Awake

Awake
12x16in Watercolor on paper, mounted

"Awake sleepy rose buds

Breath deeply of the sun

Awake little bunny white

Stretch your legs, now run

Awake sleepy dreamer

Hear now of His love

Awake your sleepy soul

Think deeply of above

Remember ceaseless toiler

Not by works, but grace

Remember spotted sinner

Christ came to erase

Awake now sleepy dreamer

Bought with His blood, made clean

See it with your own two eyes

See in the dark, you gleam."

-Original poem by Michelle Schneider

I always like to include a little something with each of my larger works, for they truly are inspired by so many different things...pattern, mood, Scripture, the contrast of white and red, portraiture, God's grace.  In this instance I wanted to somehow illustrate the Easter story, not in the shallow cultural sense of the word, but in the true spirit of Easter which is new life in Jesus Christ.  The dirty are made clean, all things made new in Christ ("See in the dark, you gleam").  I've been made clean!  With so many other voices in our heads all day long, I just wanted some way to say that.  So, I painted it!  The little white rabbit represents the white, clean peace I feel in the arms of Christ.

It was more than Easter, though, that worked it's way into my heart.  This year was my first year in my new home during Spring!  I got to walk through my own little neighborhood as the birds came back and filled the trees with singing, the rose bushes in front of my house finally bloomed, and the rabbits hopped around everywhere.  Each day seems like a sweet blessing from the Lord.

Anyways, hope you liked the video!  My first one!  I'm pretty sure I listened to "Field and Flower" a million times while I painted.  Oh and can you hear the birds singing through my kitchen window in the background?  I think that just might be my favorite part...

Original painting available here.