Celebration of Life for Pastor Paul
Canvas: 36” x 48”
Time: Approx. 6 hours
[Not For Sale]
Artist Statement
Theme: Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted
Scripture: Revelation 21:4,5 (KJV) “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away...Behold, I make all things new….”
When Doug asked me to just paint whatever was on my heart for the service on the same day of Pastor Paul’s funeral, I accepted the invitation, but, part of me wanted to avoid church completely, especially on this particular Sunday--to deny the pain and the questions that would come with it. To get inspiration, I again went out to shoot baskets before the service and a picture came to my mind of Paul--GLOWING, bright eyed with enthusiasm, exuberant and enthralled. I remembered meeting Paul at the Men’s retreat in the Fall and him telling me that his dad, Winston (who I had never seen a picture of), had served as a Canadian Mountie and loved horses. I saw them riding together around Mount Zion in a joyful embrace. I had drawn pictures of horses before, but I had never painted a horse. But, at that moment I made three shots in a row and this was my confirmation. During the sermon Doug asked, “How is God inviting us to respond to the deep storms of life?” To be honest and FEEL, was the response I chose. So, I let some raw feelings surface from other losses in my life, like my brother’s death at 19 and my divorce, and voiced my anger and confusion to God again...“WHY?!” And somehow in those tears, I felt his heart aching inside of mine and I heard, “Death, sickness suffering are not from me, but THROUGH suffering, OUR suffering together, I will make us ONE.” I got so absorbed into the painting I couldn’t stop; for those 5 hours I was together with Jesus, Winston and Paul riding alongside them! So, in some mysterious way, in surrendering to the Work, I was free inside of it.