A few things have gotten me down and pretty much chewed on my mind in the last two weeks and I have, therefore, felt kind of discouraged. Discouraged about people, about myself, and about my walk with God. It is not fun feeling this discouraged, let me tell you. Well I have prayed and prayed for God to pick me up off the ground so I can live a more encouraged life. I just can't face the idea of living life with only a forced smile, finding little to no temporary joy on this earth (darn my ingratitude). God has answered that prayer. Today. About half an hour ago. Allow me to tell you about it.

I'm stuck at home all day (another blessing-I am exhausted) and my whole family was gone this morning. I had the house to myself. I didn't know what I was going to do until I turned on my music and started painting. My intention was to paint a picture of a little cabin in a field (emphasis on the lightning bugs) for my "aunt" who is having surgery. That didn't exactly happen. I got carried away by the island music I was listening to (Jack Johnson-hence the tiny pic) and started painting a beach scene-I adore the beach. I painted a little changing room with a purple curtain, and the sand and the sky and the sun, then laid back to let the sand dry so I could add a couple surf boards.

While I laid back I thought about just how great it was. I loved that music. I loved every stroke of the brush I took. I loved the beach that was drying on the canvas.

I knew that God had just given me a taste of heaven, because as I had painted that was the word chugging around my brain like a train on its track: heaven heaven heaven. It wasn't just like heaven, of course, because it wasn't perfect (ha.ha. in no way is that painting perfect!), but it was a taste. An encouragement. My God sent me a taste of perfection. He gave me a taste of the eternal bliss I am striving towards. God had mercy on me. Not only by feeding, clothing, and blessing me with great people every where I turn, but also with something I had specifically asked for: a picture of what's to come.

"Gotta get to the sea-ea-ea. Come along-long-long, gotta get to the sea!"

Lydia