July 29th “Enjoying Every Day”

“Where Are You”

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"Every athlete, every soldier, and a lot of people realize consistency and repetitions are necessary to performance and daily living to its fullest. Many don’t have that insight or enjoyment. Many are suffering in so many ways. Many have been burned, maligned, and mistreated to the point that hope is nothing but a distant flicker. This affects Christian and non Christian alike in the world in which we live.

Many Christians don’t know what it is to rest in the hands of God. Many don’t actively look for what He is doing in their lives. Many have walked away, taken another path, another direction, and aren’t even remotely in communication with Him. But, for those individuals who are, and for you I hope, they see His awesome movement and orchestration of events and circumstances for His purposes happening right before their very eyes. As they see these things and bear witness to the facts that are unfolding, those same eyes are filled with tears of praise and joy!

What an experience, what a joy, what a spring board from the pulling of the world there is when you not only know Him, but see how much He cares for you and your life through His direct actions. I pray you are seeing it and truly know what I am talking about.

It’s even better than when a painting brings you to tears!"

POETIC PONTIFICATION
"Jesus when You come so close I cannot breathe
All You have and are doing how can I perceive
Every day events and circumstances that come to be
Life has no meaning without You allowing me to see
Stay close, let me remember when ever the world is near
Help me to guard my heart until you make it disappear!"

"Painters sometimes get blinded by the light that really isn’t there, until they work through it and see the real gold that does appear. Have a great week!!"

"Find my paintings or may my paintings find you!"

Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXII Auld, Ltd

July 22nd “First And Second Steps”

"The Comparison"

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"“Ala Prima” is an Italian painting term which means paint in one session. While I’ve done a considerable amount of that, it seems to me when you love depth it really doesn’t happen the way you want. You also see a lot of “Plein Air” painters who love the process of one day, quick work, catch what you can, catch or it’s gone. It’s demanding and uncompromising in requiring your attention, everything’s in a state of motion. I like depth and reflective light and glazing and making one step work over another. I usually have at least six paintings going at one time. I just recently visited with someone who had converted many years ago to acrylics because of the drying speed. Even though he worked over and over on a surface, he stayed within his subject study before moving on to the next. Each of us takes a different journey. The Bible says, “man has his plans, but God determines his steps” Proverbs 16:9. Too often we get in our own way.

I thought I’d show you some progress on the “Underpainting” on the blog I shared with you over a month ago. While it has a really long way to go you can see the steps I’ve taken.

I hope you get there and its where God wants you to be, because that where you’ll be most happy."

POETIC PONTIFICATION
"The great God of heaven and earth gives each person a personal gift
It’s up to us to find it, exploit it in the right way and make sure we don’t drift
He will bless it and make sure you understand what and where you are to go
You need to understand forces will be against you trying stop the proper flow
Take heart and follow Him who sees and knows all each and every day
Follow His will and make sure you walk in His steps all along the way!"

"The journey has a lot and brings a lot. You make choices along the way some that you suffer for and some that bear fruit, but hopefully you build on what you’ve learned and your relationship is closer. Have a good week!"

"Find my paintings or may my paintings find you!”

Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXII Auld, Ltd

July 15th “Times Changing and Anniversary”

“Your Judgment”

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“Well this has been a big week for some and will be a big week for others. Like the week being one to one very close to me of ”Anniversary Remembrances” of years of being together in a marvelous life that gave much glory and obedience to the Almighty. Even though one, of the couple who were one together, has past and gone to be with the Lord, the other continues on the quest God laid out a long time ago. There’s no one like this person!! Like the week being one in which opportunities knocked as well as opportunities that faded, knowing that He controls all things. Like working and growing in the talent given by God as a gift and the overwhelming realization of its reality. Like a famous artist whom I had the privilege to interview and spend more than four straight hours with, who evaluated my own works and journey. Only then, I learned he passed away four days later when he collapsed and had a heart attack. Like a personal close friend, He faces surgery for cancer this week. On and on it goes as life changes.

Then of course there are those who have chosen their own will and their own way and face life anew. Having chosen this course and the way of the world, after warning upon warning while still driven to think it’s all fine, and God will change his persona and overlook everything even though His Word is exceedingly clear on all these matters. The course of feel good actions lay not in the hands of humans but life in all ways is clearly in the hands and grasp of almighty God.

This will be the end of wasting over 37 years of life.

There is an expression that says, “They meant it for bad, but God meant it for good”. Look at Job’s wife, Lot’s wife, even Abraham’s wife. Those who remained faithful survived. Personally, I can testify that these last few years have been the very best since before the vows and covenants. After this week praise God the wasted years and those who made it so will be gone!”

POETIC PONTIFICATION
“Thank you God for all you’ve done, Your heart doesn’t change
You don’t throw us away or abandon us in the toil and pain
If we obey and learn and seek after You, you will bring us through
Who can fully realize how Awesome You are and All for us You do
Thank You for keeping me while in the negative storm of 37 years
You have given so much, more than money, security or any peers
Have Your will and Your way on earth as You do in Heaven each day
Show us where to go and what to do, Lord have your way!!”

“The artist is nothing without the gift; but the gift is nothing without the work; ( Emile Zola); and the work is nothing without the knowledge and creativity!” (Douglas Auld) Be careful how you tread this week especially if you are not in His will, and be aware that the times are changing. I hope you recognize where they come from and why. A whole new direction next week, I look forward to it!”

“Find my paintings or may my paintings find you!”
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXII Auld, Ltd

July 8th “Adultery, Re-Marriage, Choices”

     “Broken, Separated, Divorced”

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"The world is the world and each individual belongs to God Almighty. Those”in and of” the world make a “choice” to serve their master “the deceiver”. Those who understand who God is; how He has made reconciliation for a broken relationship which cursed all men to death possible; and how faith and belief in His Son Jesus Christ gives individuals adoption into his family are not of this world. As His children, they are to follow Him and His Word and be obedient to His instruction. They still have free will and the ability to make choices. Some of those choices will bring them closer to God and some will strain the relationship. When we listen and follow what the world says, even from those who are our non Christian brothers and sisters who are not true believers, it is unacceptable! Marriage was given to all men, not just Christians.

Here’s what we know. This is not my words but His. Malachi 2:16: "I hate divorce," says the LORD God of Israel, "and I hate a man's covering himself with violence as well as with his garment," says the LORD Almighty. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith. Ezekiel 16:59: “This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant”. Matthew 19:9: “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” Proverbs 6:27-29: “Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.” Proverbs 14:1: “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.” Romans 7:3: “So then, if she has sexual relations with another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress if she marries another man.” Ezekiel 16:38: “I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger.” Ezekiel 23:45: “But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood, because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands”.

Do these sound familiar? You never got over your pride or left the family you were born into and put your husband or wife first. You never really understood or tried to know them the way you should. Your pride and “self” didn’t allow you to seek God first. Your worry about what others may say instead of what God would say rules your life. You think that your “feel good” choices, your vote by the family you never left provided the right to make your choices. You put aside God’s Word and justified yourself by saying it was guilt trip. Money, pride, glitter and gold has separated you from God to whom you belong and are accountable to. You have torn down the house that was built, and opportunity to show your children what God’s Word means and how through all circumstances we are to follow, be obedient to and glorify Him. “Welcome to your new upcoming life.”

God is the God of forgiveness, the God who loves His own just because they are His. He wants you to stop, repent, rethink and turn around before it’s too late. If it is too late Ezekiel 23:49 says, “You will suffer the penalty for your lewdness and bear the consequences of your sins of idolatry. Then you will know that I am the Sovereign LORD.” God is not mocked and He alone judges.

There is faith. There is hope. There is love. The greatest of these is LOVE!"

POETIC PONTIFICATION
“Soon you will stand once again with another face to face
Giving your word and promises, vows to be solidly in place
You’ve done that before, wasting the lives of others so much
Your spouse, your children as well as those you have touched
To know that your love was only in your “feelings” you had
No real life of meaning, purpose, or obedience, it’s so sad
But have a nice life on the new choices you have made
Watch carefully each day as the collector comes to be paid!”

“The life with Christ is a life of faith, hope and love. It’s faith in who Christ is and what He has done. It is knowing that He is in control of all things and the hope that brings. It is understanding that His use of you may mean uncomfortable circumstances and situations. It is believing that He will bring glory to Himself and you consider it a privilege that He is using you. It is being obedient in the face of all things. It is knowing in your very heart of hearts that His love provides life, both here and for eternity.”

“Find my paintings or may my paintings find you!”
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXII Auld, Ltd

July 1st “Happy Birthday America”

“Happy 200th Birthday To The Constitution”
         Painting by Michel Felice Corne*

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“As we celebrate the 4th of July maybe we could take just a moment from parades, concerts, barbeque, interaction with friends and family, and ponder where we are and where we’ve come from. From the birthing of the greatest nation in history to the pathway of demise similar to the Roman Empire, we’re on the track of disaster that’s happened to so many others. This year the candidates will raise millions and millions of dollars, spend some of it on buying your vote and have it do absolutely nothing for anyone except for themselves and their “Google Circles”. Poverty’s up, homelessness, hunger, disease, cancer, foreclosures, unemployment, adultery, divorce, living together, and on and on and on, all at unparalleled levels. The moral decay and problems at the nation’s doorsteps with candidates and politicians that are married and have children, have children with others outside of marriage, and are having affairs with still others. This is all going on at the same time. The picture of those in political power, our lawmakers, elected officials, and those whose party loyalty is dominant beyond citizenship is just one of what we have become in the age of distraction and tolerance.

In the book of Ezekiel, God sends his prophet to tell the nation over and over and over again that their disobedience and unfaithfulness will result in actions beyond words. Do you think they listened? Today we can call out to those we love and those we care about and those to whom we are joined through citizenship and warn them. We can make them aware and ask them to turn from their wicked conduct, from their breaking of vows and covenants, and from their disobedience to God and His Sovereign Word. Do you think they will listen? No; pride, what others may think, choices of following the world, choices of listening to the lost rather than the Word of God will result in them only digging their wrongful determination in deeper. Rather than stop and think and know in their hearts that they are on the wrong path, that they have shown others the wrong answers, and that they have demonstrated that all God has taught them is wrong, they would rather “feel good” and believe that they are safe in their choices. They would rather demonstrate that they are secure in the false beliefs that their minds have created and agree to. What was it that Satan said, “You will not surely die.”!Have your ungodly sisters and brothers told you that?

Wake up!! Wake up America it’s not too late. We have a great Forgiving, Awesome God who’s willing to forgive us and bless us and secure us. If we would but humble ourselves, ask God for forgiveness and seek His face, putting our own selfish pride, our worldly answers and our feel good philosophy away, far away as well as other idols of our heart. He would restore our land, our families and our hope. You cannot throw God away and expect that He will be mocked, disobeyed and forget about you letting you alone in what you think will be. Ezekiel 18:4 says, “For every living soul belongs to me, the father as well as the son – both alike belong to me. The soul who sins is the one who will die.”

As the Constitution, the United States’ first great Naval war ship, sails out of Boston Harbor on this its 200th anniversary year and makes its historical turn, think about repentance. We have to acknowledge our sin, make a stand and turn away from it and we will be forgiven.

There is faith, there is hope, and there is love. The greatest of these is LOVE!"

POETIC PONTIFICATION
“How long will you make me cry out
How long will you believe and not doubt
How long will it take for you to understand
Will it be too late before the woe is at hand
Will you be able to stand the demand to be paid
Where will you go then in the choices you made?”

"The painting by Corne depicts battle between the USS Constitution and the HMS Guerrier, a painting done after the epic victory. Too often we voyage out on our own with a plan and choices we have made only to find what we didn’t expect. “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverb 19:21 Have a wonderful Fourth of July Week!"

“Find my paintings or may my paintings find you!”
  Douglas Auld
  Copyright MMXII Auld, Ltd

*Painting of combat between USS Constitution and HMS Guerriere by Michel Felice Corne (1752-1845)