encouraging thoughts – Page 2 – LLOYD'S LENS PHOTOGRAPHY LLC

On Destiny vs Fate

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Transition 92319” and is available for purchase by the instructions at the bottom of the article.

Bridges are more than simply a structure. They have spirit. Some bridges even sing if the wind is right. If you’re walking on a bridge you might even feel it dance as the traffic passes over. A good bridge is functional art with graceful lines and imposing strengths. But above all, a bridge is a symbol of transition.

When we think of concepts like destiny we’re tempted to envision a road that starts at birth and delivers us to our ultimate fate. But life isn’t simply a line from birth to death and beyond. It’s a network of decisions that change our course and in doing so change our destiny. I can’t begin to even ponder the number of times when I looked down only to see that my fuel was low. I stop at the station and get delayed by a line of cars at the pump. Then a few miles down the road I come up on a wreck and realize that the delay at pump prevented my involvement in the wreck. It was my choices that expended the fuel that caused me to stop and be delayed. It wasn’t my foreknowledge of a wreck that made me stop but my circumstances that effectively changed my destiny for the day. Other choices are more consciously made. Suppose for a moment that I struck up a conversation with the person at the pump across from me and they had just come from the direction where I was heading and told me of a diesel fuel spill on the road. And that the fuel spill made the road so slick that they had almost wrecked themselves. Now I have a reason to choose an alternate path and change my destiny. So I need a bridge. A bridge that delivers me from one destiny to a better one. I need a point of transition.

Sometimes we are fortunate enough to be warned of hazardous conditions ahead. But if we think that there’s no way to avoid it or we fear that transitional bridge because it shakes then we have created our own fate.

The concept of destiny and the concept of fate might seem the same on the surface but they are in fact two very different things. Fate is uncontrollable. Mankind is mortal. Our fate is to one day leave our body behind and enter into eternity. Destiny is malleable. How we spend that eternity is up to us and our willingness to use the bridge that changes our destiny.

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To book me simply reach out using the Contact Page and we’ll set a date. If you’re within a 50 mile radius of Summersville West Virginia all travel fees are waived.

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One Of A Kind

Color Photography

Hello friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Pipevine Swallowtail 91119a” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article.

The feeling of dew covered grass on bare feet will soon be memory. I strolled slowly along the edge of the forest looking to see what God would show me. I noticed that the Pipevine Swallowtail seemed just a little different from the others that frequently flutter and soar around my mountain. I raised the lens and took a few shots as she went about collecting nectar from the flowers. In the lens I found that she had a beautiful purplish tone in her wings. Perhaps it was just the low angle of the sun or the longer wavelengths of the Fall light but she was definitely showing a rare color. Maybe not extremely rare but certainly in the minority. The leading edge of the forewings even carries a bit of blue that’s only supposed to be on the hind wings.

Sometimes we look at ourselves in the mirror and see things that we consider to a defect. A mole or freckles being classic examples. But if we compare ourselves to the rest of creation we begin to understand that it’s those unique features that gives us our individual beauty.

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Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

Tattered Wings

Color Photography, West Virginia

The butterfly bush got it’s name for a reason. This bush near the state road garage in Glen Ferris was so full of butterflies that it looked like the scene of a movie. Multiple species of Swallowtail were swarming the blooms. One particular Pipevine Swallowtail caught my eye. The wings were pretty torn up. Presumably from multiple bird attacks. The butterfly obviously had plenty of opportunities to just give up and let a bird take her but here she was. Going about her daily life as if nothing ever happened.

We often see the moment a butterfly emerges from the crysalis with it’s beautiful wings in full glory but we don’t often see the wings after the daily challenges of a lifetime in the wild. At first this might seem like a downer. But let me tell you now that it’s not. Why? Because this butterfly personifies a winner. This is what a winner looks like. This butterfly has obviously overcome adversity.

As often as have been advised on how to be successful in anything the one piece of advice that comes up consistently is “Don’t give up.” Sure there’s a lot more to it but in order to perform the other tasks you have to not give up before reaching that point.

Pop culture has given us the picture of a winner as a person who has always done it right, never making a mistake and just casually strolling into victory. That’s a lie. Even a person who we would consider to be a savant in a particular field has had to overcome struggles of one kind or another. We don’t really notice the that person’s “tattered wings” because we’re focused on the accomplishment and not the struggle that got them there.

As I drew closer to the butterfly trying to get a better frame showing just how shredded the wings were she proved just how mastery of the air she still has as she lifted effortlessly from the bloom and moved out of my reach between frames.

Since there was more butterflies there than I could count I chose not to pressure her any farther. I was still looking for a Spicebush Swallowtail in the first place and part of not giving up includes being focused on the goal.

I didn’t find the particular species that I was looking for that day in spite of getting several nice photos that I will be releasing in upcoming posts. But I did get encouragement to keep on keeping on.

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https://youtu.be/FDcrY6w8oY8

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I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply message me on Facebook oruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Thank you again for your support of my page!❤

Filling Up. A Look At What We Fill Our Lives With & A Reaffirmation Of My Goals.

Color Photography

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “The Filling Up” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the article.

Our lives are like vessels. Whatever our life containsis is what we have filled up with. Be it good or bad. That’s also going to effect what we have to pass on to others and what they have to pass on to us.

We’ve all known that person who just has to unload every time they come around. We might try to step in and help them out at first but after a while it gets tiresome. Have you ever wondered where all that negativity comes from? If we’re all vessels and carry whatever we’re filled with then why are some people so full of negativity? It has to be one of two things. Either they are filling from the wrong source or someone else is contaminating their vessel at some point in their lives. When I was a kid I use to hear adults say “consider the source ” whenever certain conversations came up. I always thought that phrase was in reference to the negative person but as I’ve gotten older I have come to consider that the negative person might be simply filling up from the wrong source.

When I started my blog a couple of years ago the first goal was to get my photography out in front of the public. The very next words out of my mouth was that “I want to bring as many people as possible into a positive frame of mind.” It’s one of the reasons why you’ll never see politically charged topics on my site. Regardless of anything else I want you to come away from the blog feeling like I have added value to your day. I want this site to be a source of good things that you can fill up with.

I realize that this particular post is a little bit of a deviation from my normal writing but as I stared at the feature image the thought of filling up a vessel was strong in my heart and I felt like it was time to reaffirm my mission for my new readers. Yes I do want to sell copies of the photos but just as important to me is providing inspiration and imparting something that makes your daily life a little better than it was before you opened the link. I want to pour good things into your vessels.

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https://youtu.be/FDcrY6w8oY8

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Every Frog Has His Day

Color Photography

Hello Friends! Tonight’s feature image is titled “Gray Monday” and is available for purchase by following the instructions at the bottom of the page.

Rainy days and Mondays are not to be desired or so it’s been said. Admittedly, I would have rather spent the day sitting in the sunshine and enjoying the birds singing while watching the ferry diddles play in the trees. But even the rainy day has it’s own joy if you look hard enough. Just beyond the trees and down the hill a piece is a ditch where the water pools. This is the frogs gather and sing for a mate in wet weather. It occurs to me that for a frog rainy days are one of life’s true joys. If it’s a warm sunny day a frog has to stay close to water and in the shadows to keep from drying out. But if it’s a warm rain a frog gets to come out and play. He spends his whole day making up songs that express his appreciation of the clouds. I can picture the scene in my mind. Mr Frog jumps out of the water and gazes skyward. A frog’s smile might be hard to detect but promise you that it’s there. He wiggles his webbed toes in the fresh mud. Then he takes a breath so deep that he blows up like a green balloon. Then he lets out a song like no song has ever been sung before. For a frog it’s the best Monday ever! One for the books! As the rain continues to fall gently the birds gather in the thick evergreen trees and the ferry diddles go to their dens. Everyone sits quietly waiting for rain to stop as they listen to frogs make beautiful music. Eventually I move from the window to the awning on the back of building and listen myself. Suddenly the gray sky doesn’t seem so bad. Monday isn’t so tough when your world is full of music.

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Have you checked out the Zazzle Store?

I’m now using Zazzle to fulfil orders. What this means for you is a secure way to place an order, discount codes & a broader product selection! Simply message me on Facebook oruse the contact form on my websiteand tell me which image you want and I’ll reply with a direct link to where you can place the order.

Thank you again for your support of my page! 😊