I can say that?  I suppose the Bible verse I placed at the beginning has a partial answer in it. We are supposed to see God in creation, nature and all that He's made. This is indeed true. But we aren't supposed to worship what he created.

Just Him... The Creator.

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through Him and for Him.

Colossians 1:15-17

Its like if I spent weeks or months making a beautiful sculpture and some person comes up and views the sculpture and says to it... "Oh beautiful sculpture...you're  amazing and awesome and I really enjoy just looking at you, the light you reflect, your colors, your form and I am so impressed by you" and totally ignores me in the process of this rapturous enjoyment.  

Bizzare

Yet...(if the Bible is true and God really did create the earth)....this is kind of what people do constantly, in ignoring the grand designer.

c r e a t i o n   is  so  B E A U T I F U L

...you don't need any convincing, nor do I. The older I get the more I appreciate the world around me. It's wildly diverse skies, seas, plants animals and people.

Each soft breeze, each drop of rain,

shaft of light and every intriguing shadow which shouldn't go unnoticed. That there is art all around. Design and form which is in my opinion, more than sheer accidental beauty.

I love capturing it on camera, but mostly by my five senses... hearing the wind, smelling the sea and so forth.

This Bible verse at the beginning of the blog post states clearly that people are without excuse of noticing that God exsists. If only by His creation. That's kind of heavy biz for those who dimiss him and believe that a big bang millions of years ago brought all of this about.

what do you think??

Design or accidental glory?

And God said, Let there be light; and there was light.

     And God saw that the light was good (suitable, pleasant) and He approved it; and God separated the light from the darkness.

G e n e s i s      1 : 3 

  And God said, Let the earth put forth [tender] vegetation: plants yielding seed and fruit trees yielding fruit whose seed is in itself, each according to its kind, upon the earth.

And it was so.

     The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed according to their own kinds and trees bearing fruit in which was their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good (suitable, admirable) and He approved it.

Genesis 1:12

It's a good thing to find some kind of connection with God in Nature... but Nature only points to God... And finding God in creation is indeed a wonderful thing. Nature is a kind of Church I suppose in that it reflects His beauty.

But from what I read in the Bible, God pretty much does want people to go to church or rather, be part of it. 

(More about that and the big bang! theory in another post)

God's beauty all around - worth thinking about !