Seeing the Bigger Picture

I knew it would be a good night for sunset photos because clouds had filled the skies in the Sierra Valley, so I waited for just the right moment.

However, as I stood on our front balcony that overlooks pastures with grazing cattle, a meandering creek lined with willows, and tall mountain peaks in the distance, I was growing more frustrated by the moment.

No matter how I zoomed or un-zoomed the lens, I couldn’t get the power and phone lines out of the frame. The whole thing would be ruined.

And because of my frustration, I almost missed this lovely shot as I adjusted my smartphone. Fortunately, I snapped a dozen or more and then took a few minutes to watch the clouds as they faded into grays.

There are other times I do that–fail to see the bigger, more beautiful picture because of some annoyance in the way. A stinky grandchild’s diaper could keep me from noticing his impish grin. A carried-over bad attitude from traffic hassles could prevent me from greeting my mother enthusiastically. A fixation on bad grammar could keep me from a good laugh from a Facebook meme.

There are so many ways life can steal joy from us. Instead, I pray both you and I will capture the bigger, more beautiful picture the Creator has for us.