“The Christmas Gift For You” BLOG BURST:
"Story upon story, carol upon carol, gift upon gift, shopping upon shopping and so it goes. We love to look forward to so many things going on and the traditions that the season brings: Happy times, happy memories, all with a euphoric state of mind.
We don’t really look deeply into the depth of the day, the time, or the season. This past week I had a brief conversation with the wife of a friend, a brilliant man, who has seen and is still experiencing many days of pressure and anxiety that only Job seemed to have faced. When I asked her what she was getting him for Christmas, she said that a few years ago they talked about changing and instead of exchanging gifts and adding more stuff to their life’s collection they would adopt a Salvation Army Family for Christmas. This provided food and presents to make a truly needy family’s Christmas memorable. I was so taken back by what she was saying because I know just how little they actually have and how much of a struggle this wonderful couple has gone through. She’s stuck by her husband through thick and thin. She didn’t just throw him away for her own self interest. What a testimony, what treasures in Heaven!
I wanted to display pictorially the real Christmas so I worked the above painting together to visually demonstrate the true meaning and wonder of Christmas. God in His awesome wisdom and grace provides Himself for the sins of Adam and Eve and the rest of the human race. He is born lowest of the low to include and give opportunity to every human being. He lives. He ministers fulfilling all Scripture and He goes to the cruelest of deaths and pays completely for the sins of each and every human being. He is raised from the dead, defeating death and seen by hundreds. Just like when Moses lifted the snake when the Israelites were bitten and they would be saved if they would but look and believe. God offered and still offers new life, life eternal, and reconciliation with Him. He adopts into His family all those who come to the Savior, confess with their mouth and believe in their heart (Romans 10:10) that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. He is the One who sets men free, breaking the chain of death, Satan and the world to usher men into a new relationship with God Eternal. What joy, what wonder, what amazement and most of all what truth as it witnesses in each believing heart.
Where do you stand? Do you see yourself at the cross? Do you know Christ as Lord and Savior? Do you need to reconcile? I truly hope you will celebrate Christmas in a whole new light.”
POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“How is it possible to know, to see, to walk with the Creator
He provides every means; He shows each and every indictor
He took it all, He paid the price, He made the ultimate sacrifice
He came as a babe to give himself that we may have new life
What a difference, what a change to follow and do your will
What joy, what a blessing, Praise God, Oh my heart be still!”
“Paintings can lead one to a life changing experience. Merry Christmas and have a wonderful week!”
"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXI Auld, Ltd
“SubtitlesOfSnow” BLOG BURST:
"For the “Northeast” that season of the year is upon us. It’s not all about snow, but it’s about the time. With any good painting time is an important element. Sometimes, time is short and it cracks. Some time it’s too long in finishing or finished before it’s truly started. Sometimes the painting shows a time and a place that take us to somewhere special. Sometimes it takes us to a place we’d rather forget. A painting can initiate an emotion or memory or a reaction that can cause us to think. Something we often don’t have time to do. At this season of the year we don’t often think a lot, we just try to get through it. Many people say this is their favorite time of the year. While others say they wish the season never happened.
There’s so much going on! With be here, be there, commitments, people visiting, people in need, people entertaining, children fantasizing, children wanting, relatives, friends, co-workers, programs, gifts, ordering, wrapping, mailing, on and on and on, we just don’t have time.
Often when people are busy they forget to look at any paintings. Often people forget about the past, their roots, their heritage and even their beliefs, especially when it’s this season.
The one thing to truly remember is the “reason for the season” and what’s “truly important”. Jesus is the reason for the season and your relationship with Him is most important!”
POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“Things come and things go in life; some good some bad
Some leave us happy and other things truly leave us sad
We’re so wrapped up in it all being about ourselves each day
We often forget who we are and don’t even take time to pray
Spend some quality time reflecting and thinking about your life
You have or can have it eternal because of the love of Christ!”
“Paintings lead us to places deep in the memories of our minds. Find some time and take some time to ponder God’s will for you. May you have great week!”
"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXI Auld, Ltd
“Go and Inspire” BLOG BURST:
"I was very fortunate to have many gifted teachers who both taught and inspired me. I was also fortunate for a period of time to know someone who was very gifted in this field for many years. I saw them from the time they did student teaching to becoming a seasoned professional. Over many of those years I heard the anger over and over in their voice as they said they were in a job they hated.
I was extremely fortunate to be at a ceremony that was dedicated to award winning, outstanding teachers. The person I previously discussed was one of those being honored. I was so proud of that person. Standing close to me while observing was an individual who saw the tears in my eyes and said you must be very proud. I said to her, “You’ll never know how much!”
I work and spend time with a number of gifted school teachers and Biblical teachers and this year I painted this message (see above) that I have been carrying around for a number of years. For the past couple of years I have been inspired by this meaningful phrase, “The artist is nothing without the gift and the gift is nothing without the work!” It takes a lot of extremely hard work usually under extremely hard pressure for a long time to consistently produce something truly meaningful from the gift you were given.
If you are or ever have been, or have been affected by a great teacher then you will understand the meaning in this painting. Thank you teachers for all you do and have done. You may never know or see any results personally, but thank you! Thank you God for your indescribable gifts!”
POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“Somehow we lose track of those who made a difference in our life
Many stern, many kind, and many understanding but all with advice
Countless times they opened our eyes and nurtured our seeing
They invested themselves within the walls of our heart and being
Each day has a piece of those who gave and made you who you are
Because of them the road isn’t so long and the journey not so far!”
“Paintings can pay tribute and bring positive recall. Let the artist provoke your understanding and broaden your scope of your thinking. Have a great week!”
"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXI Auld, Ltd
“Peasant Woman by Van Gogh” BLOG BURST:
" Having had a couple of bouts with the influence of artistic medium I’ve pushed through and made a number of changes to correct living to likely with toxicants. I was wonder how many artist have been affected by contact with many of the materials of the trade. Not too many people talk about it.
“Vincent Van Gogh was born 158 years ago. A lot of the world has changed since he developing his craft. From the home of minister to studying with the Impressionist, he encountered and became affixed to the warm light of southern France. As he grew as an artist his works became brighter and brighter. He suffered from mental illness and was hospitalized on many occasions. His loneliness and health contributed to his suicide in 1890. His works are famous worldwide.
Many people suffer from many things some curable and some not. Living life everyday to its fullest and knowing that the God of the Universe is in control of all things can go a long way to reassuring us to enjoy the moment we have.”
POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“Some choose to be doctors, lawyers, teachers and alike
Some don’t have a choice others think it’s their right
Many are suffering because of the greed of political hacks
You know many are only interested filling their own sacks
Watch carefully and be aware each and everyday
Find the wisdom you need to understand what people say!”
“Paintings tell us what the artist wants to express. Listening with more than your ears is a lifelong process. Have a great week!”
"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXI Auld, Ltd
“External & Internal” BLOG BURST:
"Oil Painting begins with the knowledge of three rules: “Fat Over Lean”, “Thick Over Thin”, “Slow Drying Over Fast”. Risk the rules and your paintings will reveal cracks, eventually be of no value and your time spent worthlessly!
Why is it that we think we can mock God and take His essential “rules” for partnership and marriage and overrule it for our feel good emotions? The family you grew up in more important than your spouse, kids a priority over your partner, the advice from siblings overruling God’s eternal word, talking and communicating with the world more essential than communicating with each other and making your feelings the priority of your life will all lead you to disaster. All of them together you don’t really have a chance and you don’t even see it coming.
Adultery is adultery and breaking the covenant you made with God isn’t a position you want to hold.
Today’s Christian re-marriage is a joke. After you demonstrate to your children how you would rather destroy a relationship that was put together by God and how to face and handle difficult marital situations, you watch them line themselves up for all you were a part of. Congratulations! Don’t read and study God’s word, listen closely to worldly advisors and find someone who tickles your fancy treats and makes you “feel good” and you’ll soon be on your way down the aisle for a “good” Christian marriage. This is especially true after you’ve taken responsibility for your part in the failed marriage and moved on. We no longer see the scarlet letter as we once did.
Forgive me Oh God! Forgive us Oh God! Wake up my Christian brothers and sisters and take a good look at what’s happening to us and our world. We’ve forgotten that we serve Him and He doesn’t serve us. We’ve forgotten that we’re supposed to glorify Him and do His will. We’ve crossed out that we are just travelers passing through to another kingdom. We’ve made “our” choices, settled in with our siblings and the rest of the world, to be mastered by our sin and that old dragon, the deceiver. How does that apple taste now?
Cracks don’t always show immediately as oil paints take a long time to dry. They do and will show up! You’ve made your choices and you’re happy. To coin Jonathan Edwards it’s not a pleasant thing to fall into the hands of the angry God.”
POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“I never thought these days would be as they are
Parted, separate ways not even talking from afar
But you and yours wanted this for a long, long time
Not satisfied, outside the clan, changing of your mind
So good bye my love, I will not be with you again
We lost, we lost, so much we had for Him to win!”
“Oil paintings can say so much to each of us when time and care is applied properly from conception to framing. Have a great week. My thoughts are with you!”
"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXI Auld, Ltd
“It’s More Than About You!” BLOG BURST:
"“Sorry!” but “…..in every circumstance give thanks for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thes.5:18) That’s a lot to think about! Think about some of your circumstances, what you are going through and what you’ve been through.
John MacArthur speaks about it this way, “In everything, verse 18 says, give thanks, in everything. It's in the Greek en pante(?),it has the idea of in connection with everything that comes along in life. It's just very, very broad. It has no limits. It has no confines. No matter what it might be give thanks. Anything that isn't sin...obviously sin falls outside the purview of that command as it does in rejoicing. We certainly “always rejoice” wouldn't rejoice in sin and in everything giving thanks “wouldn't give thanks for sin”. But apart from that, everything else should precipitate an attitude and an expression of thanks to God. As we saw in Romans 1:21 thanklessness is a characteristic of people who are outside the Kingdom of God. In fact, in 2 Timothy chapter 3, you probably should add this expression of man's fallenness, they are, according to verse 2, lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, etc., etc., treacherous, reckless. In all of the litany of what defines unregenerate people, right in the middle is thanklessness.
There's a driving foolish philosophy today, you hear people say it all the time, you can be anything you want to be, you can do anything you really want to do. Which isn't, of course, true at all. But this sort of garrisons man's mind against fatalism which is the idea that the reality is you can't do anything you want to do, you can't have anything you want to have, you can't achieve anything you want to achieve. It's not the way life works. But rather than deal with that kind of fatalism, we believe a lie and launch off into a fantasy world believing what down in our hearts we know is not true. “
I believe a lot of those that claim they are “His” are no different, chasing their own will over the “will of God for you in Christ Jesus.” Rather than it be a happy week of eating, watching TV, seeing friends and family, being on the net, or talking on the phone incessantly, maybe it’s time to reflect on your own position on giving thanks and the will of God for you and your obedience to Him!” (Happy Day Lyrics)
POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“Forget what’s in the past, take ownership then move away
So its “Happy Thanksgiving” let everyone have their say
But in your heart give thanks for everything for it is His will
In good and bad He’s in total control, be silent and be still
Have a thankful attitude before the people the worldly kind
Do His will and you will have peace and understand His mind!”
“Paintings express the thoughts and mind of the artist’s heart and they can transpose your views to help you see and check the truthfulness of your own heart. I’m thankful you visited. Have a great “Thankful Week”!”
"Find my paintings, or may my paint-tings find you!"
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXI Auld, Ltd
“Thank You For Your Sacrifice” POETIC PONTIFICATION:
“The Country called, duty cried out, the need came to pass
From all over this land men and women answered the task
Not knowing the outcome or answering with an outward fear
They gave and give not looking for single personal cheer
They went to other lands some near and some far away
Giving themselves to duty and honor with any price to pay
Do we fathom the sacrifice of those who suffered for us all
Do we understand how precious freedom, not letting it fall
Do we grasp how little we give, yet enjoy all that was done
Truly knowing what was given up by each and every one
How many mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, families gave
How a life time of heartache on so many roads were paved
Have you ever seen rows of crosses lying endless in fields
Each a representation of a life or lives to duty they did yield
We’re all been caught up in meaningless things we say and do
All pales in contrast to those who paid the cost for me and you
Cry out and thank them and theirs for what’s been done
Ask God to heal and be with them with Him becoming one
Ask Him for forgiveness and to heal and help our land
Ask Him to bless those who gave and hold us in His hand!”
Douglas Auld
Copyright MMXI Auld, Ltd
