Saturday 24 May 2014

Consider the Dandelion

Today "Inspiring Felicity" welcomes a guest writer... 
my Dad, Brian V. Sullivan.

Without further ado...


Consider the dandelion...
     Organic evolution cannot account for its skills to advance through these various cycles and then be preserved by the sending forth of seeds. The plant could not have randomly done this, for it would have perished long before it accomplished that.
    
    Every dandelion goes through the same cycle over and over in its given lifetime. John H. Gerstner declares that “Its very survival demonstrates a built in characteristic of preservation and continuation.”  The plant itself does not have a brain but yet functions with deliberate action toward a definite end. God alone is the answer to this “purpose” that is so evident.
    
    How does it know when to cease being a flower bloom and become a seed-bearing plant? Either there is an intelligent Cause behind this plant and its creation or it just happened. If it just happened, how did it happen to exist long enough to do what it is known for doing: budding, blooming and dispatching multitudinous seeds for new plantations?


    When you see a dandelion think of how it came into being and what it is that makes it bud, bloom and become a virtual seed house. It exudes design in its very nature of moving from bloom to seed dispersal unit.
Without human intervention, just grand design, the dandelion greets each spring visitor and heralds the truth: There is a God and He made me!

    Without human interference the dandelion has gone through generation after generation of growing, blooming and seeding. Yet, the basic plant itself remains the same suggesting clearly the “fixity of species”. Yes, there may be different variables in the plant, but the basic structure and development remains the same throughout the species. This demonstrates “purpose”.

   Only one reasonable explanation remains for the persistence, tenacity, and continual supply of generations of dandelions– God made them in the first place, and gave them a role to play in the natural realm.

    Imagine if man had declared the dandelion a flower rather than a noxious weed? They are one of first harbingers of spring, a yellow orb of sunshine, a ready bouquet for little boys and girls to pick, a virtual salad and to some other purposes that we will leave untold. How could something so useful be classified as a weed?

    Did you realize the dandelion in rapid succession reminds us of the fleeting nature of our life? It begins as a young and tender plant, then advances to maturity and blooming, then it advances to silvery-grey and ultimately a precious part of it “flies away” much as the Scriptures suggest we do (Psalm 90:10).  In spite of dying it lives on.

Every flower has its season, is this your day to shine in God’s sight? 

Sunday 11 May 2014

Mom



"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.  She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.   Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all."~ Proverbs 31:26-29 ~(NKJV)  "Mom" In that one simply spoken single syllable is a lifetime of memories - of treasures."Mom" equates love - unconditional, unending love - no matter what! Just three weeks ago my beautiful Mom passed away quite suddenly.She was only 65 years old, her heart simply failed, and she was gone.And life will never be the same. There is no way to summarize all that my Mom was, nor is there a need to do so here...      I would like, however, to share this. These thoughts have come to mind recently and cause my heart to smile. Mom always looked forward.She looked forward to big events like weddings, grandbabies, and birthdays.She looked forward to traveling with Dad to visit their kids and grandkids.She looked forward to when her kids and grandkids traveled to visit her!                                  She looked forward to every Sunday worship service                                                and every bible study time with fellow Christians.She looked forward to quiet times to draw and paint.She looked forward to volunteering at the local benefit shoppe. She looked forward to trying out a new recipe.She looked forward to 'catching up' with each of her children and grandchildren on the phone each day.Mom looked forward to loving us, hugging us, reassuring and encouraging us, cheering us on!But most importantly, she looked forward to a home in heaven.She lived her life faithfully before God.


As a teenager Mom learned the Truth (Romans 10:11-16). She believed it (Romans 10:17) and she obeyed it. She followed the examples of the men and women found in the New Testament - she understood her need for repentance (Luke 13:3, Acts 17:30, 2 Peter 3:9) and she confessed that Jesus is, indeed, the Son of God (Acts 8:37, Romans 10:8-10), and she was immersed into the waters of baptism for the remission of her sins (Mark 16:16, 1 Peter 3:21). She rose to walk in 'newness of life' (Romans 6:1-4) and from that day forward Mom never looked back. She never wavered in her faith. She wholly committed herself to God and was determined to continue to learn and know His will from studying the Bible. When she had struggles she prayed to God for help, comfort, and forgiveness. When she rejoiced, she filled her prayers with praise.  


Mom walked all her days honouring God and doing her very best to obey His will. 


That is why today, Mother's Day, is bittersweet... I won't be getting Mom's phone call telling me how cheery the flowers we sent look on her table, I won't hear her laughter on the other end of the line. I won't hear her say, "I love you bunches and bunches Sweetie!" after telling her how deserving she is of all the happy thoughts and well-wishes that come on this wonderful day set aside to honour Moms...


No, none of that will happen, but one thing that can and will happen - I can and will praise our glorious Father in Heaven for blessing us with a Mom who was an example of love and faithfulness in all things - especially in her walk before Him - because of that I have every confidence that Mom is resting from her labours (Revelation 14:13). I can't help but be thankful to God for providing a hope for life beyond this life! If we live our life according to His will and command we can firmly trust that when our life here ends (or Jesus returns) that we will see her again! We will stand shoulder to shoulder with our dear Mom and together, with the saved of all ages, we will praise our magnificent God for all of eternity!!


       So today I will think on the forty Happy Mother's Days I did share with my Mom - and every day in-between! I will continue to rise up and call her blessed! I will rejoice over the many reasons I can thank God for her and for all that she means to me -  in doing that, I will never stop being thankful for my Mom!! Cath-



                 

Saturday 10 May 2014

The Mood Swing

  There is a lovely lady I have known for a long time who, in recent years, 
has made mention of a place that she looks forward to after a hectic day... 

...a place that is relaxing and refreshing to her. When it is hot in the house, 
she can escapes to this place for a cool retreat... 

This place is in her yard. I imagine her flower garden may be nearby... 
...this place of calm cool comfort is her swing.  
And her frequent mentions of it and it's joy-invoking qualities sparked something in me...

Can you imagine having access to swing that enhanced one's mood?? 
What would you call such a device? 
It could only be called... wait for it...  "The Mood Swing"!! 
 
Pow! Inspiration struck! Boom! Pow! - "The Mood Swing" - a perfect play on words!!
I grabbed up my sketchbook and start jotting down the pictures in my head.


    First, I began with a quick thumbnail sketch...                  Then I sketched one with more detail....                                                         



Then I thought about some of the components of the picture...


 While I painted the final piece I tested out colour and design ideas before adding them... 




And, after several months of working away at it in-between other projects...
 I finally completed it!


   "The Mood Swing"
(watercolour, 8" x 8")


A cool place to sit, read, relax... the possibilities are endless!
And so are the inspirations!!

♥ Cath-