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Stand Still 36 x 22" , watercolor on stretched paper.
Feet. I never noticed my feet too much. They aren’t particularly beautiful, unless I get a proper pedicure, and it’s been awhile since I’ve had on. Actually, I took my feet for granted until I had foot surgery. My feet suddenly became very significant. Now that I can walk again, I honor and respect my feet. They carry my weight, keep my balance, take me to places I need and want to go. Now I think they are beautiful, pedicure or not, because they forced me to stand still. In the scriptures, God takes notice of feet, too. He required Moses to stand barefoot in His presence. Priests were required to step barefoot into the Holy of Holies. Slaves and captives walked barefoot. Honored guests came into a home and removed their sandals for washing the dust off their bare feet. And Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. So, why not feet? This piece was a surprise. It started a couple years ago in my sketchbook as an expression of Holy ground and the story of Moses’ reverence for God at the burning bush. When I re-visited the sketches this year, it became more simplified and finally, as a result of my recent foot surgery, it became what it is now. On the day I painted this, I re-read my notes and allowed myself some unexpected liberties. That’s it? Is it finished? This is unusual. It’s not exactly like I planned. Do I leave it like this or add to it? All these thoughts raced through my mind. I left the painting to dry and came back later to hang it up and evaluate it, and the answer seemed to come from my mind, “Yes, leave it. What I’m saying to you is stand still.” While I still don’t know all that God is saying to me about this work, I could go on and on telling you what I think He is saying. But now I’m going to stop talking and explaining so you can have time to wonder what this image might mean to you. In John 13:7 Jesus replied (to Peter), Other References:
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