A watercolour story

Guys, I got 184 page views today. And 170 of those were before like 8:00 am back home. Who is reading my blog all of a sudden?! And why aren't you commenting? Please! Comment! And know this; I love you! Whoever you are, I love you! Come back as often as you can, I beg. You've made me very, very happy.

Anyways...Story time!

Not this last week, but the week before we had a team from Denver staying at the base for a week. One of the girls was named Kai and we became really good friends. The team left very early Friday morning, and Thursday night Kai and I prayed together and she told me that she felt very strongly that through my art I would find favour in God's eyes and that He would bless it. I believed her, I did. But you know how it is; you believe theoretically but you don't really think it'll happen any time soon.

Friday mornings there is a market in the town square and we have worship in the Catholic church with the doors wide open inviting passers-by to come in and join us. As usual it was amazing and on my way home I sat down on someone's doorstep to sketch the alleyway. As I sat sketching a woman stopped to watch me work. After a few minutes she struck up a conversation with me in perfect English. Her name was Sabine and eventually she told me that she liked my sketch so much that she would like it if I would do a watercolour of her house.

The picture I sketched from

Of course I said yes - enthusiastically. That evening everyone else went out to an event, but I staid home. I turned on my music, the stuff I know every word to without even having to think - Ed Sheeran, The Airborn Toxic Event, One Republic, American Authors, Train. I cranked the volume, and started sketching.

By the time I was done I had been there for roughly five hours and I'd been singing at the top of my lungs the whole time. My voice was so warmed up that I could follow every note as I sang along to Train. It was amazing, and I had a sketch that I liked...but forgot to take a picture of.

Artist selfie

There was no sun from Saturday until Monday, so I got up at 6:30 on Tuesday and sat outside of Sabine's house for an hour-and-a-half; earbuds in, painting. At around 7:30 an adorable old woman opened her shutters and came out to see my painting. She didn't speak English but she liked the painting, and admiration is not only highly flattering, but also easily communicated despite the language barrier.

First day of painting

The next morning I was way too tired to get up early again, so it wasn't until Thursday that I finished the painting.

The finished product

It's not a very good picture, but it's the best I've got. I still have to call Sabine and let her know I have the painting ready for her. Funny story: I walked right up to a lady in the market "Sabine?" yeah...not Sabine. So there is an elderly French lady somewhere around here who thinks I'm just another stupid American. Oh well.