I love to edit my photos; rarely do I ever post a photo on this blog that hasn't been retouched in some way, making for a tidied-up version of the original snapshot. My favorite
Picasa editing tools are "boost" (brightening), "focal zoom" (highlighting the subject) and "vignette" (isolating the central portion of the image by obscuring the periphary). Of course the basic editing tools are almost always used too: "crop" to center the image and "I'm feeling lucky" to enable the best color and contrast. Yesterday's Gospel reading was from the book of Luke, the 14th chapter; the parable where Jesus explains that one should never seek praise and recognition through a "seat of honor" at the table, but rather sit right away at a lower place and avoid being asked then to move down. We are reminded here that through humbling ourselves we are truly exalted. While we may think it best to
appear "tidied-up" to the world around us...better, nicer, kinder, more generous; in actuality, an edited version of our true selves, we can never deceive our God. We can "boost", "zoom", "vignette", "crop" and "feel just as lucky" as we choose through our words and actions but, if they're not authentic, we are no more genuine than the perched bird in the
PicMonkeyed photo above. God knows us
just as we are, the unedited version of our sinful warts-and-all selves, and loves us anyway. The next time I use editing tools on my photos I am going to think about another tool available to me: "undo". When I make an unwanted change I can immediately erase it with "undo"; likewise, God grants little old me unlimited "undos" for every single one of my sins through His loving grace and forgiveness; what a humbling and welcome reassurance that is!
Life is Good!
11 comments:
You always have such inspiring insights for a life well-lived!
Good word! So true.
Marvelous interpretation (and I LIKE that new outlet "cover"
Thank you for that inspiration. I will always be reminded of this truth whenever I edit my pictures in Picassa from now on.
Very well said Mrs. Goodneedle. May I have your permission to use this post as a devotion when I am next asked to give one? with proper credit of course.
Another great post, I almost never touch up the photos, have used crop maybe twice. Someone once told me that "what you see is what you are" and I take that as a compliment, no touching up on my life, I hope.
Thank you for this timely message, we are so blessed to have a heavenly Father who does accept us just as we are and that He is there to help us make the changes in our lives that He knows will help us through our lives.
What a wonderful and wise post...blessings, Marlene
Thank you. We had the same gospel on Sunday and it also resonated with me. I love the context you put it in. Great words for everyone
something to be said for "au natural"...like the song says, "come just as you are"....
Hi there, I saw you over at Empty Nest but Full Heart and had to come by and say hi. I'm going to follow you-I think we have many things in common-quilting, photography(but you are really talented), faith and love of grands. Looking forward to getting to know you.
Blessings,
Noreen
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