Painting in a recent plein air event took me to Galveston, Texas. For four days, forty four juried artists painted from outdoor life, all over the island. And by Friday, we had created the Plein Air Southwest Show that rivaled works in many nice galleries! To be a part of the talent in the room was thrilling!
I came home with paintings of historic homes, beautiful parks, the harbor docks, and shady estates. But the image that stopped my thoughts for a moment, and called to me to paint it, was this one.
9×12 oil
As I was touching up a painting on my host’s front porch, I looked up from my easel. The light on the church steeple at the end of the street caught my eye. The image seemed to ground my thoughts, which had been a bit scattered from the whirlwind week. I pulled out a 9×12 panel and painted, not focusing on the whole scene but the steeple pointing upward toward the light.
And God spoke with the visual image. Things Above…Set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth….and the things of this earth will pass away. (These thoughts come from multiple Bible verses. So, it’s not a quote, but words that came to my memory.) I was reminded to focus on spiritual things, trusting Him, and listening as He guides me.
In this world, I am assured that God is above all; above all this crazy stuff on earth which will eventually pass away, just like the drips on the painting. Set your mind on things above. And let the worries drip away.