At the Beach

Sand grains magnified 110-250 times reveal each grain is unique.



The tip of a spiral shell has broken off and become a grain of sand. After being repeatedly tumbled by action of the surf this spiral sand grain has become opalescent in character. It is surrounded by bits of coral, a pink shell fragment, a foram (a type of protozoa) and volcanic material. Photo copyright Dr. Gary Greenberg.





A handful of sand grains selected from a beach in Maui and arranged on a black background. Photo copyright Dr. Gary Greenberg.





Magnified 250 times. Every grain of sand in the world is unique when viewed through a microscope.





Sand Magnified by Yanping Wang www.nikonsmallworld.com





Sand Magnified 250x.
24.media.tumblr.com




The glacially deposited sands around Lake Winnibigoshish, Minnesota, contain abundant sediments from the igneous and metamorphic minerals of the Lake Superior basin. A sample includes pink garnets, green epidote, iron-rich red agates, black magnetite, and hematite. Image Copyright © 2008 Dr. Gary Greenberg.





Puffy Stars -- Star-Shaped Sand Grains from Okinawa. These tiny foram, a type of protozoa, secrete beautiful star-shaped, calcium carbonate shells, or tests. www.sandgrains.com




Coral Sand magnified 100x using
transmission electron microscopy, brightfield mode.
By Dr. David Maitland, Feltwell, UK.
microscopyu.com

Many grains of sand are tiny crystals (shiny, flat sided solids). Sand from Zushi Beach, Japan, contains what looks like a sapphire crystal. The crystal is larger than the surrounding grains and has survived eroding because of its hardness and quality.
Image Copyright © 2008 Dr. Gary Greenberg





Fragments of baby sea urchin shells. Biogenic sand, which forms from the remains of marine life, is the major ingredient of many tropical beaches. (Magnification 100x) popgive.com






A magnified view of the tropical beach sand from the Caribbean island of St. John (U.S. Virgin Islands). The grains include porous fragments of brightly-colored corals, minute foraminiferan shells, fragments of sea shells and shiny, star-shaped sponge spicules. waynesword.palomar.edu






A Grain of Sand - Nature's Secret Wonder
The Amazing Microphotography of Dr. Gary Greenberg


Every grain of sand is a jewel waiting to be discovered. That's what Dr. Gary Greenberg found when he first turned his microscope on beach sand. Gemlike minerals, colorful coral fragments, and delicate microscopic shells reveal that sand comprises much more than tiny beige rocks.

Author and photographer Dr. Gary Greenberg is a visual artist who creatively combines art with science. He has a Ph.D. in biomedical research from University College London and holds 17 patents for high-definition 3-D light microscopes. Dr. Greenberg lives in Haiku, Hawaii.


Carl Sagan famously remarked "the total number of stars in the universe is greater than all the grains of sand on all the beaches on the planet Earth." It is estimated that the total number of 'all' grains of sand on the whole planet could be approximately 2000 billion billion. Scientists still believe there are more stars in the Universe. hassers.blogspot.com
And as to planets:

If a grain of sand represented an entire galaxy; so each grain of sand, or galaxy, contains 100’s of billions of stars, you would need to fill six rooms full of sand to contain all the galaxies in the known universe. If you drilled a tiny whole in one of the grains of sand, 'our Milky Way universe,' that would be the area that we have been capable of seaching for planets so far. 534 planets have been discovered so far... directedplay.com




Buy the Images: www.sandgrains.com

Buy the Book: A Grain of Sand: Nature's Secret Wonder by Dr Gary Greenberg
www.amazon.com
 

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Showing comments 1 to 50 of 442 | Next | Last

Little Bo Peep
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #442 on : Sun May 19, 2013, 20:07:03

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Sand is rad. Inspiring photos!
Nature yer ma gurl!



I had no idea sand was satan's doing! lol the comments on here are re-doh-dicuoius

"you are showing grains that have become after sin came into the world: parts of dead animals and destruction of Satan's handcraft" say wut?

wes
Posts: 443

Heads up
Reply #441 on : Sun May 19, 2013, 13:30:16

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Hello Ryan,
The following statements you made are factually incorrect.
Reply #416 on : Sun May 12, 2013, 14:04:31

1.) The earth and the universe are billions of years in age
A.) Yes the universes are billions of year old, but then again the way God measures time is something
Beyond our understanding, as God is eternal, we only have about 75 to 100 years our time before we meet him face to face. Ryan, where is your seat reserved at the great shake and bake? In smoking or non?

2.) Evolution is a fact
B.) Yes this is true, A salamander can evolve into a different kind of salamander, same as a frog,
birds and fish. Science has proven this as fact. But to say a snapping turtle can change into a mallard duck after thousand of years. Alternatively, to say men came from a worm. I thank
you are the one who suffers from a delusion.

3.) No evidence has been presented determining the existence of the Christian God. Because of this, believing in the existence of the Christian God is a delusion, as a belief in something for which there is no evidence is the definition of a delusion.
C.) And what do you base this figment of your imagination on? It is not up to us Christians to prove
to you that there is a God, By the way his name is Jesus Christ. It is up to you to prove beyond
a shadow of a doubt that there is no Christian God by the name of Jesus Christ. Which has never
been done since the beginning of time to the end of time.

If you disagree with any of the preceding statements, you are wrong, because to disagree with things which are factual is to be wrong.
D.) Ryan, I think you are factually wrong, because you speak with out any understanding of the subject. You talk like a puff of smoke here one minute and gone the next. When they put your body into ground to rest, what will be you legacy that you pass on to your children?

Anonymous
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #440 on : Sun May 19, 2013, 13:13:35

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I love all of these pictures, I believe in God who made everything, but you are showing grains that have become after sin came into the world: parts of dead animals and destruction of Satan's handcraft, I believe there will someday be another world where we will have sand of gems and beauty of another phase...Heavenly grains

josefina
Posts: 443

This IS Paradise!
Reply #439 on : Sun May 19, 2013, 10:46:01

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Let us love and protect what God has given us. We are the stewards of Earth..STOP BUYING BOTTLED WATER!!

Phyl
Posts: 443

Awesome beauty we cannot see.
Reply #438 on : Sun May 19, 2013, 00:59:15

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Each grain of sand is a piece of unduplicated colorful art of nature which cannot be seen with the naked eye. Makes one wonder what other outstandingly beautiful and wondrous things God has surrounded us with that we cannot see. Mt St Helens in Wa state might be worth scoping out after she blew her stack May 18th,1980. . .wonder what is hidden in all that ash?

Ralph Kelly
Posts: 443

magnified sand
Reply #437 on : Sat May 18, 2013, 17:52:03

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The wonder of Nature, from the smallest to the wonders of the Universe, you never know in till you stop and look around your self.

Tolkien lover
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #436 on : Sat May 18, 2013, 10:18:23

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He knows the number of hairs on your head and He calls each star by their name. Infinite and vast is He and yet I am reminded of a quote i love (may not get it exactly right, but you'll get my gist) "We find that great things are made of little things, and little things go lessening until at last comes God behind them." Our God reigns and He is coming soon. Our Lord Jesus Rocks!!!!

Lori
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #435 on : Sat May 18, 2013, 01:44:41

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That was awesome! Thanks!
We keep discovering that God did a lot more incredible things "In the beginning" than we could ever imagine!!!!

Capa760
Posts: 443

Just because you cannot see IT
Reply #434 on : Fri May 17, 2013, 13:30:42

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Just because you cannot see It, does Not mean It is not there. You are wearing the wrong glasses, the microscope had not been invented,or God is not ready to reveal
to the unbelievers, who have no Faith, after clues have been given to Man. I have not seen the continued Evolution of the fish, that walked out of the water, nor the apes in the trees, turn into hairless beings. Each is as it was created, and nothing else.

Phil Yasskin
Posts: 443

Grains of Sand
Reply #433 on : Thu May 16, 2013, 13:54:05

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Thanks for putting this together. This is artistry hidden from the naked eye. We will be in Maui this summer and I will never look at the sand in the same way.
Phil

Julian Bloom
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #432 on : Thu May 16, 2013, 01:25:22

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A spectacular world! In the notes it states that there are 534 planets that have been found so far...none were known 15 years ago.

Martin-Edward O
Posts: 443

A Grain of Sand
Reply #431 on : Wed May 15, 2013, 13:04:18

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Going through this was really fascinating. I felt the uniqueness of everything upon the universality of all things. Who could have imagined what beauty and magnificence of the things we often pay little attention? Really it affirms the position I have always held that NOTHING is ever insignificant. And more than this, it acclaims to the super intelligence of the Creator of all things, the divine architect of all being, and the unreasonableness of an evolution theory that holds to an infinite regress of all things. There is more to our nature we still cannot comprehend. This, indeed, is a great insight and thanks for sharing.

Martin-Edward O
Posts: 443

A Grain of Sand
Reply #430 on : Wed May 15, 2013, 13:03:30

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Going through this was really fascinating. I felt the uniqueness of everything upon the universality of all things. Who could have imagined what beauty and magnificence of the things we often pay little attention? Really it affirms the position I have always held that NOTHING is ever insignificant. And more than this, it acclaims to the super intelligence of the Creator of all things, the divine architect of all being, and the unreasonableness of an evolution theory that holds to an infinite regress of all things. There is more to our nature we still cannot comprehend. This, indeed, is a great insight and thanks for sharing.

Claude St-Cyr
Posts: 443

Le sable
Reply #429 on : Wed May 15, 2013, 10:33:13

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Je vais regarder ma plage d'une autre façon.

Dale
Posts: 443

Sand
Reply #428 on : Wed May 15, 2013, 06:59:45

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It is amazing that a tiny, taken for granted grain of sand could contain so much beauty.
I'd like to say that Ryan (down below) is a moron. Evolution is NOT A FACT. Look at your body you idiot and see how it's made. When was the last time to got a cold, cut yourself or broke a bone, then told yourself each waking hour to heal itself. It does that by itself with no help from you. You have two eyes so that you see in three demensions. You have curves in your ears so that you can tell from whense cometh a sound. Look at the fantastic array of creatures and foods on this earth and their abilities that far outdo mans'. Look at the heavens and the millions of galaxies all in perfect order. No Ryan, there is a creator and if you had an ounce of intelligence you'd realize that. "The one forming the eye, can he not see and the one forming the ear, can he not hear"?

Bill Aguirre
Posts: 443

The incredible sand
Reply #427 on : Tue May 14, 2013, 23:36:41

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Also, a single drop lof water form a pond will show a host of tiny living creatures interacting in their own universe with all kinds of colors, shapes, and sizes. Is not our God, Jesus Christ a Wonderful creator and Father of our universe and everything in it? YES, HE IS!!!!!

cccrouch
Posts: 443

sands
Reply #426 on : Tue May 14, 2013, 13:20:58

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I have collected sands from beaches and rivers from all over the world. I have over 150 samples. I have not had the opportunity to review them under a powerful microscope but this video has inspired me to try. Thanks

James Tatum
Posts: 443

sand
Reply #425 on : Tue May 14, 2013, 13:08:26

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I love the pictures

Anonymous
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #424 on : Tue May 14, 2013, 08:05:43

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So beautiful! I have always wondered what each grain would look like and now I know. Next time I walk on a beach these photos will be with me.

Caro Harris
Posts: 443

grains of sand
Reply #423 on : Tue May 14, 2013, 02:22:29

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I don't know how often I have stared into a gran of sand and wished I could see it closer... they are as I imagined, far more beautiful than they look as we walk over them.

Dr.Bobcat
Posts: 443

Grains of Sand
Reply #422 on : Tue May 14, 2013, 00:32:43

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What it does show is that the Biblical myth of a 5000 year old universe is another nice story but basic nonsense.

Arman Sabciyan
Posts: 443

Grain of Sand
Reply #421 on : Mon May 13, 2013, 15:57:29

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Fantastic and Incredible

Alfonso
Posts: 443

Fools' debate
Reply #420 on : Mon May 13, 2013, 15:05:48

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Cannot prove the existence of green dragons or purple mermaids either, but I dont wanna!!!

Dan
Posts: 443

Ryan and facts.
Reply #419 on : Mon May 13, 2013, 12:51:40

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There are no missing links. There is no proof that the earth is millions of years old - only erroneous theories. To quote King David who did live - "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." You can not prove that there is no God.

Kate
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #418 on : Mon May 13, 2013, 08:46:26

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In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God....All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made..John 1:1,3
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible...And He is before all things and in Him all things consist. Colossians 1:16,17
The grains of sand, like snowflakes, speak of the One who created them. Each unique; like us, God's human creation. Jesus Christ is the Word made flesh. Thanks and glory be to Him for the sand on the seashore.

D'vorah
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #417 on : Sun May 12, 2013, 21:51:50

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WOW! nothing else to say.

Ryan
Posts: 443

The following statements are factually correct
Reply #416 on : Sun May 12, 2013, 14:04:31

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1.) The earth and the universe are billions of years in age

2.) Evolution is a fact

3.) No evidence has been presented determining the existence of the Christian God. Because of this, believing in the existence of the Christian God is a delusion, as a belief in something for which there is no evidence is the definition of a delusion.

If you disagree with any of the preceding statements, you are wrong, because to disagree with things which are factual is to be wrong.

Nancy Ann Poteet
Posts: 443

grains of sand
Reply #415 on : Sat May 11, 2013, 17:07:07

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truly magnificant really beautiful it made my day to see this beauty Thank you for sending this e-mail How great is our God

Cynthia Kienitz
Posts: 443

Amazing Sand
Reply #414 on : Sat May 11, 2013, 15:24:45

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You will be amazed at these pictures and Sean too.

Joanne Powell
Posts: 443

Amazing Sand
Reply #413 on : Sat May 11, 2013, 15:22:49

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You will be amazed at these pictures...and some of the comments. Sean will like it too.

Marlene Gregory
Posts: 443

Grains of Sand A Wonder To View
Reply #412 on : Fri May 10, 2013, 14:26:56

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Thank You for sharing these photos with everyone. One never comprehends the differences in all grains of sand.

God's Universe is truly A Wonder to Behold!

Gary Payne
Posts: 443

Re: Grains of sand
Reply #411 on : Thu May 09, 2013, 12:01:06

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That is truly remarkable. I had no idea that every grain of sand was unique in nature. I knew that every snowflake is also unique, but not about sand grains. Very interesting video and pictures.

Rebecca
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #410 on : Wed May 08, 2013, 20:17:48

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Absolutely amazing!!!!! It goes to prove that what we see in not what it is. How wonderful to share these photos with us.

Michelle D'Nardo
Posts: 443

Thank you!
Reply #409 on : Wed May 08, 2013, 16:00:47

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That is truly awesome! Thank you for opening my eyes to the things I never knew existed... Look how creative God is, how he made all of those so unique and special! If our world is so great, just imagine how great heaven will be! all you have to do to go there is confess that Jesus is our Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead to save us from going to Hell (you don't earn your way into heaven by doing good deeds)!!! The sand is amazing!\

P.S. Thank you to the person who said that THE WORLD IS NOT MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD, NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE SAY!!!! Also, the big bang didn't exist as well as evolution!

I'm really fired up right now so don't mind me (even though you can't hear me)... that doesn't mean what i'm sayong isn't true though... IT IS!!!!!

Sherry Banks
Posts: 443

Each Individual Grain!
Reply #408 on : Wed May 08, 2013, 09:22:23

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These pictures are the true meaning of AWESOME! It is incomprehensible the detail our most awesome GOD went to when he created not only us but the world we live in...and HEAVEN is even better? I can't even imagine. Hey! Maybe in Heaven we will see all the beauty without needing a microscope! Thank You LORD.

Michelle
Posts: 443

sands
Reply #407 on : Wed May 08, 2013, 07:54:51

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Beautiful pictures. Since much of the sand on beaches have tiny pieces of shells in it, now I'm wondering if the sand in the Sahara desert has shell pieces in it? And if so, how?

MARY M. WRENNE
Posts: 443

A GRAIN OF SAND!
Reply #406 on : Wed May 08, 2013, 03:14:34

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GOD IS INDEED TRULY WONDERFUL. HE IS THE CREATOR AND LORD OF ALL THINGS. HOWEVER, THE WORLD IS NOT MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD AS SUGGESTED. THE WORLD IS RELATIVELY NEW - THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD.
THANK YOU!

Kay Goodnow
Posts: 443

Grains of Sand
Reply #405 on : Tue May 07, 2013, 16:02:50

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Amazing! Every grain of sand is different from the others. Some are alike, but they are not the same. It is the same with the planets, alike, but not the same. I have long believed that no two human beings are alike and for that reason, the God of Christianity (or any other god) simply cannot be defined. It's taken me over 70 years to understand a very simple premise. Thanks for this, Mark.

Sonja ballard
Posts: 443

Amazing
Reply #404 on : Mon May 06, 2013, 20:31:09

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I was absolutely astonished to see the miracle of your work. It brought about a feeling how a tiny speckle of sand can be part of the universe.

With respect and admiration
Sonja

Judee
Posts: 443

Grains of Sand and God
Reply #403 on : Mon May 06, 2013, 19:29:15

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There is a God ... It is infinite intelligent energy which is omnipresent meaning everywhere, in everything, all the time, including above, below, around and inside all human beingss ... no exceptions. We humans (Light Energy housed in a form) need to learn more about all-pervasive energy. Energy never dies (neither do humans), it just changes form.

Dave
Posts: 443

Sand
Reply #402 on : Mon May 06, 2013, 13:23:54

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Sand's nice. But there's still one add to it.

There is NO GOD. Silly people.

GAIL BOYLE
Posts: 443

grains of sand
Reply #401 on : Mon May 06, 2013, 10:21:46

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I really enjoyed this,amazing photography. I live near the Beach in Fl and will now look at the sand differently.

Harold Dover
Posts: 443

Grains of sand
Reply #400 on : Sat May 04, 2013, 22:29:53

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What an awesome God to create such wonders for us to enjoy. Who ever thought we were walking on such beautiful and unique grains of sand. Thanks for sharing

Glendon Thomlison
Posts: 443

Phusion998
Reply #399 on : Sat May 04, 2013, 22:23:54

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Magnificent, exquisite, beauteous can only begin to
portray what has been under my feet. In awe, I draw slow breaths at what I could have never imagined.
Thank you for opening the small slits I have for these eighty years called eyes--they have seen nothing.
Humble respects to you and "nature."
Glendon Lawrence Thomlison,
65619

Lauren Domenia
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #398 on : Sat May 04, 2013, 20:24:07

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Just thinking about all those trillions upon trillions upon trillions of grains of sand, each seperate and individual makes me feel so small and unimportant in this massive universe of unending wonder... and yet God loves each of us so much we can't even imagine, each and every individual unimportant tiny little person...
thinking like that really baffles you, how could someone so amazing as God actually care about us? But he loves with all his heart...

I love the beach

Anonymous
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #397 on : Sat May 04, 2013, 20:17:52

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God is Almighty! everyone should believe what he has done for us so that we too may expirience the joy of a perfect and eternal life with him!

im 11 years old and a strong believer in Christ! who cares about age!


Read the holy Bible (ESV is a great translation)... it is the Word of the one and only God, the only one that actualy exists!!!

Anonymous
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #396 on : Sat May 04, 2013, 20:13:41

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Wow! What beauty! Look what comes from the glory of God. There is only one God, so come to believe and repect what he has done for us!

He has given everyone who believes in what eh has done for us everlasting and eternal life in heaven with him, for those who choose to believe!

Anonymous
Posts: 443

Re: Magnified grains of sand
Reply #395 on : Sat May 04, 2013, 20:10:14

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God is amazing... look what he can do!!! He made each and every one of us unique and special, just like He made that sand...

I am only 12 but i know that God is the one and only God, our Saviour! Respect His glory! Read the Holy BIble! You'll be amazed.

Liz
Posts: 443

Sand
Reply #394 on : Sat May 04, 2013, 19:58:28

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I will never look at sand the same way again!
All of God's works are so wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing!

Anis Kelley
Posts: 443

below
Reply #393 on : Sat May 04, 2013, 15:04:44

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"If you drilled a WHOLE in one"....dont' you mean "a HOLE in one? Other than that this is a great presentation. thanks to all involved. anis Kelley

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