Masterpiece or Work in Progress?

Last year I said I was going to write every week.

I said I was going to paint every month.

I let busyness prevent me from doing these things… I’m a procrastinator at times.

I’ve been trying to stop doing that.

My word for last year was GROW.

Little did I know just how much I would do that.

When we went into lockdown “life” as we knew it came to a halt.

I needed challenges to help me grow so I started this blog, another thing I had said I was going to do when I retired. (Y’all, the days fly by in retirement !)

Although I don’t write every week, I am making progress.

In the fall, I saw an ad on Facebook for an online painting class. I knew it was time to pick up my brush and paint.

I committed to painting something each month and I’m making time to do it so far.

One of my (many) favorite verses is Ephesians 2:10 NLT

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us to do long ago.”

I don’t know about you, but I definitely do not feel like a masterpiece!

BUT, I do know that I am a new creation in Christ.
He sees the BIG picture of what I’m becoming and He equips me to do all of the good things He planned for me.

I started this angel for my little granddaughter at the end of November. It was done with a palette knife, a new technique I’ve been working on. As I looked at the painting I was pretty satisfied with the angel itself, but not with the background.

I hung it up on the wall. She was pleased but I kept looking at it. It needed more work.

A few weeks later I decided to work on the background a little. I took a brush and muted the brighter colors. It looked better but it wasn’t what I wanted just yet.

I added some touches of gold and took a few days to look at it, still thinking it needed something else.

I decided she needed some definition to her face… some lashes.

I felt better about it but still thought it needed something in the background.

My aunt, Bernice, was an artist and many times she would keep a painting on her easel, examining it for a while before adding details to it.

I frequently examine myself in the same way I examined this painting. Quite often I second-guess myself, thinking of ways to improve, even praying about it.

More than likely, I’ll continue editing this writing a few times, tweaking it until it conveys the intended meaning.

I’m looking at the painting, it came to me. The angel was slightly off-center.

Life can get off center at times as well.

We get distracted, losing focus or we get too focused on ourselves…

I added a snippet of a hymn in that negative space and finished the edges with a dark gray.

Adding these details really made the piece stand out as I had wanted.

It’s far from perfect. So am I even though I strive to be.

I posted the progress of my painting inside our support group where we often comment on each other’s work. I asked if anyone else in the group continues working on paintings like this. Some of the students commented that they did. One lady said that she doesn’t. She said she finishes a painting. Even if she’s not satisfied, she’s stops working on it.

I’m glad God doesn’t do that with me. He’s always working on me, bringing me closer to His idea of completion.

I’ve been thinking of what my word for 2021 will be and I think I’ve finally settled on “Progress.” Each day is a chance to make progress, even if the steps are small.

You can always pick up the brush and work on the painting that is your life…or the pen and work on you life story.

I’m aiming for progress in 2021 and giving myself some grace, because I know perfection is not of this world.

In this life I will struggle. I know who we want to be, what I want to do.
Where I want to go…but I’m held back by my imperfections and insecurities.

But I am confident of this, that He who began a good work in me will bring it to completion when the day of Christ Jesus comes. (Philippians 1:6)

I will certainly continue to do my self- examinations looking to improve what’s within me but, more importantly, in 2021 I’m going to look up and out at Him.