I got to visit my niece in Minneapolis today, and saw some of my dad’s artwork that I hadn’t seen before, such as this acrylic on glass (painted on the backside of the glass). I love the slightly abstract view of the bridge from behind the safety of the guardrail.
What bridges lie in front of you?
It seems like autumn has settled in fully here in Britain – I’ve moved to donning scarves again and wearing my Haflinger clogs in the vicarage. But memories of times canoeing on a lake in Minnesota can quickly bring back that summertime feeling, as I think back to the sound of the paddle moving through the water with the loons calling in the distance.
What says summer to you?
Fresh off the canvas – a watercolor my dad created today for one of the art classes he leads for seniors. To me this picture speaks of rest and beauty; of solitude and God’s presence.
What do you see?
Maybe this painting appeals to me today because it’s another soggy and cool day in Londontown. August weather this is.
My dad’s painting is of a desert sunset, where the days are hot with a dry heat, which warms you right up when you inhale it. I know heat is heat, however, and that many people in the Western part of the States are suffering with extreme temperatures. I’ll give you a few degrees of our cool for some of your warmth.
What sort of weather and landscape are you dreaming about today?
Some can’t imagine living in a city, but I love the buzz of conversation, cultural happenings, and the mixture of people from scores of different nationalities living together. Of course major cities can be terrorist targets, as we’ve seen in London this year. But we also see in the book of Revelation that God will gather his people together in his city. We’ll live in peace, enjoying life to the full. Come, Lord Jesus.
Summer – sunshine, road construction, the laughter of a child at the fairgrounds… how’s your summer? Have you been to the fair?
“Like a bridge over troubled water…” We used to sing that Simon & Garfunkel song at church when I was growing up, not having heard of the rumored meanings behind it – drugs in some format, not God. But the Lord is our bridge, not only when the waters are troubled and murky, but when they are crystal clear and gurgling along.
My dad’s watercolor shows a Minneapolis bridge – the 10th Avenue Bridge – with the city skyline behind.
Do you see God’s bridging work in your life?
A bridge, a boat, some trees. Where does this scene take you?
A skyline full of color… reds and blues and oranges and yellow. I love God’s creation, and all the beauty it reveals, and I love the city skyline too.
Today has been declared a #DayofPrayer, in response to some who were calling for a #dayofrage. Please, join me in praying for our cities and our towns, that the Lord would pour out his mercy and his grace, healing the brokenhearted and infusing us with his hope and grace and love.
The weather in London has been a lot like these dark clouds lately. And the cycle of campaigning is reaching its crescendo tomorrow with the general election. Will we have more of a dark cloud over us?
Lord, have mercy. Pour out your peace and your love on these shores.