If I could tell you one last thing before I died…, I would tell you about how I live life to the fullest. I would tell you about the great joy I have in my heart. I would tell you about a man who came from Heaven to earth, named Jesus. He came to give us life to the fullest. He told of two paths, one path is wide and there are many people on it. The other is narrow and few travel on it, yet it leads to life in the fullest. The wide path is easy to travel on; it is the path we are on from birth, our default path. The narrow path is a path that you have to choose to walk, it is not always easy, but it is the most rewarding. There is no middle path and each path leads to different places. The… read more
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I want to explain a portion of scripture that some may find confusing. I had a friend (who isn’t a Christian) ask me about the Bible talking about it being wrong to have wealth. Jesus does mention that the poor are blessed and that the kingdom of Heaven is theirs. What we must understand is that religious people at that time thought that if you had wealth then you were blessed by God. That meant that anyone who did not have wealth would have been considered unholy and not someone who would be likely going to Heaven. We must also understand that when Jesus came, He really shook up the apple cart. He did not come to hang out with religious people and promote what they were doing. He came to show them how they should be truly living their lives, He came to reach out to those in need…. read more
This is a passion flower and quite frankly, it’s probably the most amazing flower I have ever seen. However, why add another flower picture to the plethora of  flower pictures out their? Because, this flower has a little story to tell. He knows he won’t last long, his time is short, so he was made bright and beautiful, so that he might catch my attention; which he obviously did, in order that I might preserve its story for all to read and learn from, as I have. The story he told was this. “Don’t waste your life!” Our life, though prolonged a bit longer then this flower, will eventually waste away like a vapor, and what will be left? Money? Photos? Friends? Broken dreams? Unconfessed sin? Time isn’t free, it will cost you your life, therefore spend every second wisely. Blow yourself out doing your very best, smile often, laugh… read more
Amazing! Think on these concepts, on these fantastic truths. Our days are like grass, we flourish like a flower of the field and then are gone. We flourish! We were meant to flourish, to grow, to enjoy life, to enjoy the glory of God, however short our lives may be, we were meant for so much more then we are led to believe. Yet, we do pass away, we die and our place remembers us no more and life goes on for those we leave behind. “But…” O for the many wonderful things that come after the “buts” of the Bible, it is a study I highly recommend doing sometime. “The steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting for those who fear him.” Wow, that’s an awfully long time, way longer than my life, or your life, or all of everyone’s lives added together end to end…. read more
Some people say that it is contradictory that Christians claim to be free, Â when they are required to follow the guidelines in the Bible. What you need to understand is that we are all slaves to sin when we enter this world. It use to be perfect, our relationship with God, but when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, sin entered and we lost that perfect relationship with God. Having a relationship with Jesus frees us from the slavery to sin that we are born into and opens up a means of connection with God. Whether you like it or not, we are all born sinful and the only way to be free is to accept the one who defeated sin, Jesus. If you don’t believe me, that we are all naturally sinful, look at children; they naturally do things that are wrong and… read more
Woodpeckers are one of Gods amazing creatures, they are a very special family of birds found worldwide, except for Australia and New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. Most species live in forests or woodland habitats, although a few species are known to live in treeless areas such as rocky hillsides and deserts. The diet of woodpeckers consists mainly of insects and their grubs taken from living and dead trees, along with fruit, nuts and sap from live trees. Their role ecologically is geared towards keeping trees healthy by keeping them from suffering mass infestations. The family is noted for its ability to acquire wood-boring grubs using their bills for hammering, but overall the family is characterized by its dietary flexibility, with many species being both highly omnivorous and opportunistic. What’s so special about the Woodpecker? Many of the foraging, breeding and signaling behaviors of woodpeckers involve drumming and… read more
So this was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. Unfortunately it was also one of the most unpleasant places I have ever been, there were thousands upon thousands of mosquito’s. We stayed there for enough time to snap a few shots and then go. We were up there no longer than 10 minutes and my girlfriend had 39 mosquito bites on one leg! It was a great hike though and I would love to go back with some bug spray. My friend asked me the other day who some of my favorite men of the Bible were. That got me thinking and I think that my favorite is Solomon, here was a man who had experienced all the world had to offer and he was not satisfied with any of it. We have been reading through Ecclesiastes in Bible Study and that is where I discovered… read more
How to Shoot Star Trails: In this tutorial we’ll leave the computer and head out into the wild. I’ll be explaining the processes I use to shoot star trails images. So what is a star trails image? A star trails image is created by setting a camera on a tripod and opening its shutter for at least an hour. The rotation of the Earth makes the stars appear to travel in circles, and how do you shoot it exactly? Well, that’s just what this tutorial is going to explain to us, so lets get out there! [sociallocker] Examples Star Trails Photography [/sociallocker]
Went back to a favorite spot to re-take a shot I had done earlier and get a wider angle. I kinda miss shooting waterfalls and I think I need to do some more exploring. I have been thinking lately about how much we are missing out on what God really has to offer. We rarely seem to make sacrifices to God. It seems like things such as all-night prayers and fasting are rarely done. We get so busy with things that we think we have to do, and we don’t take the time to properly honour God. I can’t help but think that if Jesus came back today, the excuses we would have for not fully devoting ourselves to God would seem so pitiful. I don’t mean this to be a bummer message but it is so frustrating, because I think that all Christian can agree, that God is capable… read more
The impact of Facebook is far reaching, even surpassing the developers expectations, it has infiltrated the social media scene like a storm. When Facebook launched in 2004 it was strictly for college students to connect with each other and share information with friends. Facebook went public, but hardly anyone knew about it and it was competing heavily with other social networks like Myspace, today many people are connecting and meeting up with friends and family. Businesses are now using Facebook as a means to increase exposure with target advertising, increase traffic to their websites and develop credibility between customers and their brands. So how has Facebook impacted the Church? First we must clarify what “the Church” is. Most people understand the Church as a building but, the word “Church†comes from the Greek word ekklesia which is defined as “an assembly†or “called-out ones.†The root meaning of “Church†is… read more
Fracture mechanics is the science of studying sudden-failure phenomenon. Materials have a yield strength (the stress under which they will yield) but in many cases materials fail at applied stresses below their yield strength. We Christians have also a spiritual yield strength—a spiritual potential–but in many cases fail to reach that potential because we fail at spiritual levels way below what we are capable of. The Bible is full of such examples, such as: the sin of King David with Bathsheba; King Saul; and of course Samson. Why do structures fail at applied stresses lower than the known yield strength of their material? That’s because all structures contain small flaws (cracks) determined by their material and processing. We, Christians, all have small flaws determined by two things. First, our natural spiritual strengths and weakness. It is a fact that some people are naturally servants, or preachers, etc; and others naturally… read more
Each month we feature some of the best Photoshop tutorials and this month is no exception! These tutorials range from cool photo typography effect, abstract mosaics, elegant website layouts and a cool grungy photo manipulation project. Check them out, you may find something that you like! Create Beautiful Abstract Mosaics In this tutorial, Fabio from Abduzeedo will show you how to create a deconstructed image using a pattern made out of cubes. The idea is try to simulate a mosaic but with a more abstract and up-to-date interpretation. View Tutorial Create a 3D Industrial-style Download Icon in Photoshop This tutorial teaches you how to create a unique 3D download folder icon with textures. Learn some useful techniques for creating more visually impressive 3D icons. View Tutorial Modern 3D Text Effect In this Photoshop tutorial we’re going to step outside my usual Photoshop Only philosophy and use the 3D rendering power… read more
Growing up, in my own strength, tall and high, fighting, struggling, wanting. Then cut down, short and flat, just like all the others around me. What am I to do? I want to be tall, like those trees. How’d they do it? So I grow again, taking in my nutrients from the world, taking it all in, just like everybody else. So we grow, big and tall, and I begin to think, “maybe, this time, I will grow tall like those trees”. Then, from behind, comes the sound, the whir, the growl, the blade, cutting all my competition down flat. It passes by, and still I stand, tall and proud. But O, horror, here it comes again, cutting, biting, throwing a cloud of my neighbors to the left of me. I am short and squat once again, and so I fall in despair I crumble, for I will never be… read more
The other day I was talking to a co-worker about faith and she asked the question what if nothing of what I believe is real? And to be honest, if that were the case, I would have no regrets. I lived an awesome, healthy life doing my best to make the world around me a better place. I think the question that people should really be worried about is what if Christianity is true? What if there is a God who is going to judge us when we die? It says in the Bible that our time on earth will seem like a blink of an eye compared to eternity. Is it really worth living life exactly how we want to for maybe 80 years or so and then spend the rest of eternity paying for it? However, it is so much more than a get out of jail free… read more
About a year ago as I got off the bus, two Mormon missionaries standing at the intersection started talking to me. They offered me some reading materials but I refused them and told them that I was a Christian. We spent few minutes discussing our different beliefs. They said, “Just like in the Old Testament times there were prophecies, God sent prophecies to speak again to us about 200 years ago.†I asked them, “Why did God decide not to talk to us through prophecies in those 1,800 years between the ministry of Christ on earth and 200 years ago?†There were no answers. In the summer (I think) of 2006 a friend in Windsor, Ontario took me and my uncle and his wife to her church. It was a small church and I had never been there before. As soon as the service ended this old woman came directly… read more
The gap is massive, the fall horrendous. We stand here, He stands there. We need to cross. We stand alone, about to fall. He stands there, tall and sure on the mountain. We need to cross. We are rooted, drinking up a dying stream. He needs no sustenance for He Himself is Life. We need to cross. How shall we cross, and where is the bridge for such a chasm? We cannot jump for we would fall. we cannot swim for we would drown. We cannot fly for we have no wings. We need to cross but we are rooted, dead and dying with no hope inside and no hope around. We need to cross but we are darkness and He is light so how could we cross? He must come and take us there, yet He must take us on a cross, He must pay the price for such… read more
I was raised in what I would call a semi-Christian home. I was never taught about having a personal relationship with Jesus, but I was taught the real significance behind Christian holidays and I was taught many of the same basic principles of the Bible for living my life. When I was 10 years old, we moved to a new city and some neighbors invited us to attend AWANAS. We began to attend church and by the end of my first year of AWANAS I had given my life to Christ. During my school years I had a great group of Christian friends and as a result I never got into alcohol or drugs or anything like that. It was really easy in my group to stay on the straight and narrow, which was really cool, but I never felt like I made a difference for Christ while at… read more
The Hoatzin, the national bird of Guyana, is an unusual species of tropical bird found in swamps, riverine forest and mangroves of the Amazon and the Orinoco delta in South America. The scientific classification of this family of birds has been greatly debated, and is still far from clear. It is a roughly pheasant-sized bird, with a long neck and small head. It is brown in color, with paler underparts and has an un-feathered blue face with maroon eyes, and its head is topped by a spiky, rufous crest. It is called Stinkbird, the name is related to a strong smell the bird produces, perhaps due to the consumption of leaves. Even though these birds are very attractive and are not great fliers, they are not considered endangered, its survival seems to be more assured than that of many other birds in its geographic location, this is mostly due to… read more
Each month we feature some of the best Photoshop tutorials and this month is exciting! The tutorials range from cool photo manipulations, a cute twitter bird icon and awesome digital creations. Check them out, you may find something that you like! Giant Man In The City – Photoshop Tutorial In this tutorial you learn how to simulate a big man standing in the middle of a city. View Tutorial Design A Creative Portfolio in Photoshop In this tutorial you will learn how to create a clean web layout with a nice background illustration. View Tutorial Create A Realistic Loaf of Bread in Photoshop This tutorial will demonstrate how to create a realistic looking loaf of bread in Photoshop. View Tutorial [sam id=3 codes=’false’] Draw Realistic Liquids in Vector Art Learn numerous Illustrator techniques to create vector liquid, by playing around with Illustrator’s Mesh tool, Warp tool and layer blending… read more
How to Create an HDR Image in Adobe CS5: Today we’ll learn how to create a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image. I’ll show you how to merge and edit one using Adobe CS5’s full line up of fantastic photographic tools. [1] High dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allow a greater dynamic range of luminance between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods. This wider dynamic range allows HDR images to more accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight. Final Image [/sociallocker]
The parable in Luke 12:16-21 that talks about the rich man, packs a lot of punch for people like me, though I don’t stockpile money, I do stockpile stuff. I always want the better lens, the better flash, the bigger camera, the lighter tripod, the faster computer. I have been extremely blessed in what I do have and I must learn not only to be content with it but also not to stockpile it, but to use it in such a way as to become rich towards God. And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods…. read more
Xara 3D Type in a Wallpaper Project: Photo manipulation is always fun, it opens the spectrum of what we can create in Photoshop and allow our imagination to run wild! Today we will be re-creating a wallpaper called “Life”. In this wallpaper, I used some simple techniques to pull all my elements together, like 3D typography from Xara3D, and a few images. The inspiration for this image came from a reflection on how we can see the majesty of God in creation. Every living thing has a purpose in the circle of life, and we can’t help, but give God the glory and honor! Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created. Revelation 4:11 Final Image Skill Level Intermediate Resources Xara3DMushroom Image From Stock.xchngRobin Image From From… read more
Hi, my name is Tyler A. van der Hoeven, I accepted Jesus Christ as the Savior for my sins at the age of four. Although my salvation didn’t mean a whole lot to me then, salvation isn’t about the saved, its about the Savior, and what He does to those he has redeemed. My testimony isn’t about me and all that Jesus saved me from, but rather its all about my Savior, the only Son of God, part of the triune Godhead, born of the virgin Mary, who lived on earth as the God/man and died on the cross, bearing the full, unrestrained wrath of almighty God against all my sins. I am the worst sinner I know, such a hypocrite, so prone to pride, to take the credit and pass the blame. It is such a wonder to me that God chooses to keep such a one as me,… read more
In my previous post A Dreamer – Escaping The Brokenness of Life, I shared with you a little of my life leading up to me being saved and being blessed with a spirit filled husband, today I will share how The Holy Spirit has blessed me with different gifts in order to share the Gospel. I’m a dreamer. I also am given many visions from the Lord. These are gifts from the Holy Spirit, yes. Joel speaks of this [ Joel 2:28 ] and again in Acts. [ Acts 2:17 ] The journey in Jesus and this walk, is painful and joyous. That is truth. Persecution has come in all different, shapes and sizes. but the outcome of these trials and tribulations is this. Jesus is LORD and He is KING! I become stronger in Christ. To press toward the higher calling in Christ Jesus. To persevere in Him. I… read more