Notes "en plein air" on plein air!

Quick Sketch as the sun goes down of this wonderful old gnarled tree. I felt like I was in another world...peaceful, quiet, still. (The Spirit Tree, 14x11 pastel)



So I have had a little time to reflect on my plein air trip to New Harmony, Indiana. Yes I struggled with my new set up and new medium but I was still able to peek into the soul of an old tree...still my heart long enough to admire the simplicity of a single dogwood blossom, wonder at the history of a broken fence line and drink in the spring green in huge gulps. Oh, the joy in it all!!

Sunflowers and digital alterations

Driven to create everyday...this is today's fun. Short bursts of sun shining through sunflowers...broken intense color, contrast, chroma. Frilly edges...botanical happiness!

Lilly Heart: Considering the Lilly...again.

At the center is the heart of it pulsing with life and light.

The stargazers soul ...held loosely.

Momentary.

Knowing he will rise again He gives it to you freely...

knowing it to be the death of Him.

He has dressed for this repeat performance.

What is it? (Manna)

When the Israelites left Egypt to wander the wilderness while God made a nation out of them they were afraid and complained that they would die of starvation. So Moses talked to God about it and The Father did an amazing thing that fed them all the years they wondered in the dessert. He made Manna. It was such strange stuff that they named it "What is it?" (In Hebrew: Manna.) Each morning when they awoke it would be lying all over the ground. The rules were that they were only to gather enough to eat for one day with one exception...the day before the Sabbath they were to gather enough for 2 days. The leftovers ( with the exception of the 6th day!) would spoil and if they ate it and they would become very ill. Some died from this.

I have often wondered what this stuff looked like?...tasted and felt like. It was so important to them that they were to keep some in the Ark of the Covenant (or Promise) which eventually ended up in the Temple and Contained the Very Presence of God. (ARK: You know that thing Indiana Jones made famous again).

All of this is leading up to my point: A number of years ago I had a very significant trauma at the hands of someone I really trusted and it shook my life to the very core. Healing took a long time and here is the thing I learned that gave me my life back: Forgiveness is like manna...you must harvest it each day! On occasion it will last for 2 days but sure enough, if you eat it old, it will make you ill. I have pondered this for years now..it is like Jesus' love for us. It is such a foreign thing to us that we ask "What is it?" How could someone die (be murdered in the most brutal way imaginable and not be bitter about it?) for me when I am soooo unworthy? There is absolutely nothing else like it on the planet...but then that IS the point. God IS Love.