Embracing What Is

A group of women took a painting class directed by a true artist. Each stroke she made on her canvass we were to mimic. Having no high hopes for my masterpiece, I was amazed how my brush strokes came to life. Midstream my artwork  took a turn in another direction so I went with it and changed it up a bit. Embracing my new direction, I chose to make something out of what I had to work with. During a break we all walked around to view the others art. Although we were all painting the same picture, everyone’s work was uniquely different. Passing by some I thought, “I like my version better”, but then there were some that caught me off guard, “Wow, that is really beautiful! How come mine didn’t turn out like that?” As we were nearing the end, the woman next to me made an error in her painting, she tried to cover it up with large strokes of another color paint.  Hearing the disappointment in her voice, “I didn’t mean for it to tun out this way”.

Our lives are a lot like creating this artwork. Sometimes it goes along just how we plan. Other times we take a look at our lives and say “I didn’t mean for it to turn out this way”. Maybe we need to take a step back and embrace what is. God gives us control to change some things in our lives while others we never saw coming.

Embrace the life you have, not wishing for the life you imagined. Take the canvass you have been given and create your own masterpiece with God holding your hand as you paint.


 The Lord merely spoke,and the heavens were created.He breathed the word,and all the stars were born. Psalm 33:6