Cascade of Blessings by Margret Howard

As a little girl, I remember snuggling beside my mom on the couch. She would take a pen or pencil and sketch something beautiful on the paper. Like magic, something beautiful would appear on the paper. How did she do that? I would wonder. “Mom, sketch something for me. Please.” After a matter of minutes a rough sketch of a boat would appear gliding on water. Wow, I want this ‘magic’. 

Since then I have always chased the elusive “magic of art.” As I grew, I have found that it is more learning, practice, more practice and application through a period of time rather than magic. It became part of a disciplined life. This is my life; the life of an Artist.

You will make known to me the path of life. In Your Presence is fullness of joy. In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. ~ Psalms 16:11

When I seek God about my life, He shows me the path. When I choose to follow, a cascade of blessings begin to come. It usually doesn’t come all at once and sometimes it comes from unexpected places. This path can be rough and often hard at times. However, contentment, a peace that transcends all understanding, gratitude, joy, serving and sharing with others, blessings from others, are a small part of what comes. For this I am thankful.

When I asked my mom to translate the title “Cascade of Blessings” into Japanese kanji for my painting, she wrote “Fullness of God’s blessings”. She said, “Even with a flowers short life, God puts so much beauty into it.” 

May we all view life this way. No matter how short or how long to see the beauty in it.