Learning to Battle

Camera: Nikon D60

Aperture - f/5.6

 Exposure- 1/125
ISO- 200
Lens- 24mm

No Flash.

To become skilled at beating your opponent in Chess (or in this case, Lego Chess!), two of the most important things one can do is 1.) Study the players guide, and 2.) Associate oneself with skilled players who may act as mentors in the game. With learning, advice, and practice, you may gain the skills and wits you need to beat the other player. 

The Christian life is very much like the chess concept. If we are going to grow in Christ-likeness, it is imperative that we study our Bibles. On top of that, it is extremely important to associate ourselves with fellow Christians for friendship and moral support, as well as attend a good church where we may be mentored by a pastor who is gifted in delivering deeper insight into the Word of God (great way to learn truths that the average person may not think of when they read the scriptures!).

With the help of God and fellow believers, we may better our knowledge and gain the necessary perseverance to battle our sinful nature, resist the devil, and help escape spiritual apathy.

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching." - Hebrews 10:25

"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." - Ephesians 6:11

PS: I was feeling very color-aware while writing this...check out how all the important parts that coincide with each other  happen to be of the same hue. ;)

Self Photography

[[Scroll Down For Photo]]

 *click* *click* Self photography! It's done a lot these days. What isn't done a lot is what I'm going to call "biblical self-photography". What do I mean by that? Imagine those girls who take pictures of themselves and constantly compare what they see in that photo to the published pictures of magazine models. They see the model, then look back at their own photograph, suddenly self-conscious of every zit and flaw. "I must fix myself", they think.

This mentality is what we should have- but directed in a different way- towards scripture. We should read through the Bible, looking carefully at the model life & faith that is described in it's pages and thinking, "What does my life look like? How do I compare?" Be prayerful, asking the Lord, "Help fix me, make me more like You. Let me not only be a hearer (or reader) of the word, but a doer as well!"

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does." - James 1:22-25

Camera: Nikon D60

Aperture - f/5

 Exposure- 1/400
ISO- 200
Lens- 35mm
No Flash.

Advice: Take portraits on cloudy days- it helps keep distracting shadows or washed out spots away!

Just as an FYI, I did NOT photograph this (it's me in the pic, by the way)... I handed the camera off to my boyfriend and let him play around after I was done getting shots of him & some antique cameras. So, credit to Zachary R. on this one.

Silverwood Adventures

[[Pictures Below]]

Theme parks are so much fun. They also happen to be in perfect flow with my blog title, as the excitement of a carnival ride is exceedingly fleeting. Ecclesiastes 2 starts off with "I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. "Laughter", I said, "is madness. And what does pleasure accomplish?" It's a valid question. What DOES pleasure accomplish? In reference to things earth has to offer, it ultimately accomplishes nothing. We wait in line anticipating how great the ride will be, we get on and have a blast, then moments later, the ride ends and we are no longer fulfilled- it is on to the next promising looking ride!

Humans are made with a special capacity to enjoy pleasures, which we generally use on entertainment and relationships. The thing is, we are never totally satisfied. In fact, as long as we are on earth, we never will be. Why? The entire reason behind our desire for pleasure is located elsewhere- in Heaven. We were made to take pleasure in our Creator, but since the fall, we've lost track of this fact. But some day, those who are called to the Lord will finally be fulfilled when they can worship & enjoy God for eternity. Until then, sure, we can enjoy good things on this earth in moderation- but never lose sight of (or neglect to thank!) the One who allows us these little joys and will one day grant us everlasting joy!

Camera: Samsung S860

Aperture - f/2.8

 Exposure- 1/15
ISO- 200
Lens- 35mm
No Flash.

 

Camera: Samsung S860

Aperture - f/5.2

 Exposure- 1/250
ISO- 80
Lens- 35mm
No Flash.

 

 

Camera: Samsung S860

Aperture - f/5.2

 Exposure- 1/750

ISO- 80

Lens- 35mm

No Flash.

Camera: Samsung S860

Aperture - f2.8

 Exposure- 1/4
ISO- 200
Lens- 35mm
No Flash.

Advice: Use a photo editing program or website to adjust the saturation & warmth of your photos if the sunset doesn't show up in the photos like it did in the sky.

Wow, FOUR photos!? Yeah, went all out on this post. I was just at Silverwood yesterday for my friend's birthday celebration. Had an awful time making up my mind which picture I should use for this post, so hey, might as well just upload them all :] 

Also, blogger changed the dimensions on these photos for some odd reason, so they look a tad bit odd, just fyi.

Flowers of Summer [Blog Introduction]

Camera: Nikon D60
Aperture - f/4
Exposure- 1/80
ISO- 800
Lens- 55mm
No Flash.

Advice: Bring a tripod when you know you will be shooting in dimming light. I forgot to bring mine on this excursion, but lucky for me, there were some handy boulders there to stabilize my camera!

I start my blog off with this photo for a reason- the subject of the photograph goes well with what I was thinking of when I named this blog, "Captured Yet Fleeting". As photographers, we can capture many beautiful objects and moments- but they are fleeting. These flowers that I found in June were on their way out when I returned here two weeks later. By now, I am sure they're long gone. A beautiful, yet short existence. Just like us. 

Like flowers having an estimated longevity, we have a general idea of how long we might live too. The thing is, the flowers could be unexpectedly destroyed by a sudden storm, fire, or eaten by a wild animal (you should see my dog attack a garden!). It is likewise with us: despite our general idea of our longevity, something could happen out of the blue. You wouldn't expect somebody to leave the world at only 13 years of age, but a boy I knew fell off of an ATV two days ago and was killed instantly on the rocks below him. Nobody saw it coming. 

I suppose in a sense, this blog is like my memorial to him, and my tribute to God to remember the brevity of my life and use the talent He has supplied me with to His glory. I hope that you enjoy the photos, find the tips/camera settings I list helpful, and most importantly- think about the writings that go with the pictures.

“Show me, Lord, my life’s end
    and the number of my days;
    let me know how fleeting my life is.
 You have made my days a mere handbreadth;
    the span of my years is as nothing before you.
Everyone is but a breath,
    even those who seem secure.

 “Surely everyone goes around like a mere phantom;
    in vain they rush about, heaping up wealth
    without knowing whose it will finally be.

 “But now, Lord, what do I look for?
    My hope is in you. 

 Save me from all my transgressions;
    do not make me the scorn of fools."

---Psalm 39:4-8