His Royal Blue Stole

Artist: S. Burns 1913

Light dawning 

far on the stormy horizon,
his royal blue stole; 

those always caught my eye first. 

I am the good shepherd; 

I know my sheep

and my sheep know me ~

John 10:14

I recall the painting hanging in the upstairs hallway at one time and then later... was it near her small secretary? A familiar portrayal of a favorite Psalm. Most likely a replication of an illustration found in a Bible. But the paint, the rich color of oil luster in rising ridges of brush strokes, the shade of blue, the bird of prey hovering overhead: all drew the eye and the heart into the the perilous moment of the shepherd’s determined rescue. 

It is a simple hand painted work, dated 1913. Found in an antique store somewhere up in the far north woods. Over decades of time, after the chain of legacy settled, this painting of my mother’s came to be mine. After more time and a maturing of my aesthetic sensibilities, hanging such an overtly religious painting in my home studio, became the right thing to do.

I have wondered, did mother see herself in this image as I see myself? 

Did she see herself just as I have clinging to the cliffs of life’s desperate moments; 

rocks slippery, body bruised, hands and feet cut, the struggle raging so long?   

I know she had her share of storms, as every life does. 

The Lord is my shepherd... I will fear no evil; for you are with me;

  Psalm 23: 1, 4

I know too, that she honed a deep faith across the years. Studying diligently, serving compassionately, and teaching faithfully. In sum I know it was faith that gave her the wisdom to lift her eyes in search of her Lord’s outstretched hand in every challenge. 

Knowing that, is precious knowledge,

as much a part of her legacy to me, as was this simple painting of faith. 

For the former I am bone deep, heart full, grateful.

Below; my recent recordings among the mounting pages that list the gifts bestowed on my life each day. Counted along with Ann and those linking at Holy Experience

920 mother’s legacy of faith, her example, the momentos passed down that evidence of her belief

924 laughter shared with daughter over her babies’ humorous antics

928 spring green, tender, new grass spreading across the earth

929 opportunity to kneel, bare my heart’s errors, receive grace

930 iris petals, lavender transparency against dusky light

...with humble gratitude to the Lord

Father of our Spirits

Setting aside the sandstorm whirl of dominating thoughts,

Grasping online, like for air, for the writings offered at Christian sites,

The mind gradually redirects, calmed, and invites the spirit to settle alongside as the heart begins to find nourishment.

Eyes scan, mind muses, reads on until caught by a scripture reference,

Scramble over to Biblebrowser to linger there over deeper reading of scripture.

 God beckons and I trudge away from the demands on my mind to converse with Him in a rambling manner, Him hovering just beside my ear as I shuffle through various resources in search of holy nudging. On this occasion I was seeking inspiration to prepare an opening prayer for the first session of a Women’s Bible Study Monday morning. This Spirit walked, wandering process is often fruitful for me and thus it was that day as 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 was brought to my attention.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the [people] of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV

The scripture was beautifully aligned with the study the women would be embarking on the following day.

Moving forward to compose the prayer, I was noticeably halted over selecting the initial address to our Lord. Going this time to my bookshelves to search through resources unearthed these names for God, ones I have not commonly used; Father of our Spirits and Author and Perfecter of our faith. Adding these to the prayer’s address seemed to meet an intentional message for the study.

Indeed as I viewed the initial video lecture with the class the following morning, it became apparent how specifically matched the 2 Timothy verse and attending to the names for God, matched the first verses of Revelation and Beth’s emphasis for the first lesson of the study.

My eyes tend to grow WIDE with awareness of God’s leaning and leading. The heart swells and leaps with recognition of the Holy Spirit’s presence. In closing the class time, I suggested to the women that Our Lord had prepared for their work through this study before they ever entered the room.

God’s work in my life in matters such as the process of writing this prayer consistently charms and conquers my heart in abiding belief.

Luxury is Time in the Morning

Luxury is,

gloriously…time in the morning for devotions; carved out, finally, in this later life-phase of hours defined by personal preference and priority.

A search online for women of words and faith to flesh out the journey with kindred faces, revealed a Gratitude Community of beautiful, tender souls.

Hours spent reading wisdom, reviving hope, recording blessings, rendering the Lord’s word into the heart and onto a page.

Months later, 500 blessings of my own, I join Ann and you tender souls in gratitude for that “place [that thanksgiving allows] God to grow within me” (AnnVoscamp).

Selected blessings from the past weeks:

~clouds like bolls of raw cotton mounding against blue sky

~opportunity to pray for those suffering from heat and drought

~moments of dew misted petals, glassy mirrored ponds, wind through forests, light through leaves

~those who soldier in our nation’s defense

~wind buffeting cheeks, echoing in ears

~Oncologist who prays with us

~coffee and faith talk on the back porch

…never ceasing