A Photosynthesis Selfie

Social media "selfies" or pictures taken of and by one's self via cell-phone are all the rage now.  So what is a photosynthesis "selfie", you wonder?  As I was walking in the nearby park the other day, I was noticing the brilliant sunlight on all the trees and the rich greens of their leaves.  Everything looked so lush and alive.  Vibrant!  And that got me to thinking about the process of photosynthesis that allows the trees to have that look or even to be alive.  

Photosynthesis is a quiet, ongoing process of how leaves take in sunlight energy through chloroplasts in their cells.  They take that energy and mix it with carbon dioxide and water to make chemical energy or food for themselves.  So where's the "selfie" thing in all this?
Follow me...what struck me as I walked was the concept of what was being taken in by the leaves.  They were absorbing sunlight.  And this affects their very existence and the quality of how well they exist.

The metaphor for us is huge.  What are we taking into our lives on a regular basis and how is that affecting our liveliness and quality of life?  Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once said, "Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think."  What we take into our lives on a daily basis is forming the sculptural shape of our lives.  We can't help but be what our mind's diet is.  Like the leaves, we need the light in our lives.  Jesus said that He was the light of the world.  If we walk with Him we won't walk in darkness.  Our lives will be full, rich, flourishing, and thriving.  And that takes time.  Time of being still, quiet, turning off the noise in our lives.  Ramping down the schedule.  Making time for intake of what is nourishing for our souls.  Getting away from the Internet and exposing our selves to what really enriches our inner lives.  Things like getting out in nature, reading great books,  listening to great music,  looking at great art.  Spending time with God in prayer and reading His Word.  That way we will have something to benefit the world that is truly good.  Our times of interaction with others will leave them with a positive charge, will fill their cups instead of draining them and leaving them with less.

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Here's a few more little watercolors of The Eyes Series that I've been working on this week:

Rhino Eye

4" x 4"

Watercolor

And no, this is not a selfie taken by the rhino!  

Starting to sketch the ring lemur's eye....

Ring Lemur

4" x 4"

Watercolor

Be bold and courageous!