Do you ever have years where you say to God – “I can’t take much more?” 2022 was one of those years for my husband and I. The entire year from start to finish was riddled with major life events: deaths of friends and parents, a son falling off a roof, a mother falling and breaking her pelvis, moving an elderly parent, the birth of our first grandchild – just to name a few. By the end of that challenging year, I felt like I had done one too many rounds in the boxing ring!
My regular painting sessions seemed non-existent. Every time I picked up my brushes, my inspiration seemed to fly away like my strength. And looking back at the artwork I was able to finish that year, I can definitely tell that my heart and mind were suffering.
But, in the very last days of 2022, God gave me this Ostrich face to paint. Animals are a favorite subject of mine. They can exhibit such a range of emotions. So when I finished this painting I realized I was staring at the face of my mother. Now I know it seems strange to liken your mother to an Ostrich, but the expression captured in the painting is the same as my mother’s. Such loving kindness!
My mother died in July of 2022 from the effects of Alzheimer’s Disease. Anyone who has ever witnessed a person go through the stages of Alzheimer’s understands that it is incredibly difficult. The person you know slowly fades into a person very different.
So looking at the Ostrich face, it dawned on me that God gave me this painting to help me heal from my mom’s passing. Art can allow us to work through life’s challenges. We can’t make the hardships go away, but we can ask our loving Father to help to heal and see Him actively involved in our lives each day.
