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I have been home here in Florida for about a week now. I am coming off the best vacation I have ever had. It was full of kayaking experiences when the weather was at its best. When the wind owned the day, I went walking. A jacket, my camera and my cat, followed me everywhere. The cat seemed to enjoy himself in the wilderness of Georgian bay but later feared being out in it. More about that later. I went, I saw, I painted. See last post for images. Now I can reflect.

I had a vacation that unintentionally became the most important thing I have done for myself in a long, long time. I started a thirty-minute bible reading every morning. This tiny effort has blossomed into two and a half hours in the morning followed by night readings. And not just reading but prayer as well. I started with a simple morning prayer centered around my gratefulness and seeking forgiveness and my wanting for the Lord to be with me in all things. Especially with reading the bible. Prayer with the reading. Asking for insight and for the Lord to open my mind, my eyes, my soul, my spirit (which the bible says will lead me to truth) my, mouth, my ears, whatever. Open my up Lord to your word.

The tiny effort I made for the Lord has taking on a life of its own and I hope there will be no end. I got saved about twenty years ago. Unfortunately for me, I must confess, that when I got saved the word of the Lord, as in the parable of the Sower, fell on stoney ground. It had no depth of soil and was choked. I can say with assurance I had no idea what I was doing. What to do with this being saved bit. As a result, I fell off. I wandered off, thinking well… that was fun. After chasing after everything, in every area of my life, without Jesus, for nearly twenty years and realizing I had failed in every area. I had realized that I had gone it alone without Jesus. I had Jesus within me the whole time and considered him not. For twenty years I tried to make life happen and the ends thereof were disastrous, unnecessarily difficult, and many time missed the mark. Frankly, a twenty-year shit show. Yes, it had its bright spots. I had a son in 99 and he now has a child, my granddaughter. And I made some financial and career improvements along the way but something was always amiss. Something was just not right. I was left with an unmistakable conclusion that I went it alone without a prayer life and without Jesus.

Finally, I gave in. On this vacation a total surrender to the Lord took place. I just asked him to please take over. Take over all of it. I gave complete access to all of me. I open up to him in ways I never thought. I poured it out. After a while it just came flowing out of me, along with a few buckets of tears. It was relief from Jesus himself. I realized I reached out to the Lord like I have never before.

Shortly thereafter, I felt amazing. I knew the Lord was at work in me. I had confessed during my surrender to the Lord that I would put him first and consider him in all things. I am working hard to make sure I put him first and I can feel him making it easier every day. When I start a new painting, I ask him to be with me with every stroke. I plan the day’s events, and I ask him to be with me. I want to incorporate Jesus in all things.

In Genesis 5:21-24 we read about Enoch walking and talking with Lord and he was not, for the Lord took him. And later we read in the book of Hebrews that Enoch had so much faith, a super-faith as it were. His faith was so strong he believed he would not see death and the Lord took him. That is an amazing story of faith but the taking up into heaven seems the afterthought here. What is amazing is that Enoch walked with God all day and in all things. That is what I want. I want to walk with God. I don’t care so much about being taken up. Death, with the exception of a few in the bible that got swept up, is part of it. We can’t escape it. What is important here is this man’s faith. The only way to have faith like Enoch is to let Jesus in and take over. By doing so my faith will grow, and I can walk with Jesus.

So, reconnecting with Jesus is the best thing I have done for me in a long time. It’s worth repeating. Simply amazing. Get back with God.

My cat. My cat enjoyed being in the wilderness of Canada few the first few days. He followed me everywhere. Then one day we were out for a walk, surrounded by think woods on each side he decides to take off into the thick woods. My cat is deaf, like an idiot I started to yell for him to no avail. I had to go in after him. I had to go get my lost sheep. I had to weigh in on some heavy thick woods. it was amazing a fox didn’t get him or a rattle snake. I got to thinking why would he just take off like that. Following me one minute and the next in the deep woods. I think he was crying in the wilderness, so to speak, about maybe being lost. We both were, I guess. Any way thanks for listening.

I have wrapped up my limited Canadian series but had a few fall paintings I thought I would try. 2×4 foot acrylic on canvas 2025

Fall drive in Georgian Bay 2×3 foot acrylic on canvas 2025

This has an A.Y Jackson feel to it. 2×3 ft acrylic on canvas 2025