©Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2022
Shower Play
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” Mahatma Gandhi
Painting
This is the second of the new series of the pulled Painted Ponies. I have not painted these in many years. I did do a large one for a show in Denver, and it sold that same month. There is a magic in doing these that amazes me and propels me to do a few more. I have thought of painting flowers and will do some, and I thought of finishing a commission of two children, and MUST do that, and I want to do more of my women. They hold the same spell to me as do the horses. Maybe I should integrate the women painting approach to the horse approach? This is shower play with a palette of beautiful blues, greens and purples. Available.
The Story
This morning at breakfast I sat down to hot steaming oatmeal with yummy cooked apples mixed in. Terry and I pray before we eat and holding hands together, I graced our morning food. Terry's hands are the kind hands that prepare our breakfast each morning to allow me to get in 3 miles walking and 15-30 minutes of some morning yoga. (People forget to tell you as you get older it is a must to take care of your body!) He walks the dogs three times a day for his and works in the yard.
As we finish up our oatmeal, I pull open our "Streams in the Desert" daily devotional. About 8 years ago, a collector in Canada sent me two books. One was this one and the other a book on the Lord's Prayer. The Streams book embraces us each morning. Our daughter spotted an updated version, which is the one I linked to... with expanded morning and evening devotionals to read. I keep the original gift copy of the single devotionals at my bedside and if we travel it comes with us. The second one I purchased four years ago, linked above, stays at our table. We both look forward to the devotionals and the scripture. Here is today's devotional for evening.
It closes with..."And nothing but our trials and perils would ever have led some of us to know Him as we do, to trust Him as we have, and to draw from Him the measures of grace which our very extremities made indispensable."
We both looked at each other in silence. I was reflecting back to some of my largest challenges in life... the trials and perceived perils. Many times we face things and must journey through them. He walks with us and carries us through the worse, and despite our need to control, if we allow him to control, it is all gain. Gain either here in our worldly journey or gain as we enter into our heavenly arrival. My longest challenge affected a large portion of my life. It took many years to arrive at a point that fear was not first in mind daily. Most of it ended on a trip. There was a gallery opening in New York of my work and that of four others in the group called the "The Five Graces". My parents accompanied us to New York and together we were there for a week enjoying upper state New York and staying at a beautiful Bed and Breakfast in Penn Yan. It was there the majority of the "pain" I had tried to carry by myself over 35 years began to dissipate. 90% gone. I cried one night in New York as we dressed for dinner. I was looking up at Terry, tears rolling down my freshly made up face and sharing with him how 'normal' I felt for the first time since I was 18 years old. Can you imagine that? Today I would say only lingering side effects remain. The terrors and paralysis that held me captive were part of what made me stronger. I lived with it. I survived and I bloomed. During those 35 years, I finished my college degree. I started my masters. I worked, I raised children, I taught school, I modeled, I did fashion shows, TV commercials, radio, voiceovers, painted, sold my art in galleries around the world, taught from my home studio and even traveled some.
I would never change this 'trial'. Circumstances in life brought it on, but I would not be who I am today with out it. My life has been filled with God's touch. My heart is full of gratitude for His mercies, His love, His protection and His guidance. Terry brought up the 'pandemic' and the past two years. We decided it was and is an inconvenience but we see God at work daily. Many people in our nation have strayed from God. Think of how long the Israelites continue to beat their head against the wall not listening or following God or the prophets? This covered roughly 4000 years before the birth of Christ. They wandered, they fought, they lost, they were captive and enslaved over and over. Is the United States as a country a modern day version of Sodom and Gomorrah, or even Nineveh? Might be time to pick up that dusty Bible and begin reading it. These are perilous times my friends. Do not be paralyzed by fear. Trust in Him. Take one step forward toward Him.
"But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me."" 2 Corinthians 12:9
Laurie Pace - A Texas Artist
Laurie Pace is an international artist with her paintings collected in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Germany, DuBai, Portugal, Italy, France, Germany, the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, St Thomas, Romania, Greece, Croatia, and Ecuador.
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© Graphics One Design 2021
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