christ in the wilderness

I just love this painting. It comes from a series of paintings by Stanley Spencer, a secular artist. I have not seen the whole series. In fact, I have only seen this and another which shows Christ holding a scorpion (a surprisingly serene painting). I find it interesting that, of all the biblical themes he could of chosen as a decidedly secular artist, he chose to paint Christ in the desert. what I think is so interesting about this painting is the way that Christ seems to be being swallowed up, perhaps by temptation, hunger, or frustration? He is reaching out to the Father, something I think we forget he had to do. I think we put Christ on this pedestal like he was never really tempted or hurting. After all, he was God.

This painting reminds me that Christ is familiar with my suffering, whether it be from temptation, or stress, physical pain, or frustration. His answer was to look to the Father. Mine? Too often I try to fix things on my own. I figure if God knew what I was going through He would fix it for me, and if He doesn't, I will. It's hard sometimes to know whether it is God's will to wait something out or to move. I found myself praying the other day like Moses and Joshua did in the OT, "Lord, if you do this, it will bring you glory," and, while it was true, I am unsure of whether God has something in mind which would bring Him even greater glory. Hard call. Hard to be patient. Even laying a fleece is sometimes difficult, like I am trying to force God's hand.

I still like the picture, even if I haven't learned my lesson...

snow day

Ok, so, for a week I have been meaning to write about my trip to Chicago. Maybe I'll get to that in part, but for now I have to say ITS SNOWING!! Well, more like the North Carolina equivalent of snow which means white stuff falling from the sky, sticking (barely) to the grass and melting on the the pavement. This also means no school. Crazy, huh? No, crazy is the way school has been canceled. We got up, and school was on. We got ready to go, and they put high schools on a 2 hour delay, 20 minutes before the tardy bell-so sorry those of you who have left already. Now they have canceled the high schools, and the other schools will get out an hour early. And I though I was random! The snow also means that my concert for the College Parkers, the senior adult socal group here at the church, has been canceled as well. I am both saddened but glad I get a little more time to work on it.

So, my trip to Chicago...A few random thoughts: Not that I was in space per say, but flying over the earth at night is amazing. You can see the cities laid out in grids and patterns of lights-like reverse stars. ..When you are not too far up you can see Christmas lights! Flying on top and in clouds blows my mind...Kind of amazing-I couldn't tell one city from another from that height, yet God sees the individual and knows them...Chicago has a very boxy light grid...Chicago-land of people who never smile(and who look at you crazy if you do). Wish NC had this many ethnic restaurants...Chicago has diversity out the wazoo. Southern Mississippi, not so much (What's the name of the florist? Aiello? I don't even know what kind of name that is, how do you spell it? Everything there has strange names!) You can be related to a group of people and completely not relate to them at all. You can find something amazing in loving them anyway. My world is completely different from the one my grandma and her siblings grew up in. Canning meat? Did he just use the n word? I am the kind of girl who can laugh at a funeral...I both love and hate that I can laugh at a funeral...Even the cute guy from jr high grows up to be a regular person, and when you grow up, you aren't scared to talk to him, particularly if you are wondering if he is gay...mourning is much worse for the one who doesn't believe...Preachers are to be available but not pushy (mental note for the minister inside me...)...It is amazing how ministers can posture and be competitive...How many members do you have?...how long have you been at your church?....What kind of Baptist are you?...good grief!!...Unfortunately, sometimes the statistics are more interesting to a fellow minister than your heart... Brett Favre rocks...Lilly, with the personality of 10 children!...George and Laura make beautiful children...but he is still a knucklehead...I love woodstoves...Potica rocks, got to learn to make that someday...You know Grandieu is getting older when you cook her breakfast...I love my family.