Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Art (01/18/07)
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TITLE: Peace at Sea | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lauri Gruen
01/24/07 -
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His wife, Deidre creaked open the screen door leading out to the porch and offered him an icy glass of lemonade. One refreshing gulp energized him as he once again turned his attention to his surroundings.
Certainly it was a change of pace and scenery from his usual routine. He and his wife had decided this summer to adopt the practice of David’s European clients. For the first time ever, they locked up their city apartment and rented a beach house for the month.
To say the least, David needed a break from his stressful career. The daily pressures had not only started to affect his health, but also had caused a growing strain in family relationships. The moment he inhaled the ocean’s salty air, he could feel the pressures melt off his back.
He intentionally traveled light on this adventure, but did pack his Christmas present of 2 years ago – a canvas, abundant supply of oils and other painting essentials. Although touched by his wife’s thoughtfulness to remember his former interest in painting, he personally knew he would not have the luxury of time to spend in front of a canvas. His canvas was a computer screen and his painting instruments, a hand-held mouse.
David now found himself in front of a picture-postcard scene with every art supply at his disposal, as well as an assignment. He had signed up for a local art class, comprised mainly of tourists looking for a pastime. The assignment? To capture on canvas what each artist was searching for during this season at the shore.
The sun’s warmth danced around David’s meandering thoughts and again he began to doze. Partly dreaming, yet very clearly hearing the crashing waves against the shore and the soft murmur of his family’s voices inside, he reflected on this great search for peace.
It seemed out of nowhere snippets of thoughts streamed across his mind.
‘mighty waves of the sea.’
‘set a boundary...come no farther. . . proud waves must stop.’
‘seas have lifted up their voice’
‘gathers the waters… as a heap’
“Whoa, ole’ boy,” he thought to himself, “am I going crazy or is someone else involved in this conversation? Whose words are these?” They certainly did not sound like anything he could claim as his own. David’s curiosity grew as did his desire to continue on this path. The peace he had been so desperately seeking seemed to flood him with every passing thought.
‘rules raging sea, still its waves.’
‘stirs up the sea with His power.’
‘the sea is His, for He made it.’
The soothing words had a familiar ring to them and eventually, David recognized the source. At night when Deidre read her Bible, David would occasionally glance at what she was reading. Often she would sing a sweet lullaby including a verse or two.
During his family’s vacations at the shore, David had fallen in love with the tranquility and excitement of the ocean. He also enjoyed reading great adventure novels about the sea. But never before had he looked at this magnificent sight in the same way as now.
Suddenly, the switch clicked in his brain and made the journey down to his heart. The same artist who had created the tumultuous, yet tranquil sea had created him, with even more care and detail than a painter has for his work.
David eagerly picked up his brush and allowed his Creator to move the brush across the canvas. He wasn’t quite sure just how his illustration of the sea would turn out. But he was confident of one thing – all would know the artist had been searching for peace and had found it.
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