Charis McLarty admires photos of the Red Barn in my “Seasons of Lenora Park” photography exhibit. The collection is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 5:00 p.m. at the Bethesda Park Senior Center, 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville, GA. The exhibit will close on June 30.
A bench invites me to stop and meditate.
Elihu told Job, “Hear this, O Job; stop and consider the wondrous works of God.” — Job 37:14
There are scenes that invite us to stop, sit down, and simply consider. Creation speaks — of God’s majesty, His greatness, infinite power, supreme authority, and unsearchable knowledge. Who can mix more beautiful blues? Who else can clothe the trees in varied shades of green, none clashing, all harmonious? Who carpets the lush, rolling meadow?
When I observe the majesty of His deeds (Ps. 19:1–4), I am reminded of my own weakness — my utter lack of understanding and knowledge. And in that place of smallness, I respond to His majesty the only way I know how: bowing in humble awe, and lifting my voice in praise.
There’s something striking about driving through Hazel Green, Alabama in the spring and suddenly coming upon a field like this one — an endless sea of vivid yellow stretching all the way to the tree line, lying quietly beneath a dramatic, storm-heavy sky.
What you’re looking at is a field of blooming mustard greens, planted not for the dinner table, but for their beauty and their practical role as a ground cover crop. When mustard greens are allowed to bolt and flower, they transform into something truly spectacular — thousands of tiny yellow blossoms clustered together in a brilliant canopy that seems to glow even under overcast skies.
Ground cover crops like these serve a dual purpose. They delight the eye of every passerby and photographer lucky enough to catch them at peak bloom, but they are also quietly doing important work — protecting the soil from erosion, suppressing weeds, and returning nutrients to the earth. It’s one of those rare moments where agriculture and artistry are genuinely one and the same.
My photography exhibit,”Seasons of Lenora Park” is now open.
The exhibit features 32 photographs I have made over the past 15 years during my walks at Lenora Park.
In the photo above, I paused to reflect on “Easter Hope”—a 24×36 canvas of cherry blossoms symbolizing the resurrection of Christ and the renewal of life each spring.
The exhibit runs from April 1 through June 30 at the Bethesda Park Senior Center, 225 Bethesda Church Road, Lawrenceville, GA.
It is sponsored by Gwinnett Parks and Recreation.
Some mornings I wake reluctantly. The bed is warm. The day ahead is uninviting.
Yet this ancient reminder from Marcus Aurelius that I learned in graduate school calls me to my purpose.
“In the morning when thou risest unwillingly, let this thought be present — I am rising to the work of a human being. Why then am I dissatisfied if I am going to do the things for which I exist and for which I was brought into the world? Or have I been made for this, to lie in the bed-clothes and keep myself warm?”
— Meditations, Book 5
We were made for more than comfort.
We were made to serve, to create, to love, to grow, and to glorify God.
Rise today with purpose. ☀️
When I reached Tribble Mill Park, the dull colors of winter offered me little inspiration for photography. I mentioned to another photographer that I planned on capturing monochrome images. However, my plans shifted when a radiant golden hue cast across the grass and trees, marking the beginning of the golden hour. As the setting sun transformed the previously dreary winter day into a picturesque dusk behind me, I found myself in awe of the beauty that surrounded me.
This picture from my evening walk at Lenora Park reminds me that sometimes life’s pathway leads us through darkness. But Jesus, the Light of the World, shines through to give us hope and remind us there is a bright side somewhere.
I finished my evening walk, drove past the Red Barn, and out of Lenora Park to the park across the street. From there, I looked back across the street at the Red Barn and saw it silhouetted against the fiery sky.
This experience reminded me of a lesson Jay Maisel taught us in a class years ago: “Sometimes the best picture is behind you.”
On October 13, these trees were vibrant green in the early morning light. By November 7, less than a month later, they have transformed into a brilliant display of reds, marking the arrival of autumn.
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