Welcome to the rt tulley photography blogIt features photos, text, and poetry.November 5Redemption
I am thankful for redemption. Redemption is forgiveness for past wrongs or past sins. Redemption comes not through any great acts or deeds from ourselves but through grace. We must take the first step to ask for help or forgiveness and admit that we were wrong. But what follows is through no greatness on our own parts.
This is a photo of one of my favorite Bible stories which I happened upon accidentally while I was walking back to my car after attending the Louisiana Book Festival this past weekend. It was at the St. Joseph's Cathedral, Baton Rouge's iconic Catholic church. The statue is called "Prodigal Son" by Ivan Mestrovic (1883-1962), a native Croatian who has been called one of the greatest sculptors of the twentieth century. Of course the sculpture depicts the return of the prodigal son, one of the most famous parables in the Bible. The son ran away from home and wasted away his inheritance. He returned penitant to the open arms of his father who then had a party to celebrate. When the older brother complained to the father that he had always been there and had never strayed but did not get a celebration, the father's answer was "this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.” (Luke 15:32).
prodigal son
born normally but rough and tumble he became wasting away his skills a selfish life of shame personal gratification he found his central aim himself first, others at the end all to push his own name consequently as a result of his hedonistic ways he fell and fell far a flash fire quickly ablaze he came crawling back aware of his past forgiveness was given because he had asked thus it is so simply but ego must be put away for redemption only comes with penitence when we so pray. © rt tulley
Nvember 4Secrets
I am thankful for secrets, mostly for secrets kept to myself or that others keep. Being a trusted friend means you can keep what they tell you to yourself and not break the trust they show in you by telling you the confidential information. I know that I am ever grateful to those people who keep a confidence for me. Having said that, I do know that once something leaves your lips, you have no control over what happens with that knowledge. So if you want it to remain confidential, the only safe way is to say nothing to pass that confidence on for someone else to police.
I found this very funny. I was in the New Orleans French Quarter when I saw this dog approach this statue of a woman with a basket. It was as if he was there to listen to a secret she was passing on to him. The dog, apparently, had some kind of interest in the statue, perhaps thinking it was a real person.
secrets
i have secrets you have secrets we sometimes strive to see how many secrets we can discover and keep alive by passing them forward through the dark alley ways through the dirty dusty back roads where the secret destroyer stays he takes them rips them up making them commonplace making them secrets no more
for what kind of secret is known by all what kind of secret is there to fall victim of the destroyer the destroyer of reputations the destroyer of walls the destroyer of nations
then the destroyer gloats for his knowledge makes him snicker and sneer his knowledge tinged with arrogance and fear and we fall victim to another endless string we fall victim to the pain it brings. © rt tulley
November 3Dancing
I am thankful for dancing. Although I am not a great dancer myself, I know that dancers run in my family. My Dad was jokingly called "Twinkletoes Tulley" because of his dancing prowess. Dad took the Queen Mary home from a business trip to Europe in 1960 and won the dance contest on the liner. He so loved to dance. And Mom was a great dance partner for him. My daughter Beth has been dancing since she was four years old and must have inherited his gene for dance. I also enjoy dancing to have a good time. To keep time with the rhythm of the song is a joyful experience.
This photo was taken during tailgating for last year's LSU versus Alabama football game. These revelers were enjoying a line dance in the street to the song YMCA. They were really enjoying themselves.
dancing
my dad was a dancing tool he could dance like nobody’s fool rumba, cha cha, the waltz were the dances he did with schmaltz but when it comes to me there’s no dancing talent i see generations were skipped and moved on to my daughter and latest spawn she will so dance at ev’ry chance carrying on the tradition without any inhibition. © rt tulley November 2Funny
I am thankful for funny. Hilarious, humerous, or funny things take the seriousness out of life and allow us to laugh and enjoy ourselves. Gererally, funny doesen't solve any of the world's problems or usually put money in the bank (although comedians and actors can make a ton of it), but it just makes life FUN! A good laugh is always welcome, even in the direst circumstances. It can relieve stress.
I saw this giraffe at the Baton Rouge Zoo. He was definitely noticing me as I photographed him. To me, it looks like he is doing the limbo, trying to get under that cable. It gave me a good laugh anyway because I thought it was funny.
mr. giraffe
mr. giraffe you see me and i definitely see you our eyes are making contact in everything that we do you are down on your knees and doing the limbo it looks like you are trying to see how low you can go well it appears you may have me beat quite readily for my knees don’t bend like yours and i can’t stand steadily. © rt tulley November 1Voice
I am thankful for voice, or a voice. Voice gives us the easiest and most direct method of communication between one another. It's a shame that what we say or hear is so often misunderstood. It either comes out wrong from the mouth or is perceived wrongly by the receiver. But when the connection between mouth and brain is good and what comes out of the mouth is heartfelt, voice can be a beautiful thing.
When I think of voice, I think of "The Voice" TV show of which my daughter Beth and I have been regular fans. We are amazed at the talented vocalists that they bring in. Talk about perfect voices!
Used another way, the term "a voice" refers to when we have a say in something, for example, how our government is run, or when you have an opinion that you want to express.
This is a closeup of the microphone that was used during the "open mic" time at our church's "Brew Unto Others" Coffee House. It's amazing how many people lose their inhibitions when there is an open mic set up. We had no shortage of people taking the microphone to either sing, rap, tell stories, read poems, etc. It was an entertaining experience.
voice
give me a voice to say what should be said give me a conscience to stand and not be led down a dark and dead end street where no good ever goes where no good ever shows give me a voice to rise above the crowd give me a voice to sing pure, long, and loud. © rt tulley |
