Down the Columbia River to Nepal

Along the Columbia River

9" x 12"

Pastel

This scenic view is seven thousand miles away from Nepal and the horrific earthquake that has taken over five thousand lives so far.  Here along the banks of the beautiful Columbia River just outside of Wenatchee, WA one could almost become lulled by that old song...

Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the stream

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,

Life is but a dream.

But for thousands of Nepalese people, life is a sheer, mind-numbing nightmare today.  If you have seen any photos or news coverage of the earthquake disaster, chaos and monumental ruins litter the landscape.  Debris blocks streets everywhere.  Huge piles of building blocks and beams descend like motionless waterfalls to the ground.  Tents abound and people are milling around or lined up for provisions.  Two weeks ago all those bricks were in orderly structures with children's laughter emerging from homes or workers busy at their trade. Those people all had plans, appointments, dreams, and hopes.  Now all lays in devastation and turmoil.  Uncertainty, despair, fear, grief, pain....these are real human emotions being felt by real human beings in a horrible situation right this moment.  

Nepal Earthquake

8.5" x 11"

Graphite Pencil

I composed this drawing to help myself wrap my mind around what I'm thinking and feeling as I listen to the news and see the photos from Nepal.  Thankfully, the rest of the world is responding with humanitarian care and avenues are available for giving to relief efforts.  I encourage you to imagine yourself in that mess as you hear the news and pray for the Nepalese people as they attempt to recover and for relief to swiftly be distributed to all the areas that are in need. 

 That is my hand that I used as a model to lay under that board.  What if that really was my hand there? Or yours?  Sobering thought.  Our daily life routine can change in a heartbeat. We are always one step away from eternity.  What is important really matters...and that is to fully live in the now, living a life of grace and gratefulness, and to be prepared to face eternity.  I know of no better way than by enjoying a relationship with the great Creator God and looking forward to living with Him forever.

Those of you who were following my travels earlier this month back from British Columbia will recognize this photo.  This was what was left of my trailer after my tire decided to descend down the mountain highway on it's own without me.  The scenic Columbia River pastel drawing above was from a photo I took right after my own personal

"earthquake" there outside of Wenatchee, WA.  This incident could have been very disastrous to my life or all my artwork, but thankfully God protected me from all that.  Yes, I did lose my trailer.  That wasn't a joy!  But we live this life in a fallen world where earthquakes and trailer tire incidents are a part of it.  Good and bad happens to all of us.  God is usually the first one to be blamed as to why He didn't stop the bad.  But God is not the one to blame.  Read the book of Genesis and you'll see why.  As for myself, I choose to live my life gratefully and keep in perspective that this life is temporary and eternity is forever.  And someday all disasters, large or small, will not be a part of the equation anymore!!

Be brave and courageous!