SARAH JOY

SARAH JOY—CHARCOAL PAINTING © 2012

So, it was getting late and time to go to bed but instead I get the brilliant idea to go down stairs to shoot a high resolution digital photo of this charcoal painting with my trusty Canon L-series lens (insert commercial endorsement here) and to my surprise I can't find half my equipment. My tripod is gone and so are my cords and other such things I behold as "my stuff." Then I realize Sarah has the tripod in her bedroom. She also has my old set of paints, sketchbooks, brushes, etc. 

I walk all the way up the stairs to collect "my stuff" and then walk all the way back down the stairs while the dog is running circles around me perfecting the best unseen circus act in the world. I finally get my gear into place and take a seat to focus the camera when the dog decides it's just the right moment to sneeze all over me. I thought I was allergic to her but it turns out she is allergic to me. 

Finally, I take the shots and go back up stairs to download the files to see what I have in Adobe Light Room (insert commercial endorsement here). Because of my amazing camera skills (LOL) I have little to retouch and realize it's time to go to bed. After moaning about all "my stuff" mixed in with "Sarah's stuff" I realized how blessed I was. I really can't put into words how proud I am of Sarah Joy. 

SARAH JOY—DETAIL © 2012

I have always tried to push my kids away from a creative career so they fit in this world more but she simply refused. She makes a choice every day to live outside the box. I tell her the box is good—but she refuses to conform to it. She is a true creative which she will learn is both a blessing and a curse—and so the journey of discovery begins. 

It's really hard for me to paint or draw people that I love—it goes beyond the technique of light and shadow and anatomical features so Sarah was no exception. I still remember holding her for the first time thinking she'd break if I squeezed too hard. I remember her chasing me around the house as we played hide-n-seek. I remember seeing her in her Homecoming dress and was overcome by her beauty and charm. How do you capture all of that with charcoal? 

Anyway, with all that said I have to say I love my daughter beyond words. She not only has taken captive the tripod but has also taken captive her daddy's heart. When I look at her I see Cathy in her eyes and I also see God's love in every area of her life. I hope a little of that shows in the painting. I pray for her future husband who is somewhere right now growing into the man she will eventually fall in love with. I pray for her children who someday will be raised with the same measure of faith. No matter what Sarah's life brings or how much she achieves I know she will always be my baby girl and that my stuff is now and always will be her stuff.