View allAll Photos Tagged firstborn
Old stone byre, Isle of Mull, Scotland. The farmer makes certain that this heifer's firstborn has his fill of colostrum, while the inquisitive mother examines my camera.
Nick Cave's Birthday is Friday but, well, it is already Friday in Brighton, England where he lives and in Australia where he comes from. This Nick Cave is the Bad Seed lead, the masterful performer not to be confused with the performance artist Nick Cave from America who I photographed a performance of earlier this week. Life is so confusing!
**All photos are copyrighted. Please don't use without permission**
“And Mary brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2:7).
PHOTO NOTE
The photograph here is one of the most widely published in 2025. It was taken in the completely destroyed Gaza by Abdel Kareem Hana of Associated Press. Hana is not only a superb documentary photographer, but a truly brave human being putting his life on the line to bring the truth to the world of the consequences of this one-sided war on Gaza. He was also given the International Photography Award in 2025 for his series “Children of Gaza: Surrounded by War”.
I have taken a great liberty in adding the small nativity scene here. But I do so to honour Abdel Kareem Hana and the children of Gaza, who have had to witness scenes of utter devastation they neither deserved, nor should have experienced, because of these war crimes.
______________________________________________
“Then Herod (the Jewish king), when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
“A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
(Matthew 2:16-18).
In the legend of the nativity of the baby Jesus, three wise men came from the East (perhaps Persia, and maybe even as far as India). They were astrologers who had read the signs in the heavens that a new king was to be born in Judea. As men of diplomatic note, the wise men found the Jewish king Herod and informed him of their desire to find this special baby to honour him. Herod told the men that when they found the babe they should inform him of the whereabouts so that he too could pay homage. But the canny wise men knew what the jealous Herod was up to and did not return with the news. As a result a slaughter of innocents took place throughout the region, and only because the angel of the Lord had warned Joseph did the holy family escape to Egypt so that the baby Jesus’ life was spared.
Most children in Gaza are born into Muslim families, and they are also taught to respect the baby Jesus. What many Christians don’t understand is that there are many references to the prophet Jesus in the Quran and they are all respectful and honour him (and believe in a virginal conception). Here is the account of the nativity:
“When the angels said, ‘O Mary, truly God gives thee glad tidings of a Word from Him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, high honored in this world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought nigh. He will speak to people in the cradle and in maturity, and will be among the righteous.’ She said, ‘My Lord, how shall I have a child while no human being has touched me?’ He said, ‘Thus does God create whatsoever He will.’ When He decrees a thing, He only says to it, ‘Be!’ and it is. And He will teach Him (Jesus) the Book, Wisdom, the Torah, and the Gospel. And He will be a messenger to the Children of Israel.” (Surah Al Imran 3: 45-49).
I am not going to make a speech here about the current sad state of our world at the Christmas of 2025. Anyone who thinks seriously and ethically about what it means to be fully human should understand these issues. And every Christian should ask themselves in the light of their Gospels, what would Jesus have me to think and do? But equally, let me warn anyone who dares to use that now inflammatory phrase showing up in reactionary rallies, “Christ is King”, that you are judged not according to what you think about Jesus, but how your life reflects his Truth. As the adult Jesus said so potently, “Not everyone who says they follow me does, for by their fruit you will know them.” Only those who do what Jesus instructed us to do (Matthew chapters 5-7) can be called his disciples. So if there is hatred in your heart, deception and violent thoughts, a turning of a blind eye to cruelty, a lack of care for the poor and the outcast, a rejection of the immigrant and outsider, a belief in the superiority of your race or religion, then please understand this: You are not of Jesus Christ!
For Jesus blessed the little children 2000 years ago, and in the same way today would bless every innocent child, and especially those that are being slaughtered in the name of some false religious and political ideals.
That tiny baby born in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago, whose life was threatened directly by the then Jewish king, understands fully that every child - and especially those in war-torn regions - deserves the love and compassion of us all. If we can’t summon that in our hearts, then we are not ethical human beings created in the image of God. And may God have mercy on your soul.
Blessing and Peace to all the Earth, so that Joy may reign in our communities.
I know it's a cliche, but I can't help but think that this girl gets more and more beautiful each day. Don't know where our lives would be right now without her. Love her to death. I'm sort of at a loss for words, so I'll just leave it at that.
And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
’Tis mystery all: the Immortal dies:
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine.
’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.
He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace—
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
For O my God, it found out me!
Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.
Well, we are packed & ready to go. Asia helped pack her own bag as well, she will be spending some time with her grandmothers over the next couple of days. We talked about how Jr. will be coming out of my belly & I don't think she quite gets it . But it will soon click that our new buddy will be here & he is not going anywhere. I am so excited about my new challenges.
We are going in to the hospital at 8 am and I am scheduled for a 10:30 am C-section. As I said " I will continue my captures & my hubby Mike will be helping". Can't wait to come back & show you all my adventures while I have been gone. Also I will be very excited as well to see how things have been going with all your streams as well.
#63 in my heart series.
Thanks to Annie for her inspirational capture::
www.flickr.com/photos/paintthemoon/4281990641/in/set-7215...
A most happy day together with my children and my granddaughter (she selfied this photo). L-R: my firstborn daughter Joyce, my younger daughter Abby, ME, my first grandchild Angeline! Thanks guys for making an old lady happy!
“…And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”
This past summer, I photographed the Milky Way from the inside of a 100+ year old barn near St. Charles, Utah. A single exposure.
One of the nice things about working in downtown Zanesville and having a job that requires me to be out of the office to do my job (and having a camera with me all the time as a job requirement doesn't hurt) was I could head out for "lunch" at the drop of a hat. Like if I happened to hear an airhorn, or see something crossing the Main Street crossing, which was visible from my boss' office.
I don't know what prompted me to go see the beautiful 1800, but whatever it was, I'm thankful. It showed up every so often on a ballast train, and even hung out in Zanesville quite often, always paired with a few ratty ex-Conrail ballast cars and an ex-SP silver caboose.
This shot is before OC rebuilt the Zanesville yard from the ground up, and if you look closely, you can see some grooves where a CSX crew shoved a tank car a bit too far and it ended up on Main Street.
In the background is an ex-Conrail Super 7, which had replaced the GP30/GP9 combo that had been the first OC units to call Zanesville home following the takeover of ex-CSX lines in the area.
This was taken 09/14/06, just a few days before my firstborn arrived.
What a contrast to my last entries of camel racing in the UAE!!
I show you my beautiful Wife and our firstborn son a long time ago…………..
What else would I have done with my life?
The boat is “Puffin” owned by my uncle Nobby, a very important man in my life.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.
So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Luke 2:1-19
1 Peter 1:20
He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you
Ephesians 1:11-12
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory.
Acts 13:48
And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.
Proverbs 16:4
The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.
Ephesians 1:4
Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love
Revelation 13:8
And all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.
Romans 8:29-30
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified
Arianna was the firstborn daughter of unknown parents and older sister of Willow. At a young age, she was very much like her daughter in that she felt lost in the world and longed to find her calling.
During this time, she lived her life as an adventurer, exploring remote continents, besting violent storms, and helping local villagers restore their worn homes. Also she and her sister Willow competed in the Contest of the Crowns and won.
Eventually, she became Queen of Corona after marrying Frederic, who was King of Corona.
In Tangled, Arianna is shown to love her daughter and her husband dearly: when Rapunzel is born, she smiles adoringly, cuddling and picking her up.
She mourns on the day of the lantern festival, as Frederic gently touches her face when she cries. She is also shown to be very accepting, immediately welcoming Eugene into the royal family upon realizing he was partially responsible for her daughter's return.
Arianna's personality is slightly expanded in Tangled: Before Ever After, where her loving and supportive nature is emphasized by her way of raising Rapunzel along with her husband.
Arianna relishes having a complete family once more. She also sympathizes with Rapunzel's longing to learn more about the world and herself and encourages her to do just that.
Gentle and soft-spoken, Arianna quickly established herself as someone Rapunzel can confide in during times of uncertainty.
•───────────︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵────────────•
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
Tangled: The Series
Queen Arianna
2017, Jakks Pacific
King Frederic seen on BP 2026 Day 99!
This is my niece. She is a firstborn child and the first granddaughter. We have plenty of photos.
I thought I'd mix it up a bit.
Giorgos Krikelis climbing "Prototokos" 7b. Lelaki crag, Athens, Greece
Can you believe this place is only 30 minutes walking away from a city of 5 million people? Can you believe that only a bunch of people out of the 5 million know it actually exists?
My firstborn son playing on the couch in Silver City, Kwajalein. I had a new Nikon camera that I bought at the PX. It was my very first camera. I was new to photography, and I was not very good at it. I was also still pretty new at being a father.
Ortygia is a small island which is the historical centre of the city of Syracuse, Sicily. The island, also known as the Città Vecchia (Old City), contains many historical landmarks. The name originates from the ancient Greek ortyx, which means "Quail"
The Homeric Hymn to Delian Apollo has it that the goddess Leto stopped at Ortygia to give birth to Artemis, the firstborn of her twins. Artemis then helped Leto across the sea to the island of Delos, where Leto gave birth to Apollo. Other ancient sources state that the twins were born in the same place – which was either Delos or Ortygia – but Ortygia, according to Strabo was an old name of Delos. Further, there were perhaps a half-dozen other places called Ortygia, so that the identification is uncertain.
It was also said that Asteria, the sister of Leto, metamorphosed into a quail (Ortyx), threw herself into the sea, and was metamorphosed into the island of Ortygia. Another myth suggested that it was Delos, rather than Ortygia.
Eos, the goddess of the dawn, fell in love with the mortal hunter Orion and abducted him to Ortygia, where he met Artemis and joined her retinue. He was slain by the goddess either for because the gods did not approve of goddesses taking mortal men to lovers, or for challenging her in an archery contest, or trying to force himself upon one of her maids.
Ortygia was the mythological home of Arethusa, a chaste nymph who, while fleeing a river god, was transformed by Artemis into a spring, traversed underground and appeared here, thus providing water for the city. Arethusa and her pursuer, the river god Alpheus, came from Arcadia in Greece
Ortygia, being an island just off the coast, was easily transformed into a natural fortress with harbors and was big enough that it could hold a significant population in ancient times. Therefore, the history of Ortygia is synonymous with the early history of Syracuse.
And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not a house where there was not one dead. - Exodus 12:29-30
Check out the full story on the InnovaLUG website!
#legomoses
#innovalug
photo rights reserved by B℮n
The morning 7th of February I woke up to see Amsterdam covered in a coat of fresh snow. The snow fell in sudden flurries and gusts and turned the world white and wonderful. With the canals in the city and occasional high winds, there can be a nip in the air, but packing gloves and a scarf should keep you warm enough. There is something very beautiful about Amsterdam in the winter. It snowed for the second time this winter in Amsterdam. Because the temperature was -4 degrees Celsius the snow stayed. The real feel temperature was -11 degrees Celsius cause there was a strong wind and drifting snow. It got more than a few centimeters of snow. The best advice is to stay indoors and turn the stove up a bit. Or of course to go outside to take some nice pictures. The snow is a rare highlight in these February dark days, especially when you have small children. It is quite difficult to come up with something fun in these Covid-19 lock-down days. After a while, sitting indoors becomes quite monotonous for such a toddler. This is a welcome change. The snow also provides a lot of fun for children here in centre of Amsterdam. Snowball fight, make snowmen or go sledding. All fun activities that children do in this beautiful snowy world.
1. centre Little boys sledging in the Spinhuissteeg - Amsterdam, 2. top left Winter's firstborn snow dots falling in the Oude Nieuwstraat in Amsterdam, 3. The cyclist through the snow storm doesn't see the magical world, 4. Bicycle under snow at Amstel river in Amsterdam, 5. Snowflakes falling in the early morning at the Egelantiersgracht - Amsterdam, 6. Meeting the neighbor in a snowy Amsterdam, 7. Snow flakes falling while kids sledding in the Spinhuissteeg - Amsterdam, 8. The scents of winter at the Stromarkt in Amsterdam, 9. Snowy student bicycle during Lock-down winter days in Amsterdam, 10. A warm courtyard house in the middle of wintry Amsterdam, 11. Children enjoy sledding during Lock-down winter days in the heart of Amsterdam, 12. Snowing in a warm neighborhood, 13. Blizzard and Drifting Snow at the Noordermarkt in Amsterdam.
Vanmorgen 7 februari werd ik wakker en zag Amsterdam bedekt met een laag verse sneeuw. De sneeuw die vannacht viel bedekte de wereld om ons heen wit en prachtig. Ik heb mijn camera gepakt en op pad gegaan in m'n buurtje. Ik geniet van het geluid van knarsende sneeuw onder mijn schoenen en het prachtige gezicht op de Amsterdamse grachtenpanden. Het is min vier graden en het blijft vandaag de hele dag sneeuwen. Met een stevige wind is de gevoelstemperatuur zelf -11 graden. Mijn handschoenen en m'n sjaal houden mij warm genoeg. Er is iets heel moois over Amsterdam in de winter. Amsterdam is bedolven onder dik pak sneeuw. Het beste advies is dan maar om lekker binnen te blijven en de kachel iets hoger te zetten. Of natuurlijk even naar buiten te gaan om wat mooie plaatjes te schieten. In Amsterdam heeft het nu voor de tweede keer deze winter gesneeuwd. Bij deze temperatuur blijft de sneeuw liggen. Er is meer dan enkele centimeters sneeuw gevallen. De sneeuw is een zeldzaam hoogtepunt in deze donkere dagen in februari, vooral als je kleine kinderen hebt. Het is best moeilijk om iets leuks te bedenken in deze Covid-19 lockdown-dagen. Binnen zitten wordt na een tijdje behoorlijk eentonig voor zo'n peuter. Dit is een welkome afwisseling. De sneeuw zorgt ook voor veel plezier voor kinderen. Sneeuwballengevecht, sneeuwpoppen maken of sleetje rijden. Allemaal leuke activiteiten die kinderen doen in deze prachtige besneeuwde wereld. Wie even wegdenkt, waant zich vandaag in de wereld van Hendrick Avercamp.
Created with fd's Flickr Toys. ....don't forget to zoom in photo!!
If you have to keep
Keep you mind at ease
If you have to sell
Break it til it's free
J. Tillman || Firstborn
Colossians 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created in the heavens and on the earth, visible things and invisible things, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together. 18 He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself by him, whether things on the earth or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.
Christ, God the Son, creator.
Thanks for looking.
©All Rights Reserved
Camera Sony DSLR-A500
Exposure 0.0167 sec (1/60s)
Aperture f/2.8
Focal Length 50 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure Bias +0.3 EV
This image was from a few years back...with my firstborn at the wheel...traveling the back roads of Colorado in July...amazing scenery EVERYWHERE and a nature lovers paradise...within ten minutes of this scene we were in the middle of a TEMPEST of a storm..trying to photograph the dramatic clouds in the skies everywhere...eleven people lost their lives that day we found out later...Seems these sudden storms are quite prevalent there...a few hours to see such beauty ...not nearly enough!!! Have a blessed weekend and hoping you all find some of those back roads to explore! Stay blessed!
Ortygia (/ɔːrˈtɪdʒiə/; Italian: Ortigia; Greek: Ὀρτυγία) is a small island which is the historical centre of the city of Syracuse, Sicily. The island, also known as the Città Vecchia (Old City), contains many historical landmarks. The name originates from the ancient Greek ortyx (ὄρτυξ), which means "Quail".
The Homeric Hymn to Delian Apollo has it that the goddess Leto stopped at Ortygia to give birth to Artemis, the firstborn of her twins. Artemis then helped Leto across the sea to the island of Delos, where Leto gave birth to Apollo. Other ancient sources state that the twins were born in the same place – which was either Delos or Ortygia – but Ortygia, according to Strabo was an old name of Delos. Further, there were perhaps a half-dozen other places called Ortygia, so that the identification is uncertain.
It was also said that Asteria, the sister of Leto, metamorphosed into a quail (Ortyx), threw herself into the sea, and was metamorphosed into the island of Ortygia. Another myth suggested that it was Delos, rather than Ortygia.
Ortygia was the mythological home of Arethusa, a chaste nymph who, while fleeing a river god, was transformed by Artemis into a spring, traversed underground and appeared here, thus providing water for the city. Arethusa and her pursuer, the river god Alpheus, came from Arcadia in Greece.
Ortygia, being an island just off the coast, was easily transformed into a natural fortress with harbors and was big enough that it could hold a significant population in ancient times. Therefore, the history of Ortygia is synonymous with the early history of Syracuse.
One of our firstborns, twin Hannah (her brother not in the picture) wearing C10 ouftit from Little People
Jesus is Our Vision
Here's the thing. If our eyes are fixed on anything that is earthly
we will dramatically lose hope and feel like failures when things start
to go wrong. We may even idolise our ministries to the detriment of the
Kingdom of God. When our finances go awry, or someone gets hurt or our
leaders fall apart on us we had better know what we believe and who we
are following.
So what about all those visions out there? What about the vision to
see 1000 000 people reached with the gospel by the year 2000 or what
about the vision of Jesus coming back in 1984 or perhaps the vision to
minister to the poor and needy in India?
Are we really meant to follow a vision? Are we meant to put our heart
and soul into building an orphanage or planting a church or preaching
and teaching? These are all good things but are we meant to follow
them?
We have heard hundreds of men and women casting there vision to the
masses and many have caught the vision and said yes I will give part
of my life to these things. But is that right? Should people begin to
measure there lives success by the fulfilment of a task?
When we are on our death beds and about to meet Jesus. Will we feel
like we are ready if we have completed lots of tasks?
In collosians it says 1:18 And He is the head of the body the church,
who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead. That in all things
he may have the pre-eminence.
We are commanded in the Bible to set our eyes on incorruptible things,
Jesus Himself endured the task of the cross for the hope set before
Him. We take hope in that we will one day be gathered together with
Christ in heaven, this is the joy set before us. Not the the cross of
setting up a ministry or teaching and preparing the body of Christ for
the great day of the Lord. Paul the apostle writes to live is Christ
to die is gain he knew that his whole life was consumed by the person
of Jesus Christ. If our vision is earthly we will measure everything by
earthly standards. We will compete with each other over territory and
possessions like children fighting over a toy. We will worry and bicker
over money and speak badly of each other to protect what we think is
ours. If our vision is earthly we will probably have one specific
outcome. We will be primarily focused on task.
If the Kingdom of God is in our hearts and we are to extend the Kingdom
our task focuses on the hearts of men and women. If the hearts of
man are to be converted by our witness we must have our eyes filled
with passion for Jesus and his Kingdom not digital design or feeding
the hungry. These things will be the product of our Vision of Jesus but
should never BE the vision.
Verse of the Day 1/15
Colossians 1:15
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
HeavenlyMomentsBlog.com
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