Take Me Deeper - August Week 3

As the school summer holidays seem to be passing way too quickly, we've been super busy with house decoration and garden reorganisation and decoration...the past week it seems there just haven't been enough hours in the day! So, here it is, my August Week 3 Take Me Deeper response! You can find the class HERE at His Kingdom Come if you'd like to join in!

August Week 3 - Put It Into Practice

Continuing with this month's nature theme for the art, I chose to make a piece depicting the kind of place we like to go walking! Inspired by photos taken last year of a forest covered in bluebells, I embellished a little more lol!

I think getting myself out and closer to nature is the fastest and best way for me to feel and keep feeling thankfulness! I really feel closer to God even just sitting in my garden under our big tree! As I tend to hide away indoors from the sun and heat in summer, I know I definitely need to get out there more at present!

The readings that really spoke to me were:

Romans 12:2 - Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God - what is good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.

Ephesians 5:20 - In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, always give thanks for everything to God the Father.

Colossians 2:6-7 - Since you have accepted Christ Jesus as Lord, live in union with him.

Colossians 3:12-17 was also so meaningful, perhaps particularly the verses...You are the people of God; he loved you and chose you for his own. So then you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

It reminded me of Week 1 and the grass being 'clothed' with the wild flowers - so I added in more wild flowers to the 'bluebells' in my piece to represent my attempts to clothe myself with these attributes! Then just added in a few butterflies to represent transformation.

Four CU textures and a load of CU brushwork!
TFL!

Bernie x

Take Me Deeper - August Week 2

I seriously cannot believe I'm typing 'August Week 2' here! - the year seems to be flying by! It seems only a short time ago that we started this year long project and I was praying that I'd manage to keep up! Each time I upload a new piece of art I look back and see how many weeks have gone by, and each one has some artwork to represent it! Wow! That makes me so happy!

If you'd like to join us in the Take Me Deeper Class - or rejoin if you perhaps started but aren't up to date! - and it's never too late to start! - you can find the class HERE at His Kingdom Come!

For now though, I think it's time for the artwork! I particularly like this piece...as usual each week I'm amazed by what flows forth from my pen!

August Week 2 - Think About Such Things
Am loving the devotionals and the personal testimonies - I'm finding myself identifying with a LOT!

I did the suggested readings. I'd decided that I wanted to try and create a set of nature-themed pieces for this month as nature is one of the things that really beings home feelings of thankfulness and peace and joy to me.

Perhaps because of this Psalm 95 vv1-5 really spoke to me at first:
Come, let us praise the Lord!
Let us sing for joy to God, who protects us!
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and sing joyful songs of praise.
For the Lord is a mighty God,
a mighty king over all the gods.
He rules the deepest caves to the highest hills.
He rules over the sea, which he made;
The land also, which he himself formed.

I just started reading through the Psalms and noting lines that jumped out at me:
Psalm 107 v.43
...consider the Lord's constant love

Psalm 118 v.28
You are my God, and I give you thanks; I will proclaim your greatness.

Psalm 136 v.26
Give thanks to the God of heaven, his love is eternal

Psalm 104:
v.3: You use the clouds as your chariot and ride on the wings of the wind.
v.4: You use the winds as your messengers and flashes of lightning as your servants.
v.12: In the trees nearby the birds make their nests and sing.
v.13: From the sky you send rain on the hills,
and the earth is filled with your blessings.
v.24: Lord, you have made so many things!
How wisely you made them all!

I toyed with the idea of a seascape or a tree scene but then the image of cow parsley came to me. I couldn't find the photo I had in my head that I took a few years ago now, of the plant, dried, and standing proud against the blue sky background, so I had to recreate it from memory!

The cow parsley is a bit stylised but I like the effect and hopefully it's recognisable!! The way the plant stands tall and stretches towards the sun and when filled with the white flowers looks so pretty and happy always inspires me!
Lots of CU textures and brushes used as well as CU edges!
TFL!
Bernie x