My Honey

I wrote this little tribute to my Mom during a 10-minute writing session.  I thought I'd share it.

My Mom, Estella Blanche Shaw (otherwise known as Honey), went home to Jesus on August 23, 2026.  She was 95.  Her beautiful life and voice will be missed greatly.

 My Honey

She handed her card to the angel as He asked, "Ticket?"

The ticket was shaped like a cross and read, "Paid by the blood of Jesus."

The angel smiled as he said, "Welcome home, daughter."

Everything was bright, so beautiful, nothing like the dim, dreary nursing home she had just left.

But one thing stood out above all the beauty: the music! Oh my! She had never heard music like this. So beautiful, yet so familiar. She found herself singing along, her voice sounding loud and strong, like in her younger days on earth. Oh, how she had missed singing. She recognized the familiar tune from Handel's "Messiah": "I Know My Redeemer Lives."

Her voice lifted high and clear as she sang. Yes, this music, of course, came from heaven, and earth just got to hear it.

Then she saw Him, the one they were singing about. The Redeemer. His smile soaked into her, to her very heart.

He said, "Welcome home, daughter. I love your praises. You truly are that bright shining star, Estella Blanche, 

My Honey."

The Process

   We live in a society that wants it now, or maybe yesterday would be even better; we want it before we know we want it. But reality check, it doesn't happen that way. There's always the process. By definitions a process is: a systematic series of actions directed to some end. There are steps that have to be taken one at a time. Step one must come before step two or three. We want step 5 (let's say that's the end result) right away, but without a foundation, it will fall. We see that in building construction. You can't put the windows in without first building the house, from the foundation up. We see that over and over in life, step one, step two, step three, etc. Don't believe me? Try putting something together without instructions. It never fails, you try to put the last screw in, and everything falls apart.

   As of late, I've been revisiting art in my life. In High School and College it was my passion. In fact, I started out in College as an Art Major. I never thought I was good enough to make it professionally, but I wanted to teach art to others. But in the end, I dropped out of college (to attend Bible School) and never taught art, except for a few cartooning lessons to some homeschool kids in Mobridge. I frankly haven't picked up a paintbrush and dipped it into paint for over 40 years. Now I've painted a lot of walls, in all the houses I've lived in, but not painting on canvas. 

Step one, blocking it out

   
As I'm revisiting painting on canvas, I've been challenged by the process again. It's layer, after layer, after layer of painting to get that final piece. Frankly, in the middle, I've wanted to give up, because what I'm seeing is not how it is in my mind's eye. In one of my paintings, I actually went ahead and added detail to the eye, way before it was time to do so, to keep me focused on the final outcome. I wanted to know it could turn out right in the end. I was getting impatient with the process. Without the process, though, you won't get the end result.

Step two: blocking out the darks

Step three: adding midtones

Step 4: start adding details

   Just like in a painting, or a building, or learning to play an instrument, in life, we must take one step at a time. We know where we want to be, but you've got to start at the bottom layer and keep building each successive layer to get there. I'm so glad God doesn't give up on us. For He who has begun a good work in you shall carry it to completion. We are God's masterpiece, a new creation He has formed, and He's still patiently laying down one stroke of paint after another to get the final painting. So agree with God, and let Him have His perfect work IN you. He knows the final end, and how beautiful your life can be.  Keep going, and don't quit, He's working IN you, and loves you, and knows what a beautiful creation you are!!

Step 5: the finished work