He is Risen! Happy Easter!

 Happy Easter from our house in Maine,

to your house and home!

Hallelujah, He is risen!

I found this photo online about three Easters ago 

and I have been using it for my Facebook profile photo.

Since then I have gotten interested in 

Bible journaling and I thought it would be a challenge

to try to paint this in my Bible to remember this

Easter weekend. 

From the crucifixion on the cross, to the tomb, to our risen Lord and Saviour, Jesus is Lord!
My first real 'painting' experiment went really well. I prepped the page first with a clear gesso, I want to still be able to read the scripture through the painting. I used a pencil to sketch the layout, and Schmincke watercolors for the painting. The water made the page ruffly, it has flattened out a good bit overnight. I am sure it will eventually lay flat. I'm told I could iron the page, but I'm afraid to. 
Happy Easter, All! Have a blessed year. We serve a risen Lord!

Easter Eve

1. The Old Rugged Cross
   George Bennard, 1913
   
   
   On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
   The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
   And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
   For a world of lost sinners was slain.
   • Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
     Has a wondrous attraction for me;
2. For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
   To bear it to dark Calvary.
3. In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
   A wondrous beauty I see,
   For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
   To pardon and sanctify me.
4. To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
   Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
   Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
   Where His glory forever I’ll share.

• So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
  Till my trophies at last I lay down;
  I will cling to the old rugged cross,
  And exchange it someday for a crown.
  
  
  Art supplies: gelatos, sponge, Golden Fluid Acrylic,
  and Artists' Acrylic Clear Gesso.

Thursday at the Cross - Maryland

Power of the Cross

Stuart Townsend and Keith Getty 

Oh, to see the dawn Of the darkest day:

Christ on the road to Calvary.

Tried by sinful men,

Torn and beaten, then

Nailed to a cross of wood.

This, the power of the cross:

Christ became sin for us,

Took the blame, bore the wrath:

We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain

Written on Your face

Bearing the awesome weight of sin;

Every bitter thought,

Every evil deed

Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees,

Now the ground beneath

Quakes as its Maker bows His head.

Curtain torn in two,

Dead are raised to life;

'Finished!' the victory cry.

Oh, to see my name

Written in the wounds,

For through Your suffering I am free.

Death is crushed to death,

Life is mine to live,

Won through Your selfless love.

This, the power of the cross:

Son of God, slain for us.

What a love! What a cost!

We stand forgiven at the cross.

This series of photos show the

Holy Trinity Ukrainian Catholic Church

in Silver Springs, Maryland. 

 What a beautiful facility of all wood and

lovely grounds full of spring time flowers and growth!

 There was a lot of attention to detail. 

 I believe these are pink dogwood blooms.

But I could totally be wrong. 

 Yeah.  No idea.

Just a few more days until Easter, the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and King. 

Wednesday at the Cross - Louisiana

It's About the Cross by the Ball Brothers
It's not just about the manger where the baby lay, it's not all about the angels who sang for him that day. It's not just about the shepherds or the bright and shining star, it's not all about the wisemen who travelled from afar. It's about the cross. It's about my sin. It's about how Jesus came to be born once so that we could be born again. It's about the stone that was rolled away so that you and I could have real life someday. It's about the cross. It's about the cross. It's not all about the good things in this life I've done. Its not all about the treasures or the trophies that I've won. Its not about the righteousness that I've found within. Its about His precious blood that save me from my sin.
The beginning of the story is wonderful and great, but it's the ending that can save you and that's why we celebrate. It's about the cross. It's about my sin. It's about how Jesus came to be born once so that we could be born again. It's about God's love nailed to a tree. It's about every drop of blood that flowed from Him, when it should have been me. It's about the stone that was rolled away so that you and I could have real life someday. It's about the cross. It's about the cross. I took this photo at the  Hope Haven Garden Memory in  Gonzalez, Louisiana. 

Tuesday at the Cross - Ontario

At the Cross by Chris Tomlin

There's a place where mercy reigns and never dies,

There's a place where streams of grace flow deep and wide.

Where all the love I've ever found,

Comes like a flood,

Comes flowing down.

At the cross

At the cross

I surrender my life.

I'm in awe of You

I'm in awe of You

Where Your love ran red

and my sin washed white.

I owe all to You

I owe all to You Jesus.

There's a place where sin and shame are powerless.

Where my heart has peace with God and forgiveness.

Where all the love I've ever found.

Comes like a flood,

Comes flowing down.

At the cross

At the cross

I surrender my life.

I'm in awe of You

I'm in awe of You

Where Your love ran red

and my sin washed white.

I owe all to You

I owe all to You Jesus.

I took today's photo a couple years ago at

Calvary Baptist Church

in Midland, Ontario, Canada.

Power of the Cross, Blessed Easter

 Once in darkness - now in light,

Once blind, now you see.

Once a sinner - now a saint,

Once bound, now free.

That's the power of the cross.

See the chains fall.

That's the power of the cross.

See the chains fall.

Once a stranger, now a child.

Empty - now filled.

Once condemned, now reconciled.

Broken - now healed.

That's the power of the cross.

See the chains fall.

That's the power of the cross.

See the chains fall.

Yeah, the chains fall.

Once a prodigal, now home.

Once lost, now found.

Once an enemy, now a friend.

Once poor, now crowned. 

That's the power of the cross.

See the chains fall.

That's the power of the cross.

See the chains fall.

See the chains,

See your chains fall.

See the chains,

See your chains fall.

(Power of the Cross, by Natalie Grant)

He is risen. Matthew 28:6

I know my redeemer lives. Job 19:25

Happy Easter!

I pray for family held close to your heart.

I pray for happiness and thankfulness and joy.

I pray God's blessings on you and your family.

And I thank you for joining me on my

art journey and adventure.

What a blessing each of you are to me.

Every single day.

I am thankful and grateful for each of you.

(Just a little side note - I took each of the photos in this post. Locations range from mid Florida all the way  up to the D.C. area. One day I hope to have a cross and steeple book on the market, with lyrics and thoughts about the cross. The artwork is mine, as well. The first piece is tangled. The last piece is a paper pieced topper  I made awhile back for my photography blog.)