La Mariposa Y La Paloma Paper & Resin Art

05/15/2024

It was nearly 4am. I knew I had to pack my stuff and go home to catch some sleep before going to work. A pulsating aurora replaced the crazy colours that my camera caught earlier that night but I always had to get one more shot. And one more. And and one more. And then this happened! There were only a few people left out at that point but we all went "woaaaaahhhhh!". I was super happy to get such a great shot to end the night!
Taken in Banff, AB.

09/21/2023

09/01/2023

ISOLATED FRUIT?
In the summer of 2020, right smack dab in the middle of the pandemic, I was on an afternoon walk near my neighborhood. I just happened to glance over through a pine thicket and saw a pear tree, loaded down with hundreds of juicy pears. Oh my goodness! They looked like they would be absolutely delicious! One problem though … they were inside a fenced-in area that had a NO TRESPASSING sign on it. “What a shame!” I thought to myself as I passed by. There were rotting pears on the ground all around the tree. The owner of the lot was not even aware that the tree had produced so much fruit that year. I was tempted to cross the fence and pick a few, but that NO TRESPASSING sign prevented me from doing so. What an incredible waste! Days and weeks later, hundreds of brown, rotting pears laid on the ground. No one got to partake from the bounty of that tree because of its isolation.

Yesterday, while on my afternoon walk with my dog Archie, I saw that same tree through the pine thicket. It didn’t have a single pear on it. I thought about the abundance of fruit on its branches just three years ago and was amazed at its fruitlessness this year. That tree spoke volumes to me in that moment.

Statistics tell us that there are many who left the church during the pandemic and have never returned. Once fruitful in God’s kingdom, these people are now isolated and to themselves. Just like that fruit-filled pear tree, they have a NO TRESPASSING sign erected in their life. The main purpose of that pear tree is to produce fruit to be eaten … and a main purpose in a Christian’s life is to produce fruit for God’s kingdom. Jesus said, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:8). What good is it to produce fruit in isolation where no-one can partake of it? Fruit that is rotting on limbs and on the ground doesn’t benefit anyone.

The fruit in your life has a purpose. It’s not ornamental! It’s nourishment to those who come across your path … but how will they come across your path if you’re living a life of isolation?

John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

08/16/2023

Powerful reminder

It was reported that a movie theater displayed a short film which began with a snapshot of the room ceiling. No details, no colors. Just a white ceiling

The same scene remained displayed for 6 long minutes when the moviegoers started to get frustrated. Some complained about the film wasting their time and others started to leave

Suddenly, the camera lens slowly started to move until it reached down towards the floor. A small child who appeared handicap was lying fixed on the bed, suffering from a spinal cord tear

The camera then pans back up to the ceiling with the following words

We showed you only 8 minutes of this child's daily activity, only 8 minutes from the scene that this handicap child watches at all hours of his life, and you complained and weren't patient for even 6 minutes, you couldn't bear to watch it

Sometimes we need to put ourselves in others shoes in order to realize the magnitude of blessings we are given and to thank God for bestowing us with such blessings that we take for granted

08/14/2023

06/13/2023