Painting for Camp Elim

I just finished these for Camp Elim...which could easily be called the happiest place on earth.  Disney is no comparison, just sayin'.  Their winter camps are starting in a couple of weeks, and these will be the backdrops.  They'll be screwed together and stood up accordion style.

Their theme is taken from Mark 12 where it says "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength."

If you're looking for a fun, impacting, soul-growing weekend for your kiddoes...and if you live in Colorado...you can consider sending them to Camp Elim.  It's fabulous!  (you don't HAVE to live in Colorado.  It's just a wee bit expensive to get them here if you live in...Texas.)

You can see what Camp's all about at http://campelim.com/ (and I think that's ACTUALLY a link!! I mean, I think it'll work if you click on it!)

On a side note, my Lord is always kind to me.  When you put on black paint with a roller, and then have to do touch-up with a brush, it ALWAYS SHOWS.  There's something about the texture, maybe...I don't know what it is, but I always grit my teeth, hoping that I don't have any obvious drips, because I don't want to have to touch them up.  Well, I had a fairly major drip on the "MIND" canvas.  And the Lord put it into my head that the drip looked remarkably like a shoe-lace!!!  So, presto, tall boots with laces sticking out!  See???  God's kindness is EVERYWHERE!  Sometimes we just don't see it!

Let the Prep-Work Begin

Within a couple of weeks, all those canvases that I just painted for my church will come down and be replaced.  So, I have to start sketching NOW if I'm going to have anything worth painting!  I spent the bulk of the morning stewing over fonts and layouts for verses, and then this afternoon I spent some time sketching this pine cone.  Sometime in February I'll show you how the two will go together!

Beginning Again

For some reason the human spirit needs a starting point.  We can't seem to just ooze into change.  We have this need to make it poignant.  At least I do.  I have a few built-in starting points: every spring, every year when school starts, and every year on January 1st.  I love this particular starting point.  I get to start a new calendar.  The Christmas decorations come down and the house gets REALLY cleaned.  I have a whole new wondering about what  God will accomplish in the new year. 

And I look back at God's faithfulness.   This morning I can review what He has taught me to paint this year, and I am thankful.  His kindness is obvious!  He will be faithful and kind in 2014 also.

I painted this in 2007 (really?!  That long ago?!).  It's a combination of watercolor and colored pencil, and I love it.