Storms

 

On the 27th December we took a trip down to Red Strand and on to Long Strand and Ownahincha to take a look at the stormy conditions.  It was very windy and quite a job to hold the camera still enough to take pictures …

 

It was a wonderful experience, to feel the strength of the wind and to hear the roar of the sea so loud that we had to shout to speak to each other.  It was also good to get back to the car and feel safe!  Looking back at these now I am reminded of all the verses in the Bible about God sheltering us from the storm, such as in Psalm 46:

God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!

Seeing

“Glasses” – taken with Samsung Galaxy Note II and processed with Instagram

Prayer is a wonderful thing and answers to prayer are predictably unpredictable.  A few weeks ago we were all enjoying ourselves in the sea, splashing and swimming, jumping and generally having a great time. After a particularly big splash I noticed my glasses had come off (of course I shouldn’t have been wearing my glasses in the sea but my eyesight is very poor without them).

We searched and searched the sandy sea bed for quite a while before finally conceding that the sea was very big and my lost glasses very small.  As we searched we prayed and I remember feeling disappointed that God did not reveal to us where the fallen glasses were.

Over the next 10 days or so we must have visited the beach another 4 or 5 times, we didn’t even bother to look for the glasses.

Then one evening, approximately 2 weeks after the time I had lost the glasses we set out for the beach again. Sonja was driving and as we arrived she parked at a spot along the wall.  It was inch perfect.  I looked out of my window and I was amazed, there were my glasses, on the wall right next to me! They were in remarkably good condition for having been lost in the sand under three feet of water over two weeks previously…

I wound down my window and picked them up. As I did so I thanked God for answered prayer. I imagined (or did I) a feint friendly chuckle in reply…

At Red Strand

We were walking back having spent some time exploring the rock pools when four horses and their riders came down to the sea.  The sun was low in the sky and so as they came towards us they were silhouetted, with the headland and lighthouse behind them.  They took it in turns to canter through the surf from one end of the beach to the other, it was a wonderful thing to watch…

Roll 30

A few recent pictures.  These are taken with a Nikon F100 and 18-35mm and 50mm lenses using Ilford FP4+ (125 ISO), developed in Agfa Rodinal and scanned using an Epson 4490.  Kinsale harbour

Red Strand

Red Strand

Kinsale harbour

Raging Waters

The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.

(Luke 8:24)

Dear Lord Jesus, for all those who are facing storms and trials and great difficulties, we pray for your calm and peace to come into their hearts and lives.  For all who need stillness, for those who need to see the way ahead, speak your words of truth and light.

Help us to let you be in charge of our lives, let you be the Captain who steers, the Navigator who directs and the Saviour who heals and forgives….

Galley Head

Nikon D70s, f8, 1/250 sec, ISO 200, 57mm equivalent

Nikon D70s, f5.6, 1/2000 sec, ISO 200, 450mm equivalent

We took a day off to go and do some exploring in West Cork. Having a look at the map we thought that the coastline around Galley Head (between Clonakilty and Rosscarbery) looked interesting. We were amazed at just how beautiful it was, with a fantastic beach at Red Strand as well as the spectacular lighthouse shown in the pictures here.

I love the symbolism of a lighthouse perched up high on a rugged and rocky coastline. It reminds me of Christ “the Light of the world” and also as the rock of ages and of course the rock of our Salvation.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken. (Psalm 62:1b, 2)