ART & POETRY BY PAUL & KATHY BOECHER©

This watercolor has me stumped. Since I no longer have my in-house naturalist to tell me, I can’t figure out what kind of duck it is. I searched Google and there are so many different species of waterfowl in Minnesota. Maybe it has to do with the thousands of lakes we have in my state. I looked for ducks with fluffy heads – those that had a longer beak with a hook shape on the end. I’m still puzzled. All I can tell you is this is a duck on a lake, painted with watercolor, plein air. If anyone can educate me, I’d much appreciate it. Aside from that, I have no lack of beautiful artwork to look at, even though I can’t identify everything about it, it always brings a smile to my face.

Since times have been so toxic lately and people are hurting, grieving, unsure, confused, depressed and on and on and on – I thought a post about looking to the sky for answers might be in order. Jesus encouraged His followers to do just that in Matthew 6:27 “Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?”

When things seem as though they can’t get any worse, there is only one source to focus on. God has provided for all creatures, great and small. He will never leave us. He protects, guides, intercepts danger, clears the path, has a plan for our lives. We must not forget that He is still in control, no matter how ugly our world becomes.

Clouds go dancing through the sky – painted for our pleasure,

Elephants and angels fly – on canvas without measure,

The great expanse can turn to dust – its face will fill with rage,

But when the clouds display their grief,

The tears wash clean each page,

We too can be like clouds on high, when life does overtake us,

We find release in tears we cry, we pray that God remakes us,

He hears our cry and washes clean the sins that sap our life,

His life for ours, His love unseen, will take away our strife.

Look heavenward, keep eyes on Him, don’t bend to Satan’s lies,

If God can keep His creatures safe – He’ll give to us His prize.