I loved the simple centerpiece
decoration in the center of the tables around the room. I love Fall
colors! But I also liked the picture of Christ with His mother titled
Mother, by Liz Lemon Swindle. Here are her own words about this painting:
"I remember the first time
I was left alone with my newborn. The overwhelming feeling of love
accompanied by the fear of caring for this little soul. As I grow older I see
that there is a natural reversal of roles and the child becomes the caregiver
for the parent. I think this reversal was part of Mary’s relationship with her
Son.
She cared for Him as a helpless
infant, watching him grow in stature with God and man. She watched as the
crowds cheered His entry into Jerusalem, only to see them lift Him upon the
cross a few days later. Her heart must have longed to heal His pains, but it
was He who looked down with perfect love and said, motioning to John,
"Woman, behold thy son!"
As our children grow, we draw
great comfort in their concern for us. Their kindnesses forged in the furnace
of our earlier devotions. I wanted this painting to show the love the Savior
had for His mother and the feeling that every mother can find comfort and
safety in His arms.”
As I looked this painting up on
line I came across this quote of reflections on the life of his mother, from
the son of Liz Lemon Swindle, Steevun Lemon:
"Of all the lessons my
mother taught me, perhaps the one that has made the biggest difference has been
her faith that after we have done all that we can do, God will make up the
difference.
She taught me this from a very
young age. I remember when I was 7 years old, I awoke one night from a bad
dream. Like any scared child, I wanted my mother, and I knew just where to find
her. I walked down the hall to the old storage room where she painted. When I
opened the door, she was there, hunched over her easel. When she saw me, she
put down her brush, picked me up and kissed me. Her voice was all the comfort I
needed, and I fell asleep in her arms.
At the time, I didn’t think
much of my mother’s late-night painting. That was just what she did. A couple
of years later, I was at my friend’s house and got curious. I was opening all
the doors in the basement, and when his mother asked me what I was doing, I
replied with my own question, “Where’s your easel?”
“My what?”
“Your easel.”
“I don’t have an easel.”
“Then where do you paint at
night?” I asked.
Up until that point, I had
assumed that everyone’s mother had an easel in the basement and painted at
night. Many years later, I was thinking back on those late nights and wondering
why my mother had chosen to paint at night instead of during the day when it
would have been easier on her. I will never forget her answer. She said, “I knew that raising
a family was the most important thing I would do in this life, and I didn’t
want the art to interfere with that. I also knew I needed the Lord’s help as an
artist, and I could only expect him to do his part if I did mine. So I made a
choice when I had children that I would only paint after I put you all in bed.
I did my part, and the Lord did his.” I realized in that moment that
Mother had spent a lifetime giving so quietly that I had never seen her
late-night vigil as a sacrifice. Truly, those long, lonely hours were her
legacy of faith. It is that same faith that runs in and through each one of her
children. My mother’s trust in the Lord is woven into who we are and how we
live.”
The wives of the area
presidency led us in a wonderful meeting with talks, scriptures, and
testimonies. Sister Choi shared this painting with us along with times
when she has received comfort from Christ, like Mary in the painting.
No comments:
Post a Comment