New Paintings

Dear Friends,

God bless you, your loved ones and your ministries today!

How do you feel when you finish a project to your satisfaction?

When I was little, I followed my grandmother around the farmhouse and yard like a puppy dog. I dried the dishes she washed, made the beds with her (slapping the feather pillows to fluff them), put the cinnamon rolls into the baking dish after she kneaded the dough, rolled the brown sugar and cinnamon into it, then cut it into magic pinwheels. I caught the overhauls when they came through the wringer on the washing machine and pushed them down into the cold rinse water, then I caught them after they went through the wringer the second time and put them into the laundry basket. I handed the clothespins to her as she hung them on the line and simply watched in fascination as she sprinkled them with water and ironed them.

Everything my grandmother did was a ritual and she did it perfectly. When she taught me to quilt, she emphasized how important it was to have the corners meet exactly. Her knitting was so tight that the mittens she made for all eight of her grandchildren every year, kept the cold and snow out, no matter how long we played outdoors.

I learned my craftsmanship from her and set my standards equally as high as hers.

In Seminary, I learned that getting a B+ instead of a A+ was "very good" and I changed many of my standards for myself, especially when it came to housework!

However, there is still one area of my life where I try to be as absolutely perfect as I can be and that is with my art. Before I can sign an oil painting it has to "be my baby" and I have to be able to live with it on my walls at home. So calling a painting finished is not easy for me.

But I did it! I finished Painted Prayers for Haiti #4 and #5! I posted them for you to see. I hope you enjoy them, dear friends.

Much love, Sue