©Laurie Pace Graphics One Design 2023
Mother's Summer Magnolias
Oils on Canvas by Laurie Pace
My mom's house had a huge magnolia tree in the front yard. The arborist said it was one of the oldest he had seen in Dallas. I must have taken hundreds of photos back in time when she was alive and living there. Forty years with that beautiful tree... of course it was already way older than that when they moved in. One of my dearest friends from Lake Highlands ... turned out my parents bought their home back in 1972. Her Dad was a a builder. Hence my love of magnolia flowers! Enjoy this beautiful painting inspired by blooms from years ago.
"This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." Isaiah 30:15
In Quietness and Trust
There are those moments in life that we have felt defeated, or let down leading us to disappointment, frustration or even anger. The pain can over take us. All of us living on this earth, want to have some type of value to someone, and perhaps we want to be loved, accepted and comforted.
I was reading an small article on that this morning and recognized the symptoms I am guilty of. Finding distraction to stay busy so my thoughts are not overtaking me into a depressed or worried state. Turning your attention to others thing may help you 'feel' better for a while, but in the long run, it is temporary until we confront the truth. All strife in our lives is trigger by actions and thoughts, and most of it we allow to seed and grow in our thoughts.
2 Thessalonians 1:15-17 "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word or by letter. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good work and word."
This message came at a time of strife in the church as they began putting it together and gathering and standing fast in their faith. How do you teach someone to let God comfort their hearts and take over their life when times are strained and dangerous?
Personally, I look back to the top verse I shared this morning... "In quietness and trust is your strength" but normally... "You will have none of it." Is our trust that weak? The closer we draw to the Lord, the easier it gets.
In Streams of the Desert this morning, the reading was from Ezek 1:25 "And there was a firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings."
Hmmmm... letting down their wings? Made me think of the humming birds whose wings flutter at high capacity... and the Robins and Blue Jays that fly across our back yard. Those wings ... are they still when they are flying at any point? When you pray do you still your spirit as you come before the Lord in prayer? Do you have a true stillness in His presence? Did you end in expectation of an answer to your prayer? Or did you end your prayer and allow your thoughts to flow and float across your brain again? We are definitely buzzing around in our worlds way too much. Our peace does not have to be only with prayer. Meditation and breathing in His Spirit and holding it tightly and releasing it. Stop all your thoughts or find a mantra. Keep it simple.
- Blessed is the name of the Lord.
- In quietness and trust is my strength
- Holy Holy Holy Lord God almighty
- The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
Find a short phrase that speaks to your heart and allows you inner spirit to rest and release everything to our Father. Be the willing waiting spirit for the Lord to answer your needs. Be Still. Don't let the world overcome you.
In Quietness and Trust is your Strength.
Follow the Spirit of the Paint... with Laurie Pace
“So may all your enemies perish, LORD! But may all who love you be like the sun when it rises in its strength.” Then the land had peace forty years." Judges 5:31
Laurie Pace - A Texas Artist
Laurie is an international artist, her paintings are 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 2023
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