For me as a child I used my imagination a lot. While pretending, I created in my imagination, surprise in everything-parties, new houses, new clothes, all kinds of things. I realize now in my little mind I created wonder. Now all these years later...40 plus years...wonder in a childlike sense has begun again but very differently. It is God stirred....
About 4 years ago I began writing a blog. Many times I would write a reflection on something God was doing in my life. At that same time I began walking, listening to praise and worship as wonder stirred in my heart of our precious Creator. Slowly I began noticing things around me in a way that I hadn't before. I would be amazed at the wonder of the sunrise, at the wonder of the clouds, at the birds, at the smells, at the noises, all kinds of details that I hadn't noticed before:the depth of colors in the clouds, the rapidness of the sunrise and how quickly the sky would change...the sounds of nature that were always in the background and now in the forefront of my senses...how many birds there are and each one having their own uniqueness and the delight that God would stir in my heart when I saw and heard in my heart, "I created this one too." Wonder stirs in my heart when I begin to notice things I hadn't paid attention to before.
My daughter said to me recently, "Being present is noticing all the fine details and is the epitome of being alive." This is part of wonder as well. So you may be wondering, how does all of this fit into photography?
At some point along the way I thought, "I wish I could capture what I see on my walks for others, I am trying to do that by writing but what about capturing it visually?" I had some friends who are great photographers so I began asking many many questions. For the past year I have been diving rapidly into learning the many aspects of photography-I certainly have a long way to go, but I am enjoying all that God has in it for me and that I am able to share his wonder with others.
"You live in a world of theophanies, holiness comes wrapped in the ordinary. There are burning bushes all around you. Every tree is full of angels. Hidden beauty is waiting in every crumb. Life wants to lead you from crumbs to angels, but this can happen only if you are willing to unwrap the ordinary by staying with it long enough to harvest its treasure." Macrina Wiederkehr
Seeing holiness in the ordinary is part of wonder, there are rare and unexpected things that I had never noticed before. So I encourage you to look for holiness in the ordinary. I pray you will be astonished with wonder in what you see...
