Search Results for: sunset

North Texas Sunsets Nothing Short of Spectacular

Looking Up at Spectacular North Texas Sunsets

spectacular North Texas sunsets

One of the best decisions that my husband and I made was to settle down for good, right here in Texas.

We were temporarily intrigued with the idea of moving once, but thankfully that was just for a short while. God led us to an understanding that our roots are here and the Lone Star State is where we belong.

Texas has dazzling sunrises and sunsets and hubby and I have the privilege of viewing some spectacular ones right from our own backyard.

As I was thinking about some writing ideas, I glanced through my cell phone gallery and voila! There were over twenty photos I had snapped from various angles in my backyard. Why not share these sky photos that I love with others?

So if you love beautiful sunsets, I’m glad you’re here. Grab a chair and sit in my backyard for awhile and enjoy some of the beauty of God’s creation. I’ll make some iced tea 🙂

All photos are from my own personal collection. All rights reserved. 2014. Copyright 2014.

The Kind of Sky That Has Me in Awe

sunsetsI guess I should start with an apology to all the expert photographers out there. My photography experience can’t compare with yours, but I do have the same eyes as you for a beautiful photo opportunity.

When I see a gorgeous sunset, I don’t care where I am. I stop what I’m doing and grab my camera (or cellphone.) Hopefully, I’m already home and walking around in my backyard.

Sometimes I’m not.

Sometimes, my husband is driving our car and I’m asking him to pull over so I can capture the skies ablaze in color. That’s not always an easy task when you’re in traffic so I’ll try to snap a photo with my cell phone from the passenger side window. Admittedly, not my best work.

When it’s not feasible to pull over, I’m anxious to get home ‘cuz I just gotta take that picture.

See the photo to your right up there? That was from one of my “stop me cold” days. I don’t even know if the photo can do it justice. It was like God just took His gigantic paintbrush, dipped it in golds, yellows, purples, blues, and pinks and painted broad strokes upon His sky canvas.

Have you ever seen a sky like this? If not, keep watch. It’s God’s gift to you, so don’t miss it.

The Splendor of His Majesty
Psalm 145:5

the splendor of His majesty

On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
and on Your wonderful works,
I will meditate.
Psalm 145:5 from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE Ÿ, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

God’s Radiant Palette of Colors

God's palette of colors

I see a sky like this and I want to shout “Hallelujah!”

A dazzling array of color. I know this is just a glimpse of how beautiful Heaven will be. It’s almost impossible to imagine a spot even more beautiful than this, but there is. For believers in Jesus Christ as the path to God, believers will get to see all of this up close and personal some day.

Have you seen the 2004 movie, “The Passion of the Christ?” It’s a great movie, but it was so intense I was numb when we walked out of the theater. My hands were literally shaking. The whole time I was thinking: We are sooooo not worthy of this.

And I look up at the brilliant skies and I think we are so not worthy of that, either.

The results of His handiwork are on display and how many people don’t appreciate it?

How many people don’t appreciate Him?

If you haven’t seen the movie yet, please take the time. It’s a good lesson in humility. Please don’t ever take your lives for granted.

See the Wonder of His Celestial Tapestry

celestial tapestry

The heavens are telling of the glory of God;
And their expanse is declaring the works of His hands.
Psalm 19:1 from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE Ÿ, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

God Says, “I Love You This Much”

God's love letter to us

God’s love letter to us is the Bible. As if that wasn’t enough, He also created a daily slideshow of stunning sunsets that can be seen across the globe.

Got your attention yet? You only have to look up to see evidence of His love for mankind – designed for you and me.

We get so wrapped up in the daily stresses of life and work.

We hurry here, we hurry there, we hurry everywhere.

For me personally, I know that I don’t ever want my life to become so busy that I forget to see His Gift. Right up there.

I Can’t Thank You Enough

sunsets

Thank you Father for your beautiful sunsets. No human artist can capture the magnificence of Your sunrises and sunsets that You so freely share with us.

You alone are worthy of our praise.

The Water is on Fire With Color

Pond reflections

I’m often so wowed by the sky that I forget to look down at the reflections in the pond.

If you look closely, you can see that the “painting” continues down into the water. I often think, is anyone else seeing this?

How could anyone walk outside or be driving along in the early evening and not pause for a moment to take the sunset in – at least a few evenings a week.

I choose to direct my gaze on things above, the splendor of the King.

God bless

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Symphony Of Colors

God Created The Symphony of Colors

God's symphony of colors

Do you have a favorite time of day?

If I had to pick one (okay I’ll pick two), it would be early morning and dusk.

The peacefulness of the morning and then, later in the day, the rich red and orange colors painted across the sky during a sunset are captivating.

My photo library is filled with pictures I’ve taken of these God-created wonders.

Sunrise symphony of colors

Each day I love to walk outside to witness God’s symphony of colors.

Sunrises and sunsets are just a few of the many reasons I delight in Him.

Don’t overlook these simple joys.

Recently, I came across a poem that captures this theme beautifully and I wanted to share it with you.

Beauty of the Morning

In the beauty of the morning
When the sun awakes the world
When the birds begin their singing
And the clouds are all unfurled.

Have you ever stopped to listen
As the darkness fades away
When the golden dawn is breaking
and heralds in the day?

If you’ve never seen the glory
of the rising of the sun
Now’s the time to do this
For at least, just even one.

Your heart will swell with praises
As you see the beauty there
You will find your spirit soaring
And your heart bowed down in prayer.

– Author unknown

With thanks to our Father in Heaven, the beauty of God’s sunrises and sunsets are a pleasant reminder that we have been gifted another new day!

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The Majesty of God’s Creative Power

Appreciating The Majesty of God’s Creative Power

God spoke creation into existence

Have you seen it yet?

The International Space Station (or ISS), that is.

It’s a blast to search for it if you know when to look up.

Depending on your location, the time of day, and some other deciding factors, you can see this technological wonder pass overhead in the darkened sky.

Fun fact: Did you know that the ISS travels at a speed of approximately 17,500 miles per hour? – as quoted on the nasa.gov website.1

That’s slightly faster than the average speed limit on some of our Texas highways. 😉

The ISS is amazing, but it’s just one of many other out-of-this-world technological advancements that we can appreciate.

As a nation, we’ve come a long way since 1969.

I remember watching that pivotal moment in history when astronaut Neil Armstrong announced after his moon walk, “that’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Can you imagine the maximum operating power it takes in our modern day to operate the International Space Station?

The interconnecting systems are so complex that it’s hard for even an engineering genius to fully comprehend.

We are blessed with “even greater” than that.

The God of the Bible is the God of all power.

All power and all glory belong to Him.

Job tried, but even His description of God’s power doesn’t come close.

Behold, these are the fringes of His ways;
And how faint a word we hear of Him!
But His mighty thunder, who can understand?”– Job 26:14, (NASB).2

The Majesty of God’s Creative Power – Delight in God

The majesty of God’s creative power is on display every day in the world around us.

No human mind can conceive what it took to design our universe.

God spoke the whole creation into being!

The majesty of God's creative power

The concept of God as the Creator encompasses not only the role of a Designer and Engineer responsible for the intelligibility of the universe but also that of a skilled Artist. Nature can be amazing, almost to the point of incomprehensibility. The splendor of a sunset, the radiance of the stars, and the variety of animals are all evidence of a Creator and Designer. – Dr. Jonathan K. Corrado, PH.D., P.E., Christian theologian, and systems engineer.3

Heavenly Father, by the power of Your Word You made the heavens and the earth.

Thank You for who You are, and for sending us Your Son, Jesus.

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1 Nasa quotation [2020] Courtesy of Nasa.gov, “Science takes time, even in a lab moving 17,500 miles per hour ” Web. Accessed 30 September, 2023.

2Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

3Quotation courtesy of The Institute For Creation Research. By  Dr. Jonathan K. Corrado, PH.D., P.E. From “The Beauty of Creation: Created for God’s Own Glory”, September 7, 2023. para. 7. Web. Accessed 27th September, 2023. Retrieved from https://www.icr.org/article/beauty-of-creation

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The Joy Of Early Morning Prayer

Starting Your Day Off Right With Early Morning Prayer

What better way to start the day off right than with early morning prayer.

Rise and shine!

It’s a new day to praise the Lord. 🙂

early morning prayer

How can a person really enjoy a beautiful sunrise or a sunset, a beautiful spring day or even a beautiful winter day, if he can’t thank the One who creates these things? –  Warren Wiersbe, Moody Bible Church.2

Early Morning Prayer – Does Lengthy Equal Better?

Many times, I wake up as early as 4:30 in the morning.

That would have sounded awful to younger me, but I look forward to the early morning hours now.

I relish the peace and the quiet at the start of each new day.

And, as a bonus, in a few hours I get to watch that magnificent sun rise!

For me, it’s the perfect time for praying and seeking God’s wisdom.

Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth! – Psalm 46:10, (ESV).3

Do you know who else engaged in early morning prayer?

Jesus!

Mark 1:35 tells us that, “in the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and prayed there for a time.”4

How long do our early morning prayers have to be?

That’s between you and God.

Not only does He hear our longer prayers, He also hears our short praises, even a simple, “Thank You Jesus.”

When I first became a Christian, I got a little caught up in that.

I would hear a friend pray a lengthy prayer and it would sound so eloquent.

It didn’t take long for me to realize that it’s not the length of our prayers that matter.

Long or short, eloquent or simple, He hears us!

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1 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

2 Warren Wiersbe quotation from the Psalm 113 Commentary, [2021] Courtesy of Precept Austin. Subheading, “The Responsibility of Praise” Web. Accessed 2 October, 2023.

3 Scripture quotation is from The Holy Bible, English Standard VersionŸ, copyright © 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

4 Scripture quotation is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

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Rise and Shine

Rise And Shine!

If you’ve read this blog for awhile, then you know that I’m a huge fan of sunrises (and sunsets for that matter).

So much so that I’ve walked outside on several mornings in my pajamas just to snap a picture.

Don’t judge me  😉

If they’re letting kids have a pajama day at school (who came up with that goofy idea anyway?) well then . . .

Anyway on a recent morning, I saw this amazing handiwork from God.

Rise and Shine

Beautiful, right?

I can’t see something spectacular like this and not see the hand of God in it.

But, think about this –  is the sun just there for us to admire, or do we recognize that without it, we wouldn’t even survive?

It’s humbling to consider that the sun is an important part of God’s brilliant provision for us and just one example of His grace.

The sun’s energy warms our planet. Hot air blows from areas heated by the sun to cooler areas. The sun’s energy brings rain. Water evaporates from the ocean and falls to the land as it cools. The sun powers the winds that move the water vapor to the land. The sun’s energy renews air. With our sun’s energy, plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. The sun’s energy grows food. Plants capture sunlight and store it in sugar, starch, and fat. – https://www.icr.org/provision-of-God/

God not only gave us the sun to sustain our lives here on earth, He also gave us His Son to save us from our sins.

My hope is that the next time you see a beautiful sunrise, you’ll remember where it really came from – our gracious Heavenly Father above.

Rise And Shine His Light   

As I was considering today’s article, a poem I recently read almost jumped off the page it was so perfect for this.

I hope you enjoy.

Every Sunrise

Every sunrise is a present, a gift from God above,
Gift-wrapped with scarlet ribbons and tied with bows of love.

Each is a new beginning, a time to start anew,
While all the stars are sleeping, and the rose is fresh with dew.

Each day’s a new creation, too lovely to ignore,
And we may not find a blessing, just outside our door.

We cannot keep the past, like fireflies in a jar,
Nor journey to the future by wishing on a star.

Every sunrise is a blessing, a gift for just today,
Rejoice, my friend, embrace it before it fades away!
  ~Author Unknown~

May your ordinary days become extraordinary when you remember His matchless grace.

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1Quotation courtesy of The Institute For Creation Research. From “Nature Reveals God’s Provision”, n.d. para. 2. Web. Accessed 1 March, 2022. Retrieved from https://www.icr.org/provision-of-God/

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