One Painting Completed - By God's Grace.....

I'd like you to meet Luke, my nephew. This photo was taken by his recently engaged brother, David. I had promised my brother that I'd do a painting of Luke about....3 years ago...and it wasn't until recently that I found the right picture to use as my model. It was worth the wait - this picture was just right. He and his sister, Trin, are doing the tough look - but Luke's too sweet to look too tough....



I had to start somewhere, so I decided to begin with black and white....



Then I introduced color, and with the help of my teacher, Terry, adjusted the structure and shading. Put the background in....



...and about 7 more hours - voila! a finished product -I think. I started about 7pm last night, and didn't finish until about 2:30am this morning. Every time I looked a the clock, another hour had gone by - and it felt like just a few minutes. No doubt there's a few more things that need to be done, but on the most part, he's done - ready to deliver to the fair next week....





There were a few times when I thought I'd give up - it just seemed impossible to get his likeness on that canvas. Life is like that in so many ways - you come to the place where you just about give up, and then you see your way through. In the Christian life, though, a person must give up all - a total surrender to Christ. That's the only way God's going to get anywhere with his people. It may seem impossibe, and you may see all your sins, past and present, laid before you, and you wonder how this soul can belong to God. Then you read this, 'With men, it is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' I've taken hold of that and hung on to it as though it was the only word in the Bible. Many times I go through dark seasons, and God helps me to remember that sorrow endures for a night, but joy cometh in the morning, and I praise the Lord that the dark times are not forever, and soon I'll be joining those in Glory - praising God with a perfect heart.

God bless each of you today with perfect Praise from above....

Chrissie

Isaiah 26:3
'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee.'