When I was first married, I started buying inexpensive ‘Christmas village’ buildings to put on display. It began with a house and a business, and has grown to a several buildings and other structures. By far, my favorite part is the people I have bought over the years to accessorize (You can never have enough people!!!). Since it is an inexpensive set, I just buy figurines at the dollar store: every year adding a few more.
This year I was excited to find a set of black people, one of them dressed as Santa! But of course due to my perfectionist ways and the supplier’s rushed paint job, I have to touch up each of the figures to my standards with a little acrylic paint. This usually takes a several hours and a brush with about five small hairs in order to do the fine details in such small figures. I don’t mind. It is relaxing, and I like to see the figures transformed more into my liking.
I started last night and discovered some of my paints need replacing, so I can’t quite finish the new ones. I also need to replace some specialty paints I won’t be able to buy at the dollar store, but those can wait until next year. Back on topic though, painting people is fun. They have different hair and face colour, varying colour of clothing, and some of them are doing diverse jobs: baker, clergyman, musician, painter, etc. Most of the time, I blend basic colours together to match the colours already on the figure in order to cover inaccurately painted areas.
(Thank You Lord!!!- very much! J)
For the most part, He has helped me change for the better. Little by little the Master Painter used His fine detailed brush to fix the ‘mistakes’ in my character. He relaxed and took His time making sure it was done to His liking, not my own perceptions of how I should be. The Lord continues to work in me (Php. 2:13 ) so that I can be “…conformed to the image of His Son…”
(Rom. 8:29 )
…for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart. 1Sm. 16:7
But we all, with our face having been unveiled, having beheld the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, are being changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Lord Spirit. 2Cor. 3:18 MKJV
Do not be conformed to this world, but continually be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God's will is-what is proper, pleasing, and perfect. Rom.
You know, I was just thinking of something. I would be very unhappy if I had spent lots of money on the figurines and they still required so much work to make them right. Hmmm. God paid the ultimate price for our salvation in the death of Jesus, yet we still require ‘tons’ of work because we are so flawed. What an amazing God that He still considered us worth the cost! We were worth the price of His Son. I was worth the price of His Son. Lord, thanks for never giving up on us and for continuing to ‘paint’ in our lives- daily transforming us into ‘works of art’ for Your kingdom. You are an Awesome God!
Now to the one who can do infinitely more than all we can ask or imagine
according to the power that is working among us-
to him be glory
in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations,
forever and ever! Amen.
Eph. 3:20 ,21 ISV