Night Watches

Today there was a movement on social media . It was dealing with the inequality issues and civil unrest that our nation is facing. I spent quite a bit of time in prayer about my part in all of it, partly because yesterday I took some steps BEFORE I prayed, and I don't think I did well with that. There is no doubt that there are big problems, and that prayer is needed to find our way through, both personally, and nationally. 

Because of the time spent in this way, and because of my convictions concerning what I personally am called to, I did not post this daily painting on social media. (I will do it tomorrow, and it will give me a one day cushion as I try to finish a painting and post every weekday in June.)

NFS

9" x 11.75"

Painted with the finest quality heavy-body acrylic paint on acid-free, heavy weight Fabriano watercolor paper

Ready to frame

Click here to view on my website.

My Bible reading this morning, as I read and prayed, was in 1 Peter 1 and 2, and I found a lot of help for my questions there. Here are some verses that were especially helpful to me.

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

1 Peter 1:22 By obedience to the truth, having purified yourselves for sincere love of the brothers, love one another earnestly from a pure heart,

1 Peter 2:12 Conduct yourselves honorably ... so that in a case where they speak against you as those who do what is evil, they will, by observing your good works, glorify God on the day of visitation.

This painting presented me with a surprising challenge today, too. I was repeating an experiment using a technique called grisaille to paint this landscape, similar to three paintings from last week called More Than Watchmen. This technique starts out by painting a black and white painting with proper values, and then color is added. Well, as I got my paint together, I found to my shock that I am almost out of titanium white paint! (If you are an acrylic artist, you KNOW that it is a huge problem to be out of white!) So not only did I start out creating a value painting, I also had to focus entirely saving the light values of the substrate, and on negative painting.

The painting is far more representational than I prefer, and I blame having to focus so much on technique! Ha! I do like how it turned out, in spite of myself. 

I am sure tomorrow will hold more challenges, dilemmas, and situations that require me to pray. I am grateful to know and love the only One who can make something beautiful out of all of the chaos that we have brought about in our culture. All of my hope is in Him. 

Psalm 63:6 - 8 (Amplified Bible) 

When I remember You on my bed,

I meditate and thoughtfully focus on You in the night watches,

For You have been my help,

And in the shadow of Your wings [where I am always protected] I sing for joy.

My soul [my life, my very self] clings to You;

Your right hand upholds me.