I heard Matt say from the backseat of the Ford Explorer, "The color is starting to change behind us on the horizon." My heart beat a little faster and I started looking over my shoulder from the front passenger seat. I knew that the game was about to be on. In nature photography we call it "chasing the light." This is when we quite literally make split second decisions on what we will take pictures of based on where the light is the most dynamic. It can be quite the experience as you hurry down country roads trying to get to the perfect location in the little time you have. The window where the sweet light exists (if it happens at all) can last anywhere from an hour and a half to 10 seconds. To add to the excitement the light changes with each passing second making one location better than another depending on the subjects that are available to photograph. It is not unlike tornado chasing, but instead of chasing the wind, we are chasing the light.
Back to inside the Explorer: We were quickly realizing that we were experiencing one of those memory making sunsets and we had made a huge error that would result in our missing most of it. The energy in the car was building. We were looking out the windows and reporting to each other the status on the colors, the clouds, the reflections of colors in the water, and identifying places we wished we could stop to take pictures but noting how dangerous or illegal each spot was. As we did, we became desperate to find some place to catch even a little bit of this gorgeous display. Finally, Malena could take it no longer. She whipped us off the main road and onto the first side street she could find that had a reasonable chance of giving us somewhere to stop. No luck! We did pass a salt marsh area where even the trees were catching the colors of the sunset, but there was no shoulder to pull off on. I might have suggested that we turn on the emergency lights and pretend the car broke down in the middle of the road, but wisdom won out and we kept moving and looking for a safer legal location. Two more turns were made without the help of our phone gps maps, which could not keep up with our constant redirection. We were back on the busy main road. UGH! Then we see it. There is a dirt driveway leading to a farm a couple 100 yards back down the main road. Malena decided it was our best bet and if someone needed the driveway, we could just beg forgiveness and move. Out of the 45 minute display, we were able to grab a few last moment shots of the sunset. These are the 4 that I walked away with. Yet in my heart, I walked away with so much more. For a few moments, I got to join the heavens in praising God. Psalm 148:3, 4 says, Praise Him, sun and moon! Praise Him, all you twinkling stars! Praise Him, skies above! Praise Him, vapors high above the clouds! May your week be filled with opportunities to witness all of heaven and earth praising God. I pray that when you do, you will do whatever it takes to find a place to stop and take it all in. And go ahead and join in the worship service; join the heavens in praising our amazing God.
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AuthorHello! I am Dawnita Hall. Sometimes I need to put into words the things God is teaching me. This blog is my way of sharing those moments with you with the hopes that what God is using to grow and encourage me will also inspire you. Please, share your thoughts in the comment sections after each post. Let's make this a place where we work together to encourage each other to live inspired to be an inspiration. Archives
February 2021
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