This is a painting of the Lone Cypress Tree of Carmel that I finally painted for my dad.  He and my mom visited that spot on a trip to see my younger sister.  I confess I have feared that photo for four years or so now.  It was never that I didn't want to paint it, rather, the photograph was so breathtaking and I had absolutely no idea how to capture it.  I felt completely inept every time I looked at the picture.  You feel a metaphor coming on, don't you?  I absolutely love how God uses events in our lives, the simplest of things, to remind us of His truths.  I was focussing on the wrong thing. 

How many times in life have you looked at something and felt completely inept?  Completely NOT up to the task at hand, and you wondered how in the world you were going to manage it?  I had a wonderful conversation recently with a dear sweet lady about letting go of control.  How do we function as children of God and completely trust?  How do we tell the difference between our striving and taking things OUT of God's hands (and trying to manage it on our own) and just taking care of the responsibilities God gives each one of us?  I believe it is a moment by moment thing.  Just as you do not eat the food you'll need for the whole day in one meal, God does not give us all the strength, direction, guidance, peace, hope, etc. that we'll need all at once for the whole day.  It is a relationship where we continue to seek Him and He gives.  He continues to show me that my place is at His side; trusting, reaffirming His promises to me, looking for Him in the day's events, and in the faces of the people I meet.  He demands silence from me - not as a cruel taskmaster, but as a loving Father who asks me to turn away from the noise of the world and cover myself in silence so that He may be found by me.  That is our special place.   I look at this tree surrounded by water, high up on a hill and it reminds me to wait.  To wait in silence for my God, my Savior, my Lord who promises to never leave me or forsake me.   He promises that He will be found by those who seek Him.  Seek Him today.  Not just once, not twice, but all day, and watch Him change your life.  "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek me with your whole heart." 

 Jer. 29:13 NIV