A Beautiful Gift

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife
$50.00 + Shipping

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 4.

Today's image came from a photograph by the talented Cheryl M. Stewart. We were in an art show together and I saw this image she captured of redbud trees on the Natchez Trace Parkway. I told her how much I would love to paint that scene. She gave me a small print from which to paint. It was a beautiful gift, but not nearly as beautiful as the gift of that sunny morning on the Natchez Trace. Every day is a beautiful gift for us to appreciate and share.

Autumn Frost

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife

SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 3.

One chilly fall morning, I was waiting at the bus stop with my daughter. We looked down and discovered something beautiful—Autumn leaves kissed by morning frost. We live in a world full of small wonders. We just need to take the time to see it.

Winter Hymn

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife
$50.00 + Shipping
SOLD

30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge—Day 2.

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon traveling through Kentucky. A fresh blanket of snow was on the ground. From a crisp, clear sky, the bright sun revealed magical scenes of light and shadow. The humble countryside, that had once been overlooked and taken for granted, displayed its true majesty—adorned with sun and snow.

The Bend

6"x6" Oil on Gessoed Panel

with Palette Knife
$50.00 + Shipping

SOLD

These railroad tracks from East Tennessee make the perfect image for my first installment in Leslie Saeta's "30 Paintings in 30 Days Challenge." We never know what lies ahead in our lives. But we should never be afraid of the unknown. Rather, with a little faith (in ourselves and in the one who is always traveling with us), we can have the confidence to face what lies around the bend and press on.

30 Paintings In 30 Days Challenge

That's right. Beginning January 2nd, I will be posting one painting a day for 30 days. This will be a deviation form my typical posts. The content will be a mix of nature, objects, scriptures, hymn texts and more. I'm really letting myself be blown by spiritual winds for inspiration for this journey. And just like any of my postings, I welcome your comments and reactions. Stay tuned to see what happens next.

Nativity: Emmanuel

5"x5" Oil on Canvas

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." - John 1:14

Today we celebrate the incarnation of the Word of God. In a rank stable, lying in a food trough, wrapped in whatever was available to keep him warm, our Lord was born into our lives. The mystery of mysteries rests in a manger, dependent on human faith and love for survival. What a paradox. What wondrous love. 

One of the finest Christmas sermons I have ever heard came from the Rev. Jay Earheart-Brown. At the time of his message, he was a new father. He shared his feelings as a father to help us grasp the mystery of the incarnation. The most memorable moment was when he said, "Now I understand how love can become flesh." It was the love of Jay and his wife that brought their child into the world. 

And so... love, joy, hope, peace, righteousness, faithfulness, sacrifice and fulfilled promise all became flesh in Mary and Joseph's little baby boy. Jesus—Emmanuel—God with us—was delivered into our hands. And our lives have been forever changed.

Happy Birthday, Jesus.

Merry Christmas, everyone.


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The Nativity

Click on the image to see an enlargement.

Nativity: Gabriel

5"x7" Oil on Canvas

"Do not be afraid."

Those are the words from the angel, Gabriel, every time he appears to people in the Nativity stories. Being visited by one of God's messengers can be a frightening event indeed. When we realize we are in the middle of a God-moment, our shortcomings become abundantly clear. We are faced with the reality that God is God and we are not. This reality stirs us at our core and brings us to our knees in humility.

"God is coming!" That is the essence of Gabriel's message. That message swells up in us both great excitement and great fear. God is coming to interrupt our plans—to stir us from our comfort zones—to call us to a life of faith. We are afraid. Afraid of change. Afraid of what people will think. Afraid of our inadequacies. Afraid of failure. 

But Gabriel says, "Do not be afraid." Those words can embolden our faith today, much like it did for Joseph and Mary. Gabriel's words comfort us by reminding us that this is Good News. The God that calls us is Emmanuel—"God with us." The God who is coming into our lives is GRACE and LOVE.  In his song "Emmanuel," Michael Card blends two very different scriptures into a common truth:

"Emmanuel—our God is with us. And if God is with us, who can stand against us?"

This painting of Gabriel is the most abstract of the pieces in this Nativity project. Gabriel bears the star of bethlehem like a torch of enlightenment. His wings are transparent—for angels (human or not) live among us unseen unless we are looking with eyes of faith. He kneels in the presence of "God with us." In this series, Mary and Joseph are a mix of bewilderment and wonder. Gabriel knows the reality of this God-moment all too well. It is a reality that brings even angels humbly to their knees.

If you look and listen with your heart, 
you might just discover the angel's message speaking to you today:

"Ready or not, God is here—calling you to be a person of faith. Don't be afraid."

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Here is a link to a video featuring "Emmanuel" by Michael Card. The song is performed by the Choirs of school children from Cheshire and the Wirral. It is a wonderful reminder that we are not alone in our calling. Rather, we are a community living out our response to God's calling.