I’m often amazed and in awe over the beauty and intricacy of creation.  I find that this is a real side benefit and blessing of getting into nature photography.  I’ve been delving deeper into this enjoyable hobby of mine, creating digital images of the beauty all around us.  Sunrises and sunsets are my personal favorite.

Try as I might, even the best camera with the largest number of pixels couldn’t fully do justice to the splendid colors that God mixes on his great palette in the sky.  Still, I find myself pausing during these “Kodak moments” to give thanks for the beauty that I too often take for granted.

But while it’s usually something like the breath taking sunsets or majestic mountains that evoke such feelings, I credit a spider for my latest creation chill bumps.

Crazy as it may sound, I found myself with my camera lens (and my hand) about two inches away from a rather large spider on its web.  It seems that three such large spiders (I don’t know what kind) have decided to spin a web alongside our house, near one of my flower gardens.

I decided to try and snap some “macro” shots of these spiders while the sun was setting one day this week.  As any photographer will tell you, that “magic hour” before and after sunrise/sunset is the best time for getting that perfect (God-given) light to take pictures.

With the beauty of digital, I snapped about 40 images of the spiders, then went inside to upload on my computer and admire my photos and God’s creation.  I was amazed at the level of detail in a few of these shots.

Again, I don’t have that expensive a camera (but I’ve got my eyes on one) but it was good enough to reveal the tiny detail of this scary spider.  I found myself wondering how God could create such intricate detail in this rather small creature.

The web itself is another work of beauty that the spider spins for its prey.  As I paused to ponder the furry legs of the spider, I recalled the verse of scripture that talks about the minute detail that exists within God’s creation.

And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.
-Matthew 10:30

While checking out that verse on line, I came across a commentary from John Wesley that speaks to the fact that God is indeed concerned with the smallest of details in his creation and in our lives. Wesley writes:

The particular providence of God is another reason for your not fearing man. For this extends to the very smallest things. And if he has such care over the most inconsiderable creatures, how much more will he take care of you. (provided you confess him before men, before powerful enemies of the truth) And that not only in this life, but in the other also.
- John Wesley commentary

The next time I go to thinking that God doesn’t care about this or that happening in my life, I hope I’ll remember that spider.  A creator that goes into such intricate detail in creating a spider, must surely be mindful of the attitudes and actions of man.

What a great concept. NOW! What an under-utilized dynamic. As Christians, men, fathers, sons, brothers, co-workers, neighbors, and in any role where we touch someone else’s life, how do I maximize NOW!? It made me stop and think.

Greg called me to a deeper focus on this recently. In his October sermon on laity Sunday, he made two points that I have adopted. I will paraphrase but by no means can repeat his exact powerful delivery.

1. We are ordinary people living in God’s great creation. Have we asked him to help us achieve extraordinary results for his Kingdom? It could be for your church, to lead someone to Christ or helping an average Joe on the street.

• What a great prayer in itself. Rising above ordinary is tough. Good is the enemy of Great. We have to ask, we have to believe, we have to put a shoulder to the stone and we have to do it unceasingly.
• Personally, the elite ultra-successful people I have been around or studied have two common traits: relentless pursuit and systematic routine. As an ordinary person, if I could harness a little of those two and prayerfully ask to be an ordinary person wanting to achieve extraordinary results: What could I then do for God?

2. Instead of asking to be blessed, ask our Father to allow us to be a blessing for others.

• Being capitalistic beings, this is one we need to condition ourselves on. This will take a while. Practice. Practice. Practice.
• A great way to start a prayer. A great way to keep you grounded.
• Unselfishness will only lead to goodness. What if we could develop a great prayer chain for each other? Luke 11:9-10 gives us direction. 9. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

NOW! is a big deal. Here’s why. The next decision or action we make is always the most important. How many of us would like to take back prior decisions? The answer is always the next one – which is today’s. This permeates in all we do. We can’t reverse yesterday and scripture says we can’t add an extra hour worrying about tomorrow. Today is enough we’re told.

This has made me think about how can I maximize my relationship with my wife and enjoy every once of time with my daughter. It heightens my resolve to provide them leadership along with spiritual and financial well-being; and as a family provide service to others as we are called. Preparation and mental imaging of success have to be moved to the front. Starting with the end in mind takes a whole new meaning.

The modern day NOW! guy is Tiger. He does his one singular trade better than anybody else on Earth does their one thing. His caddie, Steve Williams, made an interesting point the first week of December when he made international headlines for bashing Phil Mickelson. Stevie also caddied for Greg Norman before Tiger came calling in 1997 after winning the Master’s with Fluff Cowan. He said that Greg Norman and Tiger’s shot making ability are on equal par. The key is that Tiger completely forgets every bad shot he makes and moves on to the next one. Greg Norman, he said, couldn’t forget a bad shot for the whole year. Let’s each pray to minimize the bad shots and forget the one’s we would like to have back.

As a guy with some form of untested A.D.D., NOW! hits home with me. I hope it does for you too.

- DOUGLAS

The December 15 cover of Sports Illustrated features Florida Gator QB Tim Tebow after he rallied the Gators past Alabama with two fourth quarter touchdowns to win the SEC Championship and gain a berth in the BCS title game. In that game as throughout his 3-year career Tim wore Phil 4:13 on his eye black patches. The reference is to Paul’s letter to the Philippians. The NIV version says “I can do all things through him who gives me strength.” What power-laden words. What an even more powerful message on a guy who has already won a national championship as a freshman, became the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy and now will be playing for his second national title. In today’s world I wonder how the message plays to the masses?

As a proud Virginia Tech Hokie graduate I get a second-straight trip to the Orange Bowl so I’ve got no dog in the hunt at the BCS title game. Two things have me pulling for Tebow. Wearing his Faith, literally, on college football’s biggest stage. And second… I like outta the norm offenses. Urban Meyer plugged in Tebow as a throw-back single-wing QB in their spread offense. Same thing Army did when they dominated in the early 1940’s. In football, innovation is dredging up something that’s been done but fallen out of flavor.

I came to know Philippians 4:13 in the early 90s when a mentor gave me a copy of Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking. It is without a doubt one of the best books ever written. Phil 4:13 has been one of the belief pillars of my Faith. It has carried me through a lot of crunch times. I’ve stuck it on a card in my wallet to carry it with me at all times. In 2002, during the height of the 2001-02 bear market I made a career leap to financial planning from public relations. Phil 4:13 and a bunch of sweat equity carried me. The verse has also been a common thread for my wife and I. As I look back through life’s journey the practice of ‘the deeper the problem, the deeper the prayer’ and Phil 4:13 have always led the way.

Seeing Tim wear Phil 4:13 does my heart good. The son of missionaries, he spent last summer on a whirlwind tour of third-world countries. Even though I don’t particularly care for the Florida Gators, Tim is a story that makes you say “yeah!” When he goes to the NFL next year it will be interesting to see how he will continue his faith message. On-field signage on uniforms and players is deeply guarded by the NFL league office. I hope he finds a way.

In the meantime I wish Tim Tebow well against the Sooners. Oklahoma has the highest scoring offense in the history of major college football. The Gators answered every challenge in the rugged SEC. Should be an awesome game.

I hope Tim gets to glare his eye black in the spotlight one more time.

- Douglas