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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

WOYWW: Who Can Measure a Mother's Love?

Something I finished when I invited friends
for a paint party this weekend.

And here is what my friend painted
after I taught her what I do.
Really pretty, isn't it?

 "Do you want to be healed?" John 5:6
In some translations, we can read Jesus' question to the lame man as, "Do you want to be made whole?" There is always something in us that needs to be made whole. The lame man needed to walk, how about us? Perhaps there is some physical healing needed. Or how about some inner, spiritual need? A childhood trauma, or even a lack of confidence, a need for love from a parent, an inner yearning for security?
When the lame man was asked the question, he did not immediately answer a resounding yes! He responded, "I can't sir. I have no one to help me..." What are our excuses? I can't because I don't have the time or money to see a psychiatrist. I can't because I don't want to forgive. I can't because I don't want to appear weak. I can't because I don't believe in all that hocus pocus. Because sometimes all it takes is faith! Sometimes all it takes is surrender. All it takes is saying, "Yes Lord, I want to be made whole!"

In the Anawim Way, I read this: "The example of this healed man can help us identify our own weak and crippled responses to Jesus at times. When we give in to self-pity, we no longer ask for help. Instead we take a kind of sick pleasure in thinking no one can help us, not even the Lord. Resentment is another big obstacle to our spiritual progress.Instead of getting up and walking, we are focused on blaming others for our troubles. We make very poor disciples if we focus more on ourselves than on the Lord. The central point of this Gospel is that Jesus is the Source of every blessing."

 "I will never forget you." Isaiah 49:15
There are numerous stories of a mother's unfailing love, but this one highlights a mother's love even in death.
36-year old Patsy Lawson left for her teaching job one morning, with her two children. She was planning to drop them off at the baby sitters, but they never got there. 8 1/2 hours later, her husband James found Patsy and their 5 year old daughter Susan dead inside their badly damaged car. The car was submerged, upside down, in a very cold mountain stream. James saw that even if Patsy was dead, she had been holding 2-year old Gerald's head above the 48 degree water. He was barely alive. For hours, his wife had held up the toddler's head so he could breathe, until she froze to death. (Story from Pastor James S. Hewitt's book, Illustrations Unlimited)

Who can measure a mother's love? Who can measure God's love? How inconceivable is it that God, who created us in love, would give His only Son to die for us in love? That kind of love never forgets, always forgives, and is ever faithful.



Joining the lovely Julia Dunnit for a 
peek at desks and projects!
I find a lot of inspiration
visiting my friends here:

Blessings!
Patsy

13 comments:

  1. beautiful paintings once again i love stopping by yours every week :)
    Happy WOYWW
    thanks for sharing
    luv Mrs C.x
    http://craftroomdiary.blogspot.co.uk/2015/03/woyww-march-18th-2015.html

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  2. You do such sweet and gentle work!
    Judy #18

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  3. That's one of my favorite scriptures, and one God often brings to mind when I start to whine! I just LOVE your drawings/paintings!

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  4. You must be an excellent teacher! I love all the colors in those flowers, and your bible art! Happy WOYWW! Sandy Leigh #53

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  5. What a moving story about a mother's love! God's love is like that only better.
    Thank you for you lovely art and inspirational blogs.
    Have a great week,
    Lisca#33
    PS I'm thinking of our fellow desk hopper Shoshi today who's operation has been postponed yet again! I can't imagine how she must be feeling. I'm sure you will join me in prayer for her and her husband at this time.

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  6. Coming to you from Wednesday's Girls. What a lovely place to visit. You made my day. Thank you. Chris

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  7. Powerful stories and illustrations today Patsy!

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  8. I love how inspiration from other images leads you to an illustration of a Bible story. How powerful. :)

    All the best this WOYWW!!

    Sy #67

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  9. I love your painting and didn't your friend do well...I was trying to work out the order that you and she painted things. The flowers are especially lovely, highlighted in white :-)
    Hugs, LLJ 31 xx

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  10. How nice of you to teach your friend how to make such a beautiful painting.
    That is a wonderful story of a mother's love. Whenever I doubt God's love for me I think of how much I love my children. Then I realize that my maternal love is only a shadow of God's love for his own.
    Blessing hugs,
    Teresa

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  11. What a beautiful but sad story. Love your artwork, absolutely wonderful. Happy WOYWW!! Karen x #70

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  12. Beautiful story, beautiful art! It is so wonderful that you are willing to share your gifts by teaching others. My daughter and I paint together and there is a peace in that.
    Thank you for sharing the story the momma who lived to the last protecting her baby.

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  13. That is an amazing drawing and coloring in a a Bible page. Great job on all your art in this post. I love them all. I am grateful that you joined us in our Challenge and we have a new one starting today. Please link with us again at Word Art Wednesday. Leaving you an inspirational verse as spoken by Jesus to them that believe from John 14:21 and it says, "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them." A blessed week to you always.

    JO ANN
    http://jatterburycreations.blogspot.com

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I am so glad you dropped by! You are a blessing!
:^) Patsy