Daily Provision

melaniestokesart.com
Give Us This Day…
11×14 Oil
$140

I know hummingbirds don’t eat bread!  But, when I see them each morning outside the window, fluttering around as if they are afraid there will not be enough to eat, this phrase of a prayer pops in my head: “Give Us This Day…”

My husband feeds these hummingbirds every day.  They have been showing up every summer for about ten years.  And each year they bring their friends to the buffet!  This year the count is up to about forty at a time! (give or take a few blurs as you count)  They found the provision in these feeders yesterday, and they expect to find it again.

“Give us this day, our daily bread…”   This is the prayer Jesus taught his followers.   Day by day, God provides what we need. (Note to self – I said, what we need, as opposed to what we can store up in our homes and then have to clean out when it is time to move!)  God sent daily “manna” from heaven to His People in the wilderness.  Remember how it rotted when they tried to store it and save it?  God promised to send just enough for each day.   Day after day, we go back to the One whom we know will provide… and we bring our friends!

Building Castles

melaniestokesart.com
Building Castles
9×12
Oil

Have I mentioned that I’m a grandmother?  I have four grandchildren – two in my home state of Georgia, and two in Texas.  Recently, my Texan son and his family visited for a week.  What a joy to be able to spend time with them!  And part of that time was spent at the beach!

As I looked back through photos of the days, this one seemed like a good one to paint – father, mother, and both brothers, making memories as they built a MEGA sand castle.  No doubt, Luke was remembering the many sand castles his father and brother helped him build. (I could identify with my daughter-in-law’s stance as the one who was content to observe.)

As I painted, I thought about how they are not only building a castle, but building a family, building a home, building men, building memories, building life.  They are building a castle that lasts longer and is worth so much more than any castle they could ever build with sand — or bricks and mortar for that matter.  Parents are builders – it takes hard work and lots of time,  but so worth it!