Make Known His Wonderful Works

I decided to try to enter The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 9th International Art Competition. The theme is "Make Known His Wonderful Works". About the time I had read the theme for the competition I was looking through the pictures of a family in my ward who just had a baby. There were some beautiful pictures of their girls looking at their new baby brother. I couldn't think of anything more wonderful than the birth of a child into an family. Everyone is so anxious and excited to meet the new little member and when the moment arrives there's such a heavenly feeling as you gaze upon this new little life given to us from our Heavenly Father, straight from heaven. They are so beautiful and pure and we are instantly filled with reverence and awe for the sacredness of life. We want to do everything in our power to protect and help this fragile little one. I'm always amazed at how everything about babies calls our hearts to love and help them - their cries, their helplessness, their smiles, their funny faces and miniature fingers and toes, etc...

Each time I've given birth to my four children it has been a moment of pure bliss. My heart overflows with love and the moment we meet (even before that) I pledge an eternal promise to love, protect and help them to the best of my ability. And when my ability is lacking my heart pours out to Heavenly Father for them to make up the difference in what I lack - which happens very often.

So I decided to paint two of the sisters meeting their little brother for the first time. I really loved the peaceful, adoring look on their faces and the quiet purity of their new little brother. I know my growing ability to paint cannot completely capture what I want to express yet but again the Lord helps me make up the difference in what I lack. I pray for His help as I paint and it's a wonderful experience. There was a point where I felt like giving up because I didn't know how to fix some mistakes I made without starting over. I stopped painting, prayed and later came back and sat down and was amazed how smoothly things went as I started to paint. I know that He helped me. Painting is a wonderful way to come face to face with your weaknesses and to come to know the loyalty and love of the Lord. It's a humbling experience. I'm not saying my painting is perfect. I see many flaws. But it's better than it would have been all on my own.