Nestled all throughout the Appalachian Mountains are little churches of all denominations. Regardless of the denomination I’ve always preferred the smaller country churches. Perhaps it’s because I’m uncomfortable with large crowds. I feel more freedom in a smaller venue. It shouldn’t matter because it’s the same Jesus in all churches. But Holy Spirit moves on the willing. When a person feels uncomfortable they just seem to close off. It’s not that God can’t reach them or that they are somehow more unworthy than the rest of us. They just become unwilling. Isn’t that what Christ is seeking in the first place? He didn’t come to collect the perfect or the ultra talented. He came to seek out the lost who are willing to follow. We as Christians seem to always be focused on becoming more perfect but I think that we should be more willing and Jesus Christ will do the rest.
Tag: architecture photography
An Echo On The River
Tonight’s image is the remnant of the old bridge at Gauley Bridge. If memory serves me it was burned down during the American Civil War. To me it not only represents history but also a lost future. The fog that surrounds the old pylon gives me the feeling of something ethereal like a visitor from the past has come to the future to check up on things. Is it a manifestation of a memory or am I a vision of the future? It’s in these moments when the past and the future seem to collide that fascinate me. Maybe it was the fog on the river and maybe it was the contrast between the old stones and the seedling trees that are growing out from it that seemed to suspend and warp time for me. I can imagine that I can hear a lament echoing out from the fog. It’s a voice from the past warning not to burn bridges and be quick to reconcile with those on the other side of river.
West Virginia Day
Today is June 20th 2018. It’s a state holiday. Today is the 155th anniversary of West Virginia becoming a state of it’s own. The American Civil War was raging when Abraham Lincoln separated us from Virginia. We’re the only state in the union to be created from another one. The T.V. and internet if full of trivia and history about West Virginia.
Rather than cover what’s already covered so well by mainstream sources I want to talk about today. West Virginia is still a frontier. I’m not just talking about the “hills and hollers” that are seldom seen by human eyes. I’m talking about the unwritten future. Yesterday’s post about what it must be like to step outside time-space and actually be able to view all the past, present and future maybes was meant in part to help people see that the future is the product of our choices. On this day of remembering history and pride in our state I want to ask what June 20th 2026 will be like? How about June 20th 3018? As we look to our past and remember the greatness of our ancestors let’s not forget that the responsibility of future history is in our hands today. If we want our descendants to be proud Mountaineers we have to create that history today. Today’s challenges go by different names than our ancestors faced but the solutions are ultimately the same. Namely, innovation, self motivation and gumption. Our ancestors built a lifestyle that we are proud of because they didn’t wait for someone to do it for them and we’re not going to pass on that heritage by waiting for someone else to fix our economy or solve the drug problem or any other challenge of modern life. West Virginians are a culture of doers. In the past we lit up the world one lump of coal at a time and today we can do so much more if we’ll just put our hearts into it. The way I see it, West Virginia Day 3018 is looking pretty good.
As The Storm Passes
Just a quick note to my regular readers. I’m sorry that there’s been no post over the past few days. My internet connection was knocked out by a tree that fell on the line and there’s no public access where I live. I hope to be back on track now that service has been fully restored.
It’s a common occurrence in the Appalachian Mountains. Thunder booms and the wind seems to bounce from one mountainside to the other. Every region thinks it’s storms are the worst but the truth is that the worst storm is the one that catches you by surprise. As mentioned above one such storm recently knocked out communication and electric services for my area which temporarily transported us to the nineteenth century. Okay, maybe not quite that bad. We brought the solar powered lawn lights inside after the sun set and watched movies that were loaded onto our mobile devices. I used a small battery pack to keep anything not capable of being charged in the sun at full power and made limited use of the charging system in our vehicles. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on point of view) I didn’t have drag the gas grill out of storage this time. But, we adapted to the conditions.
Storms are not always wind, rain and thunder though. Sometimes it’s more emotional or spiritual. Like the natural storms they can come up without warning and leave you alone in the dark. You might wonder how you’re going to get by. You might not have alternative lighting and such. But, let me tell you. God has built you to be stronger than you know and God’s got your back. He didn’t go to all the trouble of creating you as the special individual that you are just to leave you alone when you need him most. The storm will pass.
LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC 