© Laurie Justus Pace Graphics One Design 2009" When he told his father as well as his brothers, his father rebuked him and said, "What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?" His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind."
Genesis 37 10-11
The Thought: First I want to honor the day of my husband's birth... with a loving memory of his wonderful mother, Bobbie Jean, who died 14 years ago. It was in 1951 that she and Ben welcomed their first son (of three) on a hot July afternoon. This son has been the love of my life from a very early age... and I hold him close in heart all day on this his birthday. He has to work today, but last night we celebrated with family. Our daughter and her husband came over and whipped up a fabulous meal. All the kids came to celebrate their Pop's birthday and of course our granddaughter too.
Tomorrow is my mother's birthday as she turns the mile maker into her eighties. She remains a loved matriarch of our family with an open heart to life and living it to it's fullest.
Birthdays always trigger thoughts of past family occasions, and family occasions always trigger thoughts of joy and of struggle.
Researching the 'family' is always a deeply provoking subject. As far as families, you do not have to look far in the Bible to see sibling issues and family malfunctions. The tension oozes out from the pages as the bible focuses on family, communities and responsibilities of the individual as they struggle toward finding self worth. The families in the Bible were based on the patriarchal system. Families were centered in the men and especially the first born. References are found of "my father's house" with no mention of mom. It is around the father that the family group revolves forming its own community of sorts. Patriarchalism in the Bible was threaded with the concept of survival of the family or the tribe. It was a struggle to keep your identity intact and not be conquered. The children of the family ensured the survival of the name and the continuation of the family's strength in the community and a hold on their future.
In Genesis the "first" born child in the world was so jealous of the "second" born child, the first born killed the second born. This is of course the story of Cain and Abel.
Further into Genesis, a set of twins is born, and the second twin to arrive, steals the birthright of the first born. Reading further you find Joseph, the baby in the family. He was so hated by his siblings, they sold him into slavery. The poor father was left thinking his son had died. These are but a few "family" stories in the first book of the bible. Sibling rivalry has early roots.
It doesn't matter what the situation, family, work, or friends, you alone have control of your feelings and reactions to things in your life. When you are hurt, it is because you choose to be hurt. When you are angry it is because you choose to be angry. You cannot change other people and their actions, but you can change your reactions. You can choose... it is in your power. Don't let others steal your joy.
Laurie
"Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?"
"I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?"
The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth." Genesis 4:9-12
Website, Laurie Justus Pace
Website, The Painted Pony
Blog, A Texas Contemporary Artist
Blog, Wonders of the Heart
Galleries:
Jackson, Wyoming – The Rare Gallery
Penn Yan, New York—Earthworks Art Gallery
The Village of Granville, Ohio—The Gillian Jones Gallery
Marble Falls, Texas – Patina of Marble Falls
Dallas, Texas—The Dutch Art Gallery
Atascadero, California – The Red Tree Gallery
El Dorado Hills, California—Our House Gallery
Hong Kong – SR Gallery
Erie, Colorado – The Daily Painters
Dallas,Texas – The Daily Painters of Texas
Centennial, Colorado—The Daily Painters Abstract
Organizations:
WAOW, Associate Member Women Artist Out West
OPA, Associate Member Oil Painters of America
AWS, American Watercolor Society
The Five Graces, 5Graces
Ask Art, Blue Book of Artists
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