One of my favorite moments of the day is when I first look out of the windows to see what animals or birds might be strolling through the property as I drink my morning coffee. The sun rises over the pond and water fowl glide around. Ocasionally, deer may be grazing in the distance. And, more times than any, the black angus are already moving about.
This particular morning, the new calf was moving slower than the rest of the herd. So the mama was staying back to encourage it to get moving! As they walked past the clear point of the pond, the mama stepped into the water and drank — a long time. She lifted her head and looked refreshed, renewed, ready to walk further, and to try to be patient with this child as she prodded him along!
You know, things always look brighter in the morning. A good night’s sleep can help any burden. A night of rest can bring clarity to a plan of action. A glass of orange juice or a cup of coffee can wake your brain from sleep. A new day, a new light, a new outlook — “His mercies are new every morning!”
“Broken promises are worse than rain clouds that don’t bring rain.” Proverbs 25:14 CEV
This painting, presently on my easel, came to my mind when I read these words from the Bible. The imagery of rain clouds just teasing dry land is understood in this environment. The painting seems to illustrate the verse.
I’ve been painting this scene from a photo I had taken of what will become our new back yard. The 29 acres are fifteen minutes from Waco TX, between Mart, Axtell, and Hallsburg…what I like to call “in the middle of nowhere.”
We bought this property because it is only six miles from our son and his family. While looking for about five acres, we ended up with twenty nine! But a lease to pasture cows came with it. We love having the open spaces, and the front yard has seven big oak trees!!
I was the first one who saw the promise of a house in the steel barn on the property. Maybe it was because I had binge-watched “Fixer Upper” in preparation for moving to Waco! Maybe it was because I am a creative person and can see how to make things out of leftovers. We bought this place with the idea that it would be pretty simple to expand the 720 square foot apartment into about 2000 square feet of living space under the metal roof. Things are never as simple as they seem.
An Open Door 6×8 Oil
My “can do anything” husband drew up some house plans. For over a month we have researched, contacted and met with contractors to obtain bids for the project. Steve is presently doing demolition on the existing structure to get it ready to build into our vision.
I know there is a promise of a house here. (There is light at the end of this barn!) But, it seems like it is taking too long to see it fulfilled. Yet, I am grateful for a comfortable place to stay in the meantime (30 minutes away), which has wonderful scenes to paint, and trying to be patient about not having “my stuff” that is all stored away.
How many times do we find ourselves in the middle of a journey, only to feel that things are taking too long, going too slow, coming to dead ends? And then, we remind ourselves that if we are on this journey with God, we have His promise that He will never leave us, or forsake us, or break promises.
“With all my heart, I am waiting, Lord, for you! I trust your promises.” Psalm 130: 5
There is so much for which to be grateful! But that will be another blog entry.
Are you old enough to remember the opening scene of the Little House on the Prairie television series? You know, the one where Laura and her sisters are running happily through the waving prairie grass and swaying wildflowers?
Walking Through Wildflowers 10×20 Oil $150
Well, that’s the flashback I had when I was recently walking through wildflowers on a prairie near Waco, Texas. Two grandsons ran ahead, following the curving path their father had mowed. (I know Laura had to blaze the trail herself. It looks real picturesque on tv, but those grasses can cut and who knows what danger lies deep beneath them?) With the help of the pathway, we could enjoy the aesthetic, sensory experience in safety!
White flowers bloom for acres in August on the prairie. “Snow on the Prairie” is a fitting name. This day the storm clouds were beginning to bank themselves in the distance, providing a violet colored backdrop for the greens and white. The rain would be welcomed to give enough moisture for the next variety of flowers, waiting to spring forth from the cracked earth.
As we walked through the wildflowers, the boys ran ahead, delighting in finding trails that forked in two directions. The dog zig-zagged around in the tall grass, looking for whatever dogs look for. Our son and daughter-in-law walked and talked with us, as we explored and dreamed about the future. Eventually the boys came back around, the dog was called from his wanderings off the path, and all of us went back to the house to rest.
Walking through Wildflowers … if you lose your way, you simply follow the path toward home.
This painting came about after a recent visit with my son’s family in Axtell (outside of Waco), Texas. I needed to paint it as confirmation that I could enjoy painting the landscapes there. For you see, we are looking toward moving to Texas. Yes, you read that right!
We are at the stage of life where one thinks about the future as one of the last chapters of one’s story (but hopefully a long chapter full of lots of action!). Both retired from our careers, we have been searching for where God would lead us next. So, without all the questions answered, we are remembering what Abraham did when God said, “Go.”
In the next months, we will be cleaning out, packing, selling, searching, settling and looking toward Texas. Yes, we will miss Georgia. Yes, we hate to say goodbye. But adventure beckons and you can still follow me on Facebook!
I hope to be involved quickly in the Waco arts community. There is a lot happening downtown with all the new energy created by Chip and Joanna Gaines, including new art galleries!
Steve, who always wanted to be a cowboy when he grew up, is looking forward to using all those woodworking tools he has collected for years, in a western setting. And we are both looking forward to being near Luke and his family, who have been Texans for over a decade.
If you need a painting from me before I leave Georgia, now would be the time! I would rather sell it to you than try to pack them all. Look on my webpage and give me a call.
