Perspective

Perspective makes all the difference.  I bet you've heard that a million times, right?  :)  But it's so true!  Here's an example.  Check out this photo of the Merced River -- one of my favorite Yosemite photos:

It's a frequently-photographed spot.  Lots of people stop here on their way around the valley.  The tour buses always pull in here too.  But I like to think my photo is one of the more interesting ones from here...in large part because of the perspective.

To get the cool rocky foreground, with the still water reflecting the sunset glow on El Capitan and the Cathedral Rocks -- well, you've got to do a little work to get that.  I had my tripod down as low as it would go, its legs spread out partway in and partway out of the water, while I squeezed myself in between the rocks and mud, clutching a graduated neutral density filter in one hand (yes, I used to use those!) and my camera strap firmly in the other.

If you want cool perspective...you sometimes have to go places other people don't.  I didn't have any company down there in the amid the rocks and mud, we'll just say that!  ;)

A few weeks ago I paid Yosemite a quick visit (way too quick! but I did get a few good photos!).  The perspective was different.  It had to be.  This time of year, the water level is a lot higher!  I couldn't even get to the place where I took the photo above.  If you look directly in the center of this photo, that's the spot.  Of course, the water was lower then...but you get the point.  ;)

Happy to be here!  :)

This time, the lighting and water and greenery were all different, which called for a different perspective...so I took this shot from atop a huge dead tree trunk.  (Much easier than the photo above, frankly... ;)

Perspective...it's ridiculous how much it changes things for me.  Yeah, this goes way beyond photos.  Today I was thinking over this month.  I've had some great experiences and some pretty rotten ones in June 2010.  Sometimes it cracks me up how often my perspective can change a difficult experience into a good one.

You know the account of Joseph and his brothers, at the end of the book of Genesis, where they ask him to forgive them for all the terrible things they did to him?  He told them, "You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good."

I've been thinking how, for everything that takes place in my life, God and Satan have completely different goals.  If I listen to the lies Satan whispers in my ear, the results will be harmful, to me and others.  So often I catch myself listening to those lies -- I don't even realize it till I look at the fruit that they bring.  Discouragement, sadness, self-rejection, fear.  But if I remember the truths that my heavenly Father has lovingly told me, he will bring good out of even the negative things that happen. The things the enemy wants to use to damage and discourage me become stepping-stones to happiness in Jesus when I bring God's truth into the situation.  He says in the Psalms that "the entrance of Thy words brings light".  And it's the most amazing experience to see fear and gloom give way to His comfort, mercy, and love!

I've started keeping a collection of His truths right here on my desk, verses that speak to specific fears or lies that I catch myself believing.  And when I'm going through a difficult time, those truths are right there to pull me out of it.  Because he says:

"If you abide in my word,

you are truly my disciples,

and you will know the truth,

and the truth will set you free."

(John 8:31)

A true promise, for sure!  :)
- Kelsey

Discovering beauty...

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