Looking To See

Posted byGary FultzPosted inabundant life, accomplishment, accountability, adventure, Adventure story, Build Faith, communion with God, deception, devotional, devotional thoughts, dreamer, eternal, Faith, Fix our eyes, Flora, friends, Gary Fultz, Gary Fultz Blog, GaryFultz Blog, goals, God in Nature, initiator, Inner Peace, intentional, listening to God, most imortant relationship, Nature, Nature and Inner Peace, nature pictures, outdoor adventure, outdoor scenery, outdoor spiritual truths, Peace, perspective, Photography, picture truths, purpose in life, purpose of life, quality of life, relationship building, relationship control, relationship with GodTags:, , , , , , , , ,

It’s finally spring here in Northern Minnesota, as of this week. The budded trees finally gave way to leaves bursting out. One day the trees have only buds, and the next day there are leaves. While the fourth rain of the month was coming down, the brown grass was suddenly green. All kinds of songbirds are singing their heart out at 5am in the morning, an hour before it’s really light out.

I secretly wanted to see something I had never seen before. How does one see the same thing and see something different? I believe it’s in the lighting. The sun is like a thousand spotlights in the woods, drawing our eyes to see what it is shining on. Click on any picture to enlarge. Each picture is then captioned underneath.

I had never seen the sun glow through birchbark with such color. The new leaves were like glow bugs in the woods. There is a certain kind of “wonder” in seeing differently. It’s more than possible that I was seeing because I was really looking. The lighting in the woods was too dark to take good pictures hand holding my camera, unless the sun’s rays were highlighting something worth freezing in frame. A thought went through me…”It’s just too easy to live one’s life in the dark.”

In an odd sort of way, my walk through the woods helped me see an old friend differently (a very strained and a two-year ostracized relationship). I saw hope for a renewed acquaintance. So yesterday, I drove to his place and said a prayer. I knocked on the door, he opened it and said, “it’s about time”. I said, “I miss my old friend.” We talked. It was better than good.

Maybe there is really something that happens to the core of our being when we begin Looking to see. I start talking to God. I started to sing “he’s got the whole world…in his hands.” I must admit, this not so little walk in the woods has my life as well as my eyes, looking to see.

Gary

Published by Gary Fultz

Outdoors Man, Hunter, Fisherman, Guide, Writer / Author, Photographer, Public Speaker, Musician, Song Writer, Story Teller, Follower Of Jesus. Love God and family and total strangers

95 thoughts on “Looking To See”

  2. What an inspirational story. I love it. God is the God of restoration. You have been blessed. I was too. Enjoy this relationship now. We don’t always get a second chance to do better when we are not looking to see. Be blessed.

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    1. You summed it up well Sandra. “God is the God of restoration.” I am definitely hanging on to another chance at friendship. God’s timing in my case was and is impeccable. “Blessed” is a really good word!

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    1. I am sometimes the poster child for not being able to see what is right in front of me. It’s frustrating looking for a certain tool in the shop or food ingredients in the pantry. Ketchup in the refrigerator needs to wave at me to find it. Then there are certain relationships….oh boy! God schools me in the woods…often, through my own pictures. Yes, He is good.

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  4. Thank you for sharing your morning walk and all the beauty seen in it. You make a valid point about “looking to see” which we would do well to apply in our walk with God each day. I loved the sunlight through the bark, but it was the sun reflected off the deer skull that spoke to me – in this we see both life and death, a Divine contrast of this world and Heaven. God bless you today brother Gary 🙏

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    1. So true on your insight of life and death Alan. It pains me to know that all of nature’s beauty passes away. A blog title “thoughts from a deer skull” sounds morbid, but the honesty and truth of this divine contrast is glaring. We only get to become alive in Christ.

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    1. Thanks Joy. I must admit to writing it for me, even if was read by no one else. I guess life stuff puts us in those seasons where we just need a walk in the woods and let God show us somethings. Then, share them.

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  7. Beautiful pictures! As I go throughout my days, I shall be mindful to look in order to see. There is so much of God in those moments. As always, Gary, you inspire.

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    1. Betty, thankyou. I think that you of all people seem to notice way more than I do. I suspect that if 10 of us walked through the same woods, on the same route, we would all take notice of different things. Wouldn’t that be a fun comparison.

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    1. Thanks John. Has anyone ever told you that you are really good at analyzing? I on the other hand am told (often) that I am creative. My mother used to say that about my fishing stories…lol

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  9. Beautiful Spring’s arrival pictures Gary, and thanks for the “it’s about time” conviction that there’s a strained relationship with an old friend whose door I need to go knock on and heal together.

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    1. Thanks Fred. knocking on a door…how hard is that? Turns out, for me it’s extreme. I am a courageous person 99% of the time. This is the 1% and I felt quite justified being ok with not going there until I hear in my heart, “it’s time”

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      1. Heart over head . . . been battling that struggle for over 8 decades brother, but thankfully age now lets my heart prevail more often.

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  13. Thank you for your inspiring and profound meditation Gary. You are so right, what one’s sees sometimes requires a great deal of inner vision.
    Lovely photo gallery! I like your beautiful capture of rain drops on the leaves and buds.

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    1. I love your insight on inner vision Suzette. I would really like to do a whole blog full of raindrop pictures mirroring the surroundings in those drops. They are a universe of beauty unto themselves

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  14. Gary, I love how God showed you something of His nature, in nature, and you adopted it into your nature, and took action. There is a lesson there as I suspect too often God shows me something of His nature, in nature, causing me to worship him, but stop short of taking the step to adopt it into my own nature. I’m thinking and praying about that today. Thank you for being such a good example.

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    1. There’s quite a dance step of God using natures inner and outer workings there Mamalava. I Love the full circle of depth in your insight. There’s a good blog in the making for you.

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  16. ‘Maybe there is really something that happens to the core of our being when we begin Looking to see‘

    I don’t think this is a ‘maybe’, Gary. When we start looking, rather than just seeing, something changes. When we seek to look through God’s eyes it becomes transformational…

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    1. Thanks Barry. Life has thrown us some curves lately so writing and posting takes a back seat. I love the natural “light modeling” and contrasts in nature. The challenge to actually take a good picture is another animal.

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  21. “Looking to see” The sun is like a thousand spotlights in the woods, drawing our eyes to see what it is shining on …

    Your walk, renewed friendship (even better than before), the way the light is hitting…the way life has hit you and how HIS Light reflects through you. Gary, the light coming from you is stunning. Just as how the light looks through the birch (and the leaves as glowworms).

    The way you SEE is why your photographs display God’s creation so amazingly. It’s pure light, my friend.

    God bless you all–you are all so cherished!

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    1. Ah, you put your finger on the “willingness” part Steve. Years ago, I put a talk (to teenagers struggling to have a relationship with God) together for a camp setting. One point each night with a “wrap up” evening. 1) Take a walk 2) have a talk) 3) get right 4) stay tight.

      Looking back through life, whenever I have always taken a walk in the woods, I have always purposed to connect with God in ways that the normal busyness of life do not allow. I guess the woods has been my “trysting place.” My WILLINGNESS has always been assumed. I should not assume that it works that way for everyone else.

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  23. Well that’s pretty amazing.

    Your photos are ‘Wow.’ I really appreciate you sharing the photos. . . And the words that go with.

    Thanks for the reminder to seek. God says, “Seek and ye shall find.” Sometimes He taps us on the shoulder to point something out. But I think He really wants us to actively seek Him, to initiate the seeking by the power of His Spirit. God commends Himself toward us, but He also tells us to Draw near to Him, and He will draw near to us.

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    1. I love it Kathy. “He really wants us to actively seek Him,” You and Steve (previous comment) jut ganged up on me. There is so much truth to “drawing near”. The fruit of that is 100 fold and really good

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  24. I wrote a post some time ago about how God reminds us that “God is.” The limbs of a nearby tree spelled IS. This past week, I watched as the tree budded, leafed out, and finally the IS has disappeared. But I know it is still there, and the fairly rapid leaf development was interesting and marvelous to watch.

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    1. I relate Mark. Those times are as if God put it there just for us…I’m actually quite sure He does that as well as points it out…turns our eyes to it, and whatever else it takes to get through.

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    1. Thanks David. I had never seen the glowing birch bark before like this. I sometimes daydream of standing on the edge of the universe and being able to see all the details of creation (someday). My finiteness is ever before me as well in knowing what is real. It’s a good thing to know God and his word…that’s so grounding. Yet to be changed by light falling on a piece of flapping loose birchbark is a God thing

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  31. Gary – your pictures are stunning. I love two birds and the purple flowers. Nothing can lift our spirits more than singing, He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands. This was wonderful to read. Thank you.

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    1. Thanks Terri, I’m glad it brightened your day. walks through our thick woods sure brighten mine…so fun I could share a little. I quit feeding birds at the feeder as the bear demolish the feeder. Now i’m poorly attempting to catch hummingbirds in flight with the camera. My wife baits them with all kinds of flowers.

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    1. God often meets us in wilderness places. Life, the woods and on the water seem to be my trysting places with God. I relate to your oldest son there. I would not rate myself very high in the friendship area of life. It seems hard for me to be close to more than a few people at any given time. I’m such a “doer”

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  36. Good message brother. I have been meaning to send you an email, it has been 6 months. Man time flies by. I have been working too much for my age – Ken

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    1. Thanks Ken. at our age the fuel tank has been changed out to a much smaller economy size…sooner than later we run out of gas after thinking that fumes work.

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  38. This post speaks to my heart. I inherited my daughter’s Yorkie when she went to Africa a couple of years ago. He was used to having 3 walks every day, so guess what? I had to walk him 3 times a day.

    One day, as we walked along I spotted a 4-lead clover in the grass! I had never found one before. That spring, I started scanning the grass as we walked along. At this time, I have thirty 4-leaf clovers and one 5-leaf clover! I don’t believe in luck, so I’ve often wondered what the Lord was teaching me.

    “Looking to see” has its rewards! I love your photos! Thank you for sharing them. Blessings, Gary!

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    1. Your comment blessed me Cindy. You are doing better than me in the clover division. I sat outside on the deck this morning (before 6 AM at 41 degrees f) just looking to see. There is so much isn’t there. The morning sun was shining through the brand-new leaves in the treetops. Only in the spring are the leaves glowing as if the sunlight were inside each leaf. Glow-leaves. A case for being translucent to the rest of the world with Christ shining inside us as we glow to this dark world

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    1. Thanks Lorrie
      Living intentionally has and always will be a focused effort in a culture that seems to live in a neutral. It’s slow but first gear is also powerful.

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  40. Your pictures are just so beautiful. And my heart rejoices that you were able to reconnect with your friend! I know that is so close to God’s heart. Looking to see, boy is that vitally important. God’s invitation when He asked Jeremiah, “What do you see?”

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  41. “Maybe there is really something that happens to the core of our being when we begin Looking to see. I start talking to God.”

    That was it for me.
    So beautiful Gary. The wonders you’ve captured in the words and the photos. Such an eye! ❤️

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    1. Thanks Deb. I do believe we see so much more as well as adjust our perspective when we are in “search mode”. Wonders unseen become visible. We look beyond ourselves. Me too!

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  42. Thank you for sharing the photos and your story. Working on slowing down and looking for longer than a few moments is important. I am still working on this myself, being present to the places and the people I am physically near. It’s a good thing God is patient with us, encouraging us to keep on keeping on.

    Peace to you and family Gary.

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