Here are some paintings I have done recently. I have been enjoying painting in a new way for about 2 years since I began doing some projects with a friend in Thailand named Bua. We have been an encouragement to each other to paint the same subject and compare them afterward for style and so on. It has been a great experience. Some of these I have done as co-projects with her. Others I have done on my own. I also have added new paintings to my art photo album. Take a look! If you want to see the largest size, go to the album.

"Music Is My Best Friend" ~ watercolor

. . . a detail of the same painting

"Night Ship" ~ watercolor ; and "Ohio Countryside" ~ oil painting

"Lord Bless You and Keep You" ~ watercolor

. . . a detail of the same painting

My Wife and I traveled to Mongolia in June. It was a wonderful time. We have many friends there, so we visited them, stayed in the homes of some of them, traveled through two cities - Ulan Baatar and Darkhan - and to places in the countryside. It was great! Here are three photos for you to see. I have put about 70 in a new photo album, also. The countryside is getting green in June. It is beautiful in so many ways, and rugged in other ways. The people we visited were so nice, helpful, fun, friendly....  I wanted to stay longer!!!

I have had fun recently trying new watercolor ideas. My wife has written a childrens' book and is hoping to have it published sometime. So I plan to do some drawings for it. Here is the first one I did... of Bub who is one of the main charecters in the story. I hope it puts a smile on your face!!!

Below are two details of the watercolor.... :)

Merry Christmas to everyone!!

For my friends and family and I, Christmas is a special time to get together and have a really nice time giving gifts, eating big meals and taking a break from our busy lives. For those of you who don't celebrate Christmas or don't know too much about it, it all began the day that a little baby was born in a little shack and placed in a feeding trough used by farm animals because the city was too crowded and there were no hotel rooms available. This baby was Jesus, who, though He is God and one with His heavenly Father, was sent to experience all the things of human existence and show to us the amazing love and life of God. So much about it is mystery, but Jesus knows how we feel, He knows about our hurts and sorrows, and He knows how to help us and heal us. And more than anything He came to bring us back to God. The true meaning of Christmas is recognizing and experiencing the amazing happiness that God has brought us by sending His Son to save us for eternity ~ to save us from our sin and sadness and prepare us to live with Him for ever! No wonder that such joy moves us to give gifts to each other!

God contracted to a span,
Incomprehensibly made man!

Much love to all of you!!

SQUANTO - THE PILGRIM'S GOD-SEND

The first American Pilgrims, "measured by the standards of men of their time, were the humble of the earth. Measured by later accomplishments, they were the mighty. In appearance weak and persecuted they came -- rejected, despised -- an insignificant band; in reality strong and independent, a mighty host of whom the world was not worthy, destined to free mankind." - Calvin Coolidge

Cold and sick, fighting snow and sleet, a motley band of English men and women struggled through their first winter in the New World. Fewer than 50 of the 110 pilgrims and crew that had stepped off the Mayflower survived until spring. On their own, the Pilgrims would have likely all perished their first year on the coast of New England.

God had better plans for them.

In March of 1621, a loincloth-covered native stepped out of the woods and said, "Welcome" in clear English. Samoset, the chief of the Algonquin Indians, had learned English from the fishing ships that occasionally put into the coast of Maine. A few days later he returned to the little Pilgrim village with another English speaking native named Tisquantum (aka "Squanto"). When the Pilgrims arrived in late 1620, they settled on cleared land that belonged to nobody.  Squanto's entire tribe had been wiped out while he was in England after having been taken as a slave in 1605.  After returning to his native homeland with Captain John Smith in 1614 , Squanto was again kidnapped and taken to Spain, where he was bought by local friars and introduced to Christianity. When he returned home, he found his tribe gone and the land that had belonged to them shunned by other tribes. He wandered until he found the Wampanoag Indians who lived about 50 miles to the southwest.

And so, Squanto proved to be a literal God-send for the Pilgrims. He stayed with them and taught them how to stalk deer and catch eels and plant corn the Indian way. He showed them how to refine maple syrup and to discern which wild plants were edible and which were poisonous. He introduced them to trapping beavers, the pelts of which were in high demand in Europe. Without his help, few of the Pilgrims would have survived.

By the autumn of 1621, the Pilgrims were well-prepared for the coming winter and extremely grateful to God, to the Wampanoag Indians, and to Squanto. Governor Bradford declared a day of public thanksgiving to be held in October. They invited Massasoit, the Wapanoag Indians' chief, to a feast to celebrate their bounty. The Wapanoag Indians taught the Pilgrims the art of making popcorn and the Pilgrims introduced the Indians to fruit pies. The Pilgrims had additional days of thanksgiving for God's provision during the next years of difficulty and hunger, but we remember these days of feasting and games and competitions in our Thanksgiving celebrations. God had shown He cared for this little band of persecuted Englishmen in search of religious and civil freedom.

There have been several days of thanksgiving since the time of the Pilgrims:

1777: Samuel Adams made a Thanksgiving Day proclamation that was adopted by all 13 states:

"It is therefore recommended... to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn Thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor..."

October, 1789: President George Washington proclaimed Thursday the Twenty-sixth day of November to be a day of national thanksgiving to Almighty God.

October, 1863: President Abraham Lincoln announced that the last Thursday of November would be dedicated "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwells in the Heavens."

Finally, an act of Congress in 1941 dedicated the fourth Thursday of November for the purpose of thanking our Creator.

Even as our forefathers acknowledged the provision and goodness of God, let us also make this national holiday a very special time to thank Him for our own provision - our families, our sustenance and, above all, our redemption in His Son Jesus.

My wife Kathy and I went to China from September 23^rd to October 12^th. It was a great trip in so many ways. We went for several reasons: 1. We are involved with an organization called Caring for China that runs three orphanages and a medical unit and also places English teachers in universities throughout China. 2. We have dear friends in several of the cities we traveled to. 3. I love being in China. 4. I love travel and adventure!

It was so great to be there. We traveled first to Beijing, next to Xi’an, then to Shanghai and finally to Suzhou. The group Caring for China is a volunteer organization that is growing. There are so many dedicated people who have sacrificed much to help students who are hungry to learn English and find purpose and direction in life; and to save and care for unwanted babies and terminally ill people, and It was wonderful to be able to visit friends while in China. All of them are special and I counted it a privilege to be able to see them. I met some of them through my MSN space. I never dreamed it would be possible to meet them face to face, but it was! It was amazing, fun, and so worthwhile!

Audrey our granddaughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ya gotta love her!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*********************

Recently some friends and I went kayaking in the Newport Bay in the city of Newport Beach, on the Pacific coast. It was great! The weather was beautiful, and the waves were not big because of the structure of the bay. A few of my friends got some horrible sunburn, and are still recovering!!! Ouch!! But all went well and everyone loved the time. We plan to go again soon.

A Morning Walk in Oia

I have started to paint some watercolors, and finally finished one of a scene in Greece.

The contrast of the brilliant white homes and the deep blue of the sea is sensational. I enjoyed painting it, and plan to do some more watercolor painting when I find time in my busy schedule! So here it is for you to enjoy... :)

This scene is taken from a photo a friend of mine took while she was in a coastal town in Greece called Oia. Here is the photo.

And here is a detail of the painting.....

Goodbye, dear Yingying...

After a time of improvement and hope for her recovery, our dear friend Yingying has died. It was sad for everyone who knew her. She was a person who was courageous until the end. She never made excuses for what she could not do. She did all she could to help people until the end. She was a wonderful example to all of us.

Yingying had faith in Jesus Christ. She had clearly become a Christian several years ago and was transformed by the life of Jesus within her. For the one who believes in Jesus, the end in this world is only the beginning in the next, the spiritual, the eternal. This world was not designed by God to be our eternal home. It was designed to be a battle ground, a testing place in which we have the opportunity to realize our purpose and set our hearts to live for God. And so I have posted a photo of a California sunset I took some months ago. There is certain hope that the sun will rise in the morning. Wonderful!

That was and is a reality for Yingying. Goodbye, our friend!

It is not always easy to smile. I am usually a person who smiles a lot... it is hard not to. But I know that life can be very hard. I have had my share of difficulties and heartache in life. For that reason I am a very serious person when it comes to thinking or talking about life. As I have gone on in life, I have become convinced that life has purpose, and that at the foundation or basis of life there is goodness and love and happiness.

But for the moment I want to share with you about a friend of mine who lives down the street from me. His name is T. Rex, an individual who had to learn to smile. In these two photos you can see me helping him to smile. We must give Mr. T. Rex credit for smiling as best as he is able. Because of his anger and mean nature, he has had to work at learning to smile, to be kind, to be friendly, to care about others. So as you look at the photos, remember that things have not been easy for him, like they have not been easy for me, and perhaps like they have not been easy for you. So maybe you and I can also learn to smile in this dark world that has so much frustration, selfishness, anger and hate. And remember that there is hope for every one of us. So.... smile!

I have received some news from our friends in Xi'an who know Yingying. Yingying has shown some definite stabilisation during the past month. Unable to help in the hospital as much as she used to, she has taken up knitting with great enthusiasm. Her family is being much more supportive of her. Love is very healing, and she seems to radiate more of it to others than she herself receives.

I have written several blog comments about her, beginning on February 1st. She was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, but has been heroic in how she has faced it. And during her sickness she has given her life to Jesus Christ and has come into new life. We are deeply moved with all she has faced and is still going through. May we all be inspired again and again by the lives of people like her!!

A friend of mine is getting married. So he and a few of us went down to the beach on Friday evening a few weeks ago to spend some time together and take a look around the beach. It was a really nice night, the air was cool, and there weren't many people around, which was unusual. Lots of tourists go there in the summer, but if you ever want to get away to a place that is beautiful in the winter because of the warm climate, southern California is the place to go. I live about 10 miles from the ocean, so once in a while it is great to get down there again to take a break from all the busy-ness of live. The soul needs that, right?!!

Here is a photo of the guys. Rob, my friend who is getting married in two weeks, is second from the left. He is a great guy.. well... they all are!

Newport Beach has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, I think.

No, the photo below doesn't show a robbery in progress... We went to an arcade and played a few games. Good time!

Can you believe it? Yes, I am now a grandfather. Wow! Our daughter Christy gave birth to a little baby girl on April 4th. Her name is Audrey. Pretty girl, right?!! We are all very happy about it. Actually, I enjoy little children much more when they can walk a bit and interact more. My wife Kathy is a typical mom (and now a typical grandma), thrilled about holding little Audrey. But don't get me wrong, we have two daughters of our own, and I love them with all my heart... :) Christy and her husband Eric live in Ohio, about 2000 miles from us. Kathy flew out there to help out for a few weeks, which she loved. I wasn't able to go. But Christy and little Audrey will fly out here in August, which will be wonderful. So here are some photos for you to see! The picture of the street in the springtime is of the town that Christy, Eric and little Audrey live in.

On February 1 I added a blog about Ying Ying, the girl who at age 18 was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. Her attitude through her difficult ordeal has been an inspiration to many, including myself. Here is an update from a friend of hers and ours:

Hello Friends!

 

We thought we would send you an update on Ying Ying as we get so many requests each week asking how she is. Ying Ying remains at the Healthcare Centre being cared for round-the-clock by her little sister and the Healthcare team.  She is currently very weak but is eating and is in very good spirits – PTL!  She is trusting very much in her Father and even when an earthquake affected us in Xian she remained calm and more trusting than many of the rest of us!

 

Her medical condition remains serious though.  She is bleeding a lot from the tumor and gets very frightened about this at times.  We are currently treating these bleeds, which are often severe, with blood transfusions, which help prevent anemia and keep her strength, which is very little, at a level where she can still function. 

 

She is currently knitting clothes for all the team and is helping the foreign members of the team with their Chinese language – she is an angel!!!  She is practicing her English and making good progress and has recently discovered the joys of “The Sound of Music” on DVD – the tones of “Edelweiss” can often be heard coming from her room :)

 

With love and blessings from Ying Ying and all the team here in China.

I have finished another painting. This one is called "Vela Azzurra", which is Italian for Deep Blue Veil. When my wife Kathy and I were in Italy with Kathy's mother, we went to visit the Vatican. The place was so crowded that day because, to our surprise, people were waiting for the Pope to arrive. The girl in the painting is from a photo I took while there. She was one of many, and you can tell from the painting that she is a religious girl. I don't know what country she was from, because there were people from many many places.

The painting was done in oil paint, and is 20" x 16". Along with the complete painting, I have included three details.

Please click on each photo to see a larger version!!

  Click here for a larger view of the painting!

Finished! Here is my completed oil painting I started in December. Because of work, family, and commitments to friends and other things, it has been hard to find time to paint. I am more-or-less satisfied with the result. Perhaps an artist is never quite satisfied with his work, but there is a time to keep working on a painting and a time to call it finished. Before this painting I hadn't painted for a year, so it has been good to paint again. I plan to begin another one soon.

Below are a few details of the painting so you can see more of my painting technique. The last photo is how my work bench looks when I am mixing paint. A bit of a mess... !

When my wife and I were in China a year ago, we visited a hospital where we are involved. During our visit we met a dear young girl named Ying. I have included her short story here because it encourages us to realize that no matter what our life is like, we can always keep a positive attitude, and live a productive, worthwhile life. Ying has continued working with the children until a few days ago when she was taken to the hospital. She may not have long to live. She is in our thoughts.

This first photo is of the hospital we visited. My wife Kathy is second from the left in the front row. I am second from the left in the back row. Ying is at the farthest right in the back row. The other two photos are of Ying assisting with a child with cerebral palsy. We are proud of her!

Thanks

My name is Ying. I was born December 12th , 1988 in a small village of Yi Chuan in He Nan province. My Mother died when I was young. My father is a farmer; he and my younger sister still live in my hometown.

When I was 18 years old, I was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. It was my doctor who brought the gospel to me while I received treatment in the hospital. Three months later I made my commitment to God.

Six months after being discharged from the hospital, I was wondering how I could use my limited time to help others. Shortly after, one of my sisters introduced me to work in Healthcare as a volunteer to help with the Cerebral Palsy program. My responsibility is mainly to pick up the children with cerebral palsy from the Childcare center and take them to our Health Services Centre. There they receive their rehabilitation exercises and have their needs looked after. Additionally, I assist the doctors and nurses during the physical exercise work.

I have come to know these children during the course of my work. I think these children encouraged me and had a strong influence on me. I know this encouragement came from my Father in heaven whom I know has given me hope for the future and I began to have courage enough to face my illness. Moreover, there is One who gives me faith and strength, on whom I shall rely. He teaches me what love is through my work and shows His love through me to these children with special needs. It is He who helps me to know the truth of life and its purpose.

For the future, I wish to learn more about cerebral palsy rehabilitation work: For example, I hope to get to know language therapy, movement and psychology therapy, and so on. Through working closely with the therapist I believe I will gain more and more knowledge of cerebral palsy, which will enable me to better assist these children. I hope more and more parents will be able to understand what cerebral palsy is and train their thinking in order to accept the importance and significance of cerebral palsy rehabilitation.

By the grace of the Lord Jesus, I am still alive and give thanks to Him. I know He has a special purpose in my life – to bring His hope to people who are hopeless. This is such a witness of our Father’s love that I rejoiced to see the parents of one child, who was receiving our help, commit their life to the Lord. How wonderful it is to see that.

Finally, I would like to give thanks to all of you. With your prayers, I can walk longer in the journey of serving Him. May He bless you.

Healthcare Volunteer

Ying

One of the things I love to do is art. Even when I was a little boy I loved to draw pictures. Maybe I got the talent from my grandfather. He did oil paintings of landscapes. He loved to paint nature, and often brought his paint and brushes and canvases with him to places all over the Chicago area. The first photo shown here was taken in 1930; the second in 1943.

I have started another painting. I won’t post it here on my MSN space until it is done. But here is a photo of the space in my garage where I paint. You can see my subject matter:  a photo that I took from a bridge in Venice, Italy, when I was there two years ago. So be patient, and I will post a photo of my painting when it is done…