Sunday 22 January 2012

THE SILENT SERMON...


A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going.  After a few weeks, the preacher decided to visit him.
It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.  Guessing the reason for his preacher's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a comfortable chair near the fireplace...and waited.
The preacher made himself at home but said nothing.  In the grave silence, he contemplated the dance of the flames around the burning logs.  After some minutes, the preacher took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone, then he sat back in his chair, still silent.

The host watched all this in quiet contemplation.  As the one lone ember's flame flickered and diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more.  Soon it was cold and dead.

Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.  The preacher glanced at his watch and realized it was time to leave.  He slowly stood up, picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire.  Immediately it began to glow, once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.

As the preacher reached the door to leave, his host said with a tear running down his cheek, 'Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I will be back in church next Sunday.'

We live in a world today, which tries to say too much with too little.  Consequently, few listen.  Sometimes the best sermons are the ones left unspoken.

The Lord is my Shepherd ----- that's a Relationship!

I shall not want ----- that's Supply!

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ----that's Rest!

He leadeth me beside the still waters -----that's Refreshment!

He restoreth my soul -- that's Healing!

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness -- that's Guidance!

For His name's sake ----- that's Purpose!

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death --that's Testing!

I will fear no evil ----- that's Protection!

For Thou art with me ----- that's Faithfulness!

Thy rod and Thy staff comfort me -----that's Discipline!

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies ---that's Hope!

Thou annointest my head with oil -----that's Consecration!

My cup runneth over ----- that's Abundance!

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life ---that's Blessing!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord ----- that's Security!

Forever ----- that's Eternity!

Face it, God LOVES you!

Send this to the people you LOVE.  I thought this was pretty special, just like YOU!
 What is most valuable is not what we have in our lives, but WHO we have in our lives.

Have A Peaceful Sunday Friends...


Tuesday 17 January 2012

The British Wildlife Photography Awards 2011...

The winners of the 2011 British Wildlife Photography Awards have been announced. These awards recognise the talents of the UK’s foremost wildlife photographers and are unique in that the images must be taken of British wildlife in their natural habitats. Thousands of photographers across the country entered this year's competition. Below are some selected images for this picture gallery.
All of the images from the British Wildlife Photography Awards are included in a beautiful hardback coffee table book, British Wildlife Photography Awards: Collection 2, AA Publishing, £25, out 30th September. The images will be on display in a free exhibition at Alexandra Palace from 14th – 28th October before embarking on a year-long nationwide tour. For more information please visit www.bwpawards.org

Animal Portraits winner: Mystical Deer by Mark Smith. Fallow deer (Dama dama) in Richmond, Surrey, England.
Animal Portraits highly commended: Windy Day by Steward Ellett. Red squirrel (Sciurrus vularis) Formby Point, Merseyside, England.
Red Fox by Matt Binstead. (Vulpes vulpes) British Wildlife Centre, Lingfield, Surrey, England.
Urban Wildlife winner: Champagne Starling by David Biggs. European starling (Sturnes vulgaris) Bayston Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.
Urban Wildlife highly commended: Tabby Cat with Blackbird Nestling by Doug Mackenzie Dodds. (Turdus merula) Reading, Berkshire, England.
Urban Wildlife highly commended: Flower Power by Damian Waters. Brown hare (Lepus capensis) Wirral, merseyside, England.
Urban Wildlife highly commended: Gulls Fighting in London by Matt Smith. Black headed gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) Westminster Bridge, London, England.
The Congregation by James Smith. European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Blackpool, Lancashire, England.
Animal Behaviour winner: Grey Heron Walking on Water by Andrew Parkinson. (Ardea cinerea) Derbyshire, England.
Puffin Fighting on Inner Farne by Glyn Thomas. Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) Inner Farne, Farne Islands, Coast of Northumberland, England.
Standing Room Only by Philip Kirk. Herring gull (Larus argenatus) Seahouses, Northumberland, England.
Blue Tit Taking Feather by Paul Sawer. (Parus caeruleus) Peasenhall, Suffolk, England.
Camouflaged Fallow Stags by Neil Bygrave. (Dama dama) Parkland Deer, Devon, England.
Dunlin Tug-of-War by Andrew Parkinson. (Calidris alpina) Shetland Islands, Scotland.
Wildlife in My Backyard winner: Busy Wasp on Blackberries by Rana Dias. Common wasp (Vespula vulgaris) Horley, Surrey, England.
Wildlife in My Backyard highly commended: Jay Taking Off by Ron Coulter. (Garrulus glandarius) Buckinghamshire, England.
Wildlife in My Backyard highly commended: Squirrel with a Conker by Thomas Hanahoe. Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) Potton, Bedfordshire, England.
Habitat winner: Hare in Morning Light with Hoar Frost by Ian Paul Haskell. Brown hare (Lepus europaeus) in Norfolk.
Diamonds in the Deep by Mark N Thomas. Diamond sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedtii) at Jackdaw Quarry, Over Kellet, Lancashire.
Hidden Britain highly commended: Ladybird on Rose by William Richardson. (Harmonia axyridis) London, England.
Grey Seal Behaviour by Robert Bailey. Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) Farne Islands, England.
Young British Wildlife Photographers - winner of the Up to 11 Years category: Frog Checking Its Frogspawn by Walter Lovell (age 8). Common frog (Rana temporaria) Painswick, Gloucestershire, England.
Young British Wildlife Photographers - winner of the 12 to 18 Years category: Red Fox Yawning After His Afternoon Nap by Oliver Wilks (age 16). (Vulpes vulpes) Warnham Local Nature Reserve, West Sussex, England.
Young British Wildlife Photographers - 12 to 18 Years category highly commended: Feed Me! by Ella Cooke. Great tit (Parus major) Buckinghamshire, England.