Day 22: Beauty in a broken world

Views such as this one remind me how blessed I am to live in the mountains. I may not have a grand, sweeping view out of my windows at home, but I can walk or take a short drive to see beautiful mountain vistas that appear to go on forever.

Just as beach lovers are able grasp their small place in the universe when they gaze out at the vast ocean, highland visitors can capture that same feeling looking out over mountain ridges. I cherish this place and want to do all that I can to protect it for future generations. What places or views remind you of your own small role in this giant universe?

Join me in the hunt for beauty?
Where do you see beauty in a broken world? Want to add your own images during the 31-day journey? If so, feel free to comment below with your Instagram handle, and tag your Insta posts with #beautyinabrokenworld. You’ll find me there @pixofhope.

Day 19: Beauty in a broken world

Sunrise ushers in not only a new day but also the promise of a new us. Each morning, we have a chance to continue forging a good habit or abstaining from a bad one. We have a fresh start on chasing our dreams and transforming ourselves into the people we hope to become.

As the sun rises, I can hear birds singing, and across a wide expanse of this mountain where I stand, I hear woodpeckers signaling to each other as they hammer out their messages against tree trunks.

Scientists have theorized that birds joining in the dawn chorus may be letting others, especially potential mates, know, “I’m still here. I made it through the night.” Perhaps its the same for people. I get up early to capture a sunrise, and in some small way, I’m also saying to you, “I’m still here. I made it through the night.”

Join me in the hunt for beauty?
Where do you see beauty in a broken world? Want to add your own images during the 31-day journey? If so, feel free to comment below with your Instagram handle, and tag your Insta posts with #beautyinabrokenworld. You’ll find me there @pixofhope.

Day 11: Beauty in a broken world

Knowing that getting up early has its rewards and acting on that knowledge are two entirely different things. Yesterday was a glorious day, full of the promise of spring coming to the mountains, and I got out before dawn to visit one of my favorite places. As the sun peeked up over the distant mountains, I kept turning to look at the windows of an old carriage house.

A window reflects tree branches as the sun rises and casts its golden light.

The morning was quiet and calm, and the golden hour found me exactly where I needed to be. I’m more of a night owl, and so I’m rarely out and about before sunrise, but this quiet moment felt like a truly special treat.

Join me in the hunt for beauty?
Where do you see beauty in a broken world? Want to add your own images during the 31-day journey? If so, feel free to comment below with your Instagram handle, and tag your Insta posts with #beautyinabrokenworld. You’ll find me there @pixofhope.

Light in the New Year

Thank you for your patience as I took a break from the blog. The last 18 months have taken me too much away from writing and photography, and while I won’t blog weekly as I used to, I do want to begin again, anew for the new year, the new decade.

I’ve changed the tagline up there at the top of the blog: Exploring the Nature of God. Every now and then, when there are pictures or words I think you’d enjoy, I’ll share them here. Mostly, I hope to bring a little more light into your life through this blog, beginning with this morning’s sunrise. These are from my cell phone, shot quickly so as not to miss the light.

A fiery display of a new day
The reward for looking out early

What does light look like in your life right now?

Nature’s wild palette

I had a wonderful blessing two weeks ago when I got to accompany my husband on a trip to Southern California. He had to go there for work (far more scenic than some places he has to travel), and we were fortunate to tack on an extra day for a bit of rest and rejuvenation.

We started in Coronado and ended in Dana Point. As I loaded photos from the trip, the beautiful array of colors in the scenes, flora, and fauna struck me. What an amazing palette Nature has.

I thought I’d share some of my favorites with you today, with only a few words, so you can soak in the images and their colors.

Sunrise in Coronado

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