Wide Angle Lenses

Luke 21:28 -- "Lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near."

Ruby Throated Humingbird Baby I photographed a couple of days ago

The Crape Myrtle root was jabbing into my tush and I had a spider making his way up my arm. I was itchin' to rub at the sweat trickling down my back and the burn in my shoulders was starting to become unbearable. But I didn't dare move. The hummingbird I'd been tracking at the bird feeder was finally perched on it's edge. While I seriously doubt she could have seen me, nestled deeply and rather uncomfortably in the bush daisies underneath the Crape Myrtle tree - I didn't want to lose the shot by making any sudden movements. All excitement, I pressed the shutter button and held my breath in a hope that the rapid fire of the aperture wouldn't scare the bird.

Bingo. The shots were nearly perfect. Five hours underneath that tree in 90+ degree weather paid off. I'm mostly pleased with the pay-out of all the discomfort.

Mostly.

Here's what I missed: With a horrible cramp working it's way from my shoulder to my wrist as I held aching fingers to the camera locked onto the tri-pod - dead focused on catching a shot of the little hummingbird mamma - from the corner of my eye, I can see that my Downy Woodpecker landed in the Magnolia tree next to me. I've never been able to catch her with the camera. If I had not had the camera so tightly trained on the hummingbird feeder and had pulled a wider focus - I would have been able to FINALLY photograph the woodpecker.

My focus was too tight. And I think we do that so often in our lives.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird Momma I photographed a couple of days ago from under the Crape Myrtle tree

 

In Luke, we are encouraged to lift up our heads - our redemption is near. If we spend all our time zeroed in on our situations - on the economy - on school - on retirement issues - on  our health [you get the picture] we don't see the bigger picture. We miss out on some pretty incredible things around us. Like me and the pretty Downy Woodpecker.

Pulling a wider angle - we can focus on God, and on what He's doing all around us. I mentioned, not too long ago, that my Mother has this great suggestion: focus on God's love. I think that applies to all His works, as well. Lift up your head - don't focus on your feet as you travel this road of ours - instead, look up, focus on God and His path for us. On the victory and celebration we will have, when Jesus comes back to take us all Home.