1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Musee culturel du Mont-Carmel
July 27, 2017
Lille, Maine
Photo: JBR
1 Corinthians 1: 18 – Message is foolishness
Author: jbradak
Psalm 65: 5 -8 The hope of the farthest seas
Psalm 65: 5 -8
By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,
O God of our salvation;
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the farthest seas.
6 By your* strength you established the mountains;
you are girded with might.
7 You silence the roaring of the seas,
the roaring of their waves,
the tumult of the peoples.
8 Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;
you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.
Sunset St. Mary’s Bay, Digby, Nova Scotia, Canada
Photo: Jeanne Radak, August 2007
Isaiah 54: 9 -10 The Hills be Removed
This is like the days of Noah to me:
Just as I swore that the waters of Noah
would never again go over the earth,
so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you
and will not rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may depart
and the hills be removed,
but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Sunset over the Badlands, South Dakota
September 2019
PHOTO: JBR
Luke 6: 43 -45 – Out of the Abundance of the Heart
A Tree and Its Fruit
43 “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit; 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person out of evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.
Lemons at the market in Philadelphia – March 5, 2020
Photo: JBR
2 Timothy 1: 1 -7 – A Letter to loved ones
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, 2To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3I am grateful to God—whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did—when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. 5I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you.
6For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; 7for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.
Letter from Uncle Ken to my grandmother, Elizabeth Hall, March 10, 1944
Transcription of the Letter
March 10, 1944
“Fifth Army” “Angio”
Dear Elizabeth,
Glad to hear from you and the news is something. That big lug of a brother, joining the Navy, ‘Ha Ha!’
Better off than a dugout in the ground. The B???? 4 planes to our credit now. Yesterday we had thirteen alerts, got 2 planes than. Took a beating. The first but now right down to brass tacts. Its’ too quiet now lull before the storm. We’re field artillery too! You won’t hear from me so often now for “whistling Pete” the Nazis big gun to hell. Don’t good times will be over soon. After seeing action, results your mind changes. Hope all the kids are fine and you. Any mail is great here. Getting mail here as good as in Naples. Our old position was nice, castle to live in. All my boys O.K. none hit by Nazi 88’s. It’s a good place here. Chow fair, cigarettes free. Got lots of letters from Margaret & Home. Time goes faster here than anyplace I ever was in. Weather was very rainy but we can take it. We’re professional dugout diggers now. Alert now. Be back soon. Got a 50 air cooled here with me. Everything is fine and hope you’ll keep me informed about everything.
Love, Ken
Psalm 121 – I lift my eyes unto the mountains
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
4 He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
6 The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
8 The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and for evermore.
Bear Tooth Pass, Wyoming
Photo: Jeanne Radak, 9 July 2011
Luke 5: 1 -10 – Parked their boats
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
5 Once while Jesus[a] was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, 2 he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. 7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!” 9 For he and all who were with him were amazed at the catch of fish that they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” 11 When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him.
Coast of Maine – Fall 2014
Photo: JBR
Isaiah 43: 16 -21
Isaiah 43:16-21
16 Thus says the Lord,
who makes a way in the sea,
a path in the mighty waters,
17 who brings out chariot and horse,
army and warrior;
they lie down, they cannot rise,
they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:
18 Do not remember the former things,
or consider the things of old.
19 I am about to do a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild animals will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches;
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
21 the people whom I formed for myself
so that they might declare my praise.
Mo Ranch, Presbyterian Camp, Texas
December 2017
Photo: JBR
Psalm 126 – A Harvest of Joy
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,[a]
we were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
4 Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
5 May those who sow in tears
reap with shouts of joy.
6 Those who go out weeping,
bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy,
carrying their sheaves.
New growth in the garden.
PHOTO: JBR
Psalm 46 – God is in the city
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present* help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
3 though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult.
Selah
4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
5 God is in the midst of the city;* it shall not be moved;
God will help it when the morning dawns.
6 The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
7 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.*
Selah
8 Come, behold the works of the Lord;
see what desolations he has brought on the earth.
9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
10 ‘Be still, and know that I am God!
I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.’
11 The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our refuge.*
Selah
Broad Street Ministry, Philadelphia 2012
Photo Jeanne Radak, 2012
Illumination 