Painting and Encouragement!

I finally got to go to Neil’s to paint.  I had been looking forward to that for the past two months, ever since I met him at the Springs North church and he had mentioned it the very first week we were there.  There was one other person there to paint, so Neil got out a picture of a lighthouse he took the week before on his trip out east – Aquinnah Lighthouse, Martha’s Vineyard.  Neil and the other lady (I forgot her name already) are awesome painters – they did a big painting and I just did a small one.  I learned several things there and that was the whole point of going!  I had dropped off my hearing aids to get fixed on my way to Neil’s and got kind of lost in Colorado Springs (that was my first time driving there by myself) so I was a bit late to painting class.

my painting area at my art gallery/studio

Sept. 10 – I’m still way behind on my devotional readings.  I read the one for Aug. 10^th in Our Daily Bread, “The Power of Compassion”, Is 42:  “Francis Schaeffer, author and Christian apologist, struggled to spell words correctly because of dyslexia.  At the college he attended, spelling errors lowered the grade on all written assignments.  During his first year, a professor told Schaeffer, ‘This is the best philosophy paper I’ve ever read, but it’s the worst spelling.  What am I going to do?  I can’t pass you.’  Francis replied, ‘Sir, I could never spell.  Could you please just read what I’m saying and not worry about the spelling?’  After a long pause, the professor replied, ‘You know, Mr. Schaeffer, I think we’ll do that.’  His wise, compassionate response encouraged a gifted young man who would later help many of the searching generation during the 1960s and 70s to find their way to faith in Christ.  Isaiah said of the promised Messiah, ‘A bruised reed He would not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth’ (Isa. 42:3).  The image is of a gentle, yet powerful Person who sets prisoners free and encourages those who are fainthearted and tempted to despair.  Jesus came to free us from sin, not to condemn us for our condition.  Today, He offers salvation and encouragement to all who turn to Him". – David McCasland

This is awesome – it is how we should treat each other – not with condemnation and judgment, but seeing that we are all in the ‘human condition’, and that we need encouragement, not condemnation.  That’s what I hope I am to everyone I meet; I want to be an encouragement and build others up, help to lead them in a correct path.

I got back to the art gallery/studio and decided to get disciplined again.  Last week was so chaotic and I was running everywhere.  Exhausted myself; however, did manage to get us moved into an apartment with a few things to function with.  Our bed is still on the floor (air mattress), storage tubs as our tables and such.   So I have to make this gallery/studio my ‘job’ and start setting schedules of art lessons, painting every day, bible studies, etc.  I worked on and finished the painting I started at Neil’s.  It’s ok, not the greatest.  I was encouraged when Krystal came in to paint with me today.  I had seen her walking around town the past week and waved to her.  I had hoped she would come back.  She showed me her sketch book of what she likes to draw (she likes geometric shapes and designs/lettering, and such) and we took it from there.  I had her start on a watercolor of a topic she likes – isometric perspective/optical illusions.  She’s got somewhat of an idea, but needs help with the technical aspects.  She then wanted to try oils, so I gave her a canvas, showed her the color wheel and explained mixing primary colors, then let her explore on her own.  She needs instruction.  I’ll start lessons with her tomorrow.

Aquinnah Lighthouse, Martha's Vineyard

We had prayer meeting tonight;  Krystal and Josh came – William gave a bit of a message about the Samaritan woman at the well who met Jesus.  It wasn’t about her sins that was the focus; but rather, that Jesus had been fasting and praying when he had met her, and therefore, was ready to meet her at her greatest need – to ‘see’ and be given the spiritual food and water.  That is the way we need to be – always ready ‘in season and out of season’ to give a Word to those God places in our path.