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PINK POPPIES in the Wind
Contemporary Floral Flowers Art Oil Painting

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Contact me for commission work: Laurie



"Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged." Matthew 7:1-2

I truly dislike can's of worms. Worms are really creepy to me. Seems like "The Shack" started up some grumbles with some folks and others sing praises of the book. I did finish it early yesterday morning and it was good to the last page. GOOD AS IN FICTIONAL READING GOOD. I do not want to misrepresent anything when I have suggested you read the book. IT IS NOT meant to be read for teaching of the Word. It is a good fictional story of how one man deals with tragedy in his mind.

Did any of you all see Gone with the Wind? I am a history teacher...certified history teacher in the state of Texas to teach any flavor of history from American, to Texas to World History. Gone with the Wind is full of total lies on historical facts and what truly happened. As a teacher of American History do I ban this book because of the misrepresentations contained in it, the lies? OR do I educate the class as to the true facts and let them know this movie is an American Classic and the fictional creation of it was to capture and relay a message of times in the civil war and what the population endured. It was not presented as a movie for historical purposes to educate.

Seems I have landed myself in a debate on THE SHACK. I am not a theologian. I do not even want to debate a theologian about this book. IT IS FICTION. I do not want to ruin the book for anyone, but by the time you get to the last chapter you realize what the entire book was based on and it was not based on any facts....It is one writer's tale of a fictional happening to his fictional characters. It was written to capture...oh I can't tell you because that is the ending!

Added books that came to mind were THE SOURCE by James Michener, The LEFT BEHIND SERIES by LaHaye and Jenkins, Harry Potter, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Wizard of Oz, and I could keep listing but I think you fully get the direction. Don't forget the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, trick or treating, the tooth fairy and all the Grimms Fairy Tales....or even the Illiad and the Odyssey. Where do you draw the line. How far back to you retreat from the world? I keep remembering the book bans and burning of Tom Sawyer in the fifties, along with other "bad books."

THE SHACK is adult fiction... a fictional tale of a good story... and the writer included his (Not God's) interpretation of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit...the trinity. From this story for us was a new way to think of some things in our own lives.... my dad with his Alzhiemers, the loss of our grandson two years ago, the journey our family made this year bringing my mom back to full health. Never did we view this book as Biblical based or a book that we would use as a guide to living. My mom finished it yesterday and I believe one brother started his copy last night. When you wonder why bad things happen to good people, you get a new view from THE SHACK. When you wonder why God might take a young child's life, or kill an entire family in a car wreck...you see this author's fictional characters wrestle with their anger and finally come to a peace.

The fictional book, The Shack, will inspire you to think out of the box while you read it. It is not written to be a subversive religious cult or a guide book to God. It is always a matter of choice to read or not to read, just remember it is fiction...and while I am thinking about it, what do you watch on television or at the movies?

My today will turn to cleaning my studio, and getting seriously busy on a 4 x 8 ft canvas commission, as well as sketches for a 30 x 36 inch commission piece.

In what ever you are doing today, know that He is with you. His indwelling spirit is with you through every sleeping and waking moment. When you speak of having God central in your life, or at the top of the list in your life... does He stay there 24/7, or only when you are in the Word or in prayer? He is with you know.... can you feel His presence?

Laurie

“For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Romans 5:10

Postnote: www.theshackbook.com




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Comments

Kathryn Grider said…
Nicely said Laurie! I read "The Shack" last summer and loved it.I gave copies to friends as gifts for Pleasure reading. I really love these poppies too! Have a wonderful day. Kathryn
7:52 AM
Debbie said…
THE SHACK is about forgiving and allowing forgiveness - something we all need to do better. It is NOT theology, but puts difficult concepts into words and images that make them easier to wrap your mind around. I really enjoyed it, too and our church has designed a study/Sunday School class around it.
10:50 AM
Unknown said…
Laurie, this painting is breathtaking. I have not read The Shack yet, I have it in my stack of books and hope to read it very soon. thank you for your insights!
1:32 PM
Roxanne Steed said…
oh, these poppies are beautiful, soft & dreamy quality. Thanks for the comments on The Shack,(and other fiction written for our enjoyment as well) too. I read it last fall & really enjoyed it- the characterizations of the holy trinity & how the main character needed these personas, & how he deals with forgiveness/resolution....it was a good read!
9:39 PM
Laurie Justus Pace said…
My mother enjoyed it so much she wants everyone to read it in our family and actually sit down to a family gathering with food and sit and discuss the book... it truly has been a gift of enjoyment to all of us and with my dad the way his condition is, we have prayed asking why it has been so difficult. Forgiveness seems to be the key we were missing, esp for my mom who felt like she had "left him".
5:59 AM
Lis said…
Sensacional!!!Abraços da Lis
1:26 AM
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