Done!!! DONE!!

Oh, it feels fabulous to be done!  I brought home all my tools and paint and PUT THEM AWAY.  Yeah, I'll get them all out again in the not too distant future, but for now everything is in it's place, and it feels ... like a deep, contented sigh.  It makes me wonder what God felt when He rested on the 7th day after creating everything.  It was VERY GOOD, and He was DONE ... I think maybe I feel a SMIDGE of the joy and contentment that He felt.

There's one more canvas that isn't included here.  The picture that I got of it was AWFUL, so I have to go back and try again.

I've had people ask me what a mountain bike has to do with being crucified with Christ.  This time around I didn't pick images to go with the text.  Instead I picked images that are a part of our everyday life here in the mountains of Colorado, with a nod to the upcoming seasons.

So do you have a favorite?  I'd love to hear from you!

And Now Some Words....

....and not just ANY words!  THESE words have LIFE!  Speak, Word of God, to those who come through our doors.  Be active and alive and miracle working and productive, like only the Word of God can.

Five, Six

Two more done, only two left....of course then I have to go back and add all the words.  But this way we don't have to stare at black squares week after week after week.

The canvas with the tent didn't start out with a tent.  It had a lovely up-close shot of a branch from a blue spruce, all covered with snow, in the morning sunlight (which makes everything an astounding color).   Only, it wasn't working.  AT ALL.  The reference photos were stunning, which is a testimony to the creative GENIUS of God!  But I FAILED MISERABLY at copying Him!  There have been times in the past when I was painting something, and was CONVINCED that it was going to be a huge flop, and then after a good night's sleep, discovered that it wasn't a flop after all!  That didn't happen this time!  So I painted over it, and came up with a completely different image!

God paints the morning with goose-bumpy beauty.  Me, not so much!

One, Two, Three, Four

And so starts a whole new set for my church.  

On Monday I peeled off the old paintings (with the help of an extremely selfless friend...it's not a fun job!).  They are now folded up and lounging in the dumpster.

On Tuesday I stretched new sheets over the framework.

On Wednesday my hubby and I sprayed them all a lovely gunmetal color (although, looking at the barbed wire, you'd think the background was a different color.  Not so.)  I should say that HE sprayed them, I stood by and watched.

On Thursday I started painting.  And on to Friday.  And on to Saturday.  Starting completely over is a bit time consuming!  But, oh the results!!  These will eventually have words.  But for now we'll sit there and stare at some very Colorado-ish images.

When I was painting them, I was absolutely SURE the barbed wire was my favorite.  But THEN I painted the Indian Paintbrush, and OH MY WORD!!!  Did my Lord hold my hand?!  Did He direct my color choices?!  Did He?!  Amen and amen.  I LOVE THESE.