The absurdness of it all!
I laughed.
The thought of a going-blind blogger running around scavenging for photo ops and trying to produce good pictures! And spending more time trying to learn new techniques and polish skills! A little ridiculous, isn’t it?
I did all that again Saturday, just because I enjoy it. But as the day wound down, I thought how time had run through my fingers like gold coins through the prodigal’s. Hm, maybe a waste?
My blog is about aiming toward living more fully the Christian life. Any non-Christian could use up a day this way, posting photos. And with my corneal dystrophy I’m supposed to expect increasing vision loss till perhaps full blindness, and who can take and edit photos blind?!
That’s what I thought as I finished gathering photos.
I also thought, oh well, so what? It’s my “day off,” and as long as I can do this, why not enjoy it as much as possible?
I published the photo post yesterday morning, early.
And yesterday afternoon, late…
I heard those beloved footsteps on the stairway and yes, Husband came entering my little writing room — with a book in his hand, and no knowledge of my Saturday thoughts in his head.
He’s been reading Life Without Limits: Inspiration for a Ridiculously Good Life, by Nick Vujicic, and he just came upon a passage he “had to” share.
It’s near the end of the book: about prize-winning photographer Glennis Siverson. — legally blind prize-winning photographer.
Diagnosed with a corneal disease (specifics not given) and a forecast of impending blindness, she’d followed doctor’s advice and gotten a cornea transplant that only made things nightmarishly worse, and meanwhile developed an “unrelated” (serious) vision problem in her other eye.
Yet she refused to call this a disablement — but rather, an enablement! Before, she said, her photography was too stiff and exacting. This loosened the stiffness, and freed creativity. So she wins awards for the results — and not as some kind of handicap, but on the playing field with the rest of the best.
“Being nearly blind has made me a better photographer,” she says.
And I get it!
I also note on her website her favorite scripture verse: “We walk by faith and not by sight.” A verse I’ve thought about a lot in the last year and a half.
Well! So now I’m even considering looking for a more sophisticated camera, and a tripod, and hoping to spend more time learning lots of new skills and tricks. And I’m thanking God profusely for this inspiring example.
In reviewing Exodus this morning, I “happened upon” the passage about how God filled Bezalel with His Spirit “to design artistic works… in all manner of workmanship” (Ex 31:1-5). And now I’m thinking that nowhere does scripture tell us how well he could see!
Is all this another set of mere “coincidences”? (Smile.)
Thanking God for these marvelous gifts:
~The limiting and gradual lessening of vision with these blessed consequences (most not mentioned before):
~~Push to greater creativity.
~~Seeing things as others don’t. (For instance, you know how photographers add sparkle and halos and edge blurs and such to photos to jazz them up? I see them naturally! ha!)
~~Sharper tuning in of hearing, and the “visions” of sounds (I’m pretty much an auditory-mode learner to start with — probably because my eyes never were too powerful.)
~~Enhanced tactile sense (I can feel whether a pan or plate in the dishwater is clean better than most people can see it. And… I always liked working with clay, and I’m thinking maybe of taking up sculpture again…)
~~Enhanced olfactory sense. (My father seemed almost part bloodhound, and I think I got some of that sharp sense of smell from him. Now it grows even more refined.)
~~Enhanced taste. (What do you do when you want to fully savor something delicious? Close your eyes, right?)
~~Huge appreciation of everything I still can see. I don’t take this for granted, and so don’t miss what many others may.
~~The inspiration from people like Nick Vujicic and Glennis Siverson and this blind quilter to live a “Ridiculously Good Life”!
How might you go about having a ridiculously blessed, good, and happy day today?
…..
Related Posts:
He Goes Before, into Vision Loss
“Before They Call I will Answer”
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What a cool thought! One always connects photography with the ability to see, not the ability to intrinsically KNOW. Thanks for this.
Yes, JoAnne, epiphany for me, too! God’s ways really can seem quirky, but I think they’re a lot about how His power is made manifest through our weaknesses. “Ridiculous,” but sooo enjoyable! Thanks for visiting and commenting!
expecting to enjoy a ridiculously blessed day …
Thanks for splashing me with God’s goodness today. I hope you don’t mind if I wade around a bit to get to know you. This looks like a refreshing place to dip into all good things.
Splashin’
Sarah
http://justsarahdawn.blogspot.com/
Splash away, Sarah! The more you splash, the happier it’ll make me! So glad you stopped by and commented!
Absurdly sublime! I’m so glad you are embracing this challenge God’s allowing in your life. You are turning it into a beautiful surrender that we all can plainly see!
“Challenge” is the good word, Beth. I think of how photo challenges and quilt challenges and blog writing challenges (like Five Minute Friday) spur us on to more active thought, action, and creativity. Very energizing. Thanks for your encouraging comment.
all are gifts! thanks for the reminder of this. My day? I am home sick with a nasty cold … but it’s finally given me a chance to read other blogs from Ann’s Multitudes on Mondays that I just haven’t had time to do before. Managed maybe a couple? Anyway, I am ridiculously blessed by stories like yours.
And I am ridiculously happy that this blessed you, Leanne! And that you took time to say hi and comment. May God get you well quickly, but in the meantime, may He bless this bit of “down” time it’s giving you.
I absolutely love how God works! Praise the Lord! All these little God-moments and God-incidents. Thanks SO very much for sharing. You pretty much made my day. I’m uplifted, encouraged, and awe-inspired. God is so good. He is so beyond our little capabilities. Bountiful blessings to you, sis. And Godspeed!
Hi again Mari-Anna,
I know what you mean. I get so encouraged when I hear these God-incidents from others. The way He works is indescribable, showing His presence. Thanks for visiting — so glad you did. And God bless!
Your perspective is inspiring. Thank you for making me think. May God use your testimony in many lives. Blessings!
Thanks, Renee. You blessed me, too! You should read that book that’s pictured and linked (which I should have recommended to everyone else). It’s a really interesting read and that guy is a phenomenal inspiration.
Oooh! What a great post! Your attitude is inspiring! God brings good out of all things and from your writing here, I see that to be true! You are so right…we walk by faith and not by sight, and isn’t that a blessing! So many of us can go through life seeing things that aren’t really true or focusing on only the negative. It is only by faith that we truly see! Now I’m off to check out your “Photo Post”!
You inspire! Thanks for reminding me of the things I take for granted AND for the things that God is calling me to do regardless of my “enablements.”
Visiting from Finding Heaven Today and the SDG community
Kelli, I love that: “regardless of my ‘enablements.'” We just have to keep remembering that with God involved, that’s what they are! So glad you stopped by and encouraged yet more by your comment.
Hi Joan,
It’s hard not to get a positive attitude when God speaks that clearly through all the “co-incidences” He uses — and there have been a lot of them related to this issue. Plus He’s shown Himself so reliable in the past, just amazing. Thanks so much for your visit and kind words of encouragement. God bless!
Thank you for reminding me how “ridiculously blessed” I am. Love your faith-filled attitude. Hoping some of it will rub off on me…. 🙂
Yes, Lyli, we really are ridiculously blessed. For me to see it took a lot of hard-knocks lessons. Funny how that’s what we often need to wake us up to the abundant goodness God keeps pouring out. That’s when we get to see Him, too, Himself: His strength in our empty, helpless weakness! That’s where the faith-filled attitude comes from. Exactly from the Giver of all good things. May He richly bless you today. Thank you much for stopping to comment.
I read these last two posts today – and first, of course there are thousands upon thousands upon countless billions of reasons to worship – YOU are worship seeker – and That is a wonderful thing. Then I read this about your picture taking – and I didn’t know this about you – about your sight – and I see the grace with which you write about it – and Sylvia, I’m kind of proud of you. God bless and keep you my friend!
Aw, Craig, thank you. There’s so much we don’t know about so many people around us. I get surprised, a lot, at things I find out about fellow bloggers I’d read for some time. And it seems those who have really gone through hard stuff (and I don’t consider this eye thing that, really, compared to so many other losses and troubles) — it seems those are the ones living fuller life and deeper joy and bigger knowledge of our God. (It pushes us to depend less on self and more on Him.)
So glad you stopped to visit and comment, brother. Rich blessings to you.
I had no idea you struggle with this ailment, sylvia. Good for you for stretching yourself this way! Did you know I started a facebook page for photos I take when I am out on my runs? I use my cell phone and hunt for beauty wherever I go. The page is called [un]framed. You should join us some time :).
Hi Laura, thanks for the invite. I have been avoiding Facebook for too long. Just not nuts about it for a number of reasons. But it is an indispensable tool for writers, bloggers–and photographers. I have a (hardly used) personal account, but need to set up one for my blog. I guess God sent you here to give me that nudge. 🙂 Meanwhile, I’m going to look for [un]framed. So glad you shared! God bless!
My goodness, what an inspiring post. I love your attitude and like you I love photography. Your vision problems reminded me of Scott MacIntyre who was a contestant on American Idol a couple of years ago. Scott is a member of our church (although I don’t know him personally – it’s a very large church.) He recently got married and now travels around performing all over the country. I get his “tweets” and his latest was at a Women of Faith conference in Las Vegas. He’s blind as is his younger sister who is a wonderful singer as well.
Blessings to you as you follow your heart. I’m glad you shared with us on Spiritual Sundays.
Blessings,
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte, for stopping round to comment — and for hosting! God bless you with a beautiful week.
Sylvia,
My mom has had the surgery in both eyes now. And a do over in one eye. She is not blind yet. Hopefully will not be. But she was preparing by using the Federation of the Blind to educate herself. Do your homework and get informed. Many people live happy and fulfilled lives without the use of their eyes. Happy Easter weekend, sister.
Thank you for this, Dawn. You are right about doing the homework. And I started to, but got lax — busy with other things. This is a good reminder to get with it while it’s still easier. God is in this, and that makes it blessed, really and truly. Special blessings to you and your Mom as well at this special time.