Sandi Hester

This is the third painting for my systematic theology paper.  The third Person of the Trinity, the Spirit, was painted on the smallest envelope.  I made the Spirit the smallest because He’s always in the background, it seems, in scripture and we know the least about the Spirit.  I am placing the Spirit envelope inside the Son envelope (and the Son envelope inside the Father envelope) to symbolize how the Spirit submits to the Son and to the Father.

Instead of placing Scriptures about the Spirit on the background, as I did in the other two paintings, I decided to cut my pictures out of the Scripture that they symbolize to tie the different symbols of the Spirit together.  The symbols I decided to use (I was limited because of space since this was the smallest envelope) are the dove (Luke 3:21-22 when the Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove), fruit (Galatians 5:22-23 for the fruit of the Spirit), and gifts (I Cor. 12:1-11 that lists the spiritual gifts of the Spirit).  I photocopied these scriptures out of my bible, and for example, you can see that the gifts are made out of the paper that has the scripture from I Cor. 12:1-11 on it.

The names of the Spirit I used are Counselor, Spirit, Helper, and Comforter.

On the back I put two hymns – one to represent the Trinity and one that represents the Spirit.  I also made a seal out of wax for this envelope because Scripture tells us that those who believe are marked with a seal that is the Holy Spirit.  I made two different seals and couldn’t decide which one to use so I just put both of them on there – I worked forever on those things :).  I also completely sealed this envelope – it cannot be opened – to further symbolize the sealing of the Spirit.  I placed some important scriptures on the back about the Spirit: 2 Cor. 5:5; John 14:16-17, 26; Isaiah 11:2; Acts 2:4; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; Eph. 4:30.

Well that’s my project!  It took MUCH longer than I thought it would – but it was a lot of fun.  I hope you enjoyed it too!

In honor of our heavenly Father here are some very special verses about Him:

The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands. Jn 3:35  I and the Father are one. Jn 10:30  In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you.  I am going there to prepare a place for you. Jn14:2  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jn 14:6

Man alive that is some good stuff!!!  Some wonderful truths to think on today and to claim in our own lives.  I pray you know the Father.  I am so thankful my Daddy does!  We are going to church with him tomorrow in Mt. Juliet and then having lunch with him.  I’m sure it will be a special time.  This is the card I painted for him.  Grady is going to take him creek fishing for a Father’s Day gift – they will both love that!  This is Grady’s first Father’s Day without his own father.  Big Grady (as I called Grady’s dad) passed away last July 9th.  Please keep Grady and his family in your prayers – I’m sure tomorrow will be a hard day for them.  And to my Father above, I love You and treasure You more than anything this world has to offer!

There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  Proverbs 18:24

Sunday was a day spent with dear friends.  We were surprised Sunday with an invite to some precious friend’s house for a huge Sunday lunch.  Man alive were we hurting when we left!!!  The peanut butter chocolate pie took us over the edge after a “Thanksgiving like” lunch.  It was some serious good eatin :)!  Later that evening we went to another friend’s house for a birthday party and had some more good food and fellowship.  We are so thankful for our dear friends – they are truly gifts from the Lord.  Here are a couple of cards I painted for our friend’s son (we celebrated his birthday Sunday) and a card to their daughter (their newest edition to their family). 

He has taken me to the banquet hall, and His banner over me is love.  Song of Songs 2:4

For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

For Valentine’s Day I thought I would post a couple of “love” scriptures for you.  I pray these will sink in deep today, for you are dearly loved.  Grady and I are deeply in love – the Lord has truly blessed our marriage, but today during my quiet time after thanking the Lord for this great marriage He has blessed us with, I sat and thought on the love Christ has for me.  It is a love stronger, deeper, wider, and longer than any earthly love we could ever know.  Would we look up today and see the banner that has been firmly set over our us – it’s not a banner of shame, or disappointment, or condemnation – but a banner of love.  Let Him take you to the banquet hall today and allow you to see the banner He has placed tenderly, lovingly, and sacrificially for you.

This is a Valentine card I painted for my Mom.

The Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and you will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

The verse above is one of many prophecies Jesus fulfilled when He came the first time to this earth.  Jesus fulfilled more than 700 prophecies when He came the first time and there are more prophecies concerning His death than any other subject.  These prophecies concerning His death were very specific too.  Psalm 22 is like reading a medical manual about how a person would die from crucifixion.  When David wrote that Psalm he had never even heard of crucifixion – in fact, crucifixion was not even invented or used for 200 years after David wrote Psalm 22.

I recently learned what the word Advent means – it simply means ‘to come’.  So we celebrate the coming of Christ during Christmas.  But we are actually in between two advents – Christ’s first coming and His second coming.  What a great time of year to reflect back on Christ’s first coming and look ahead to His second coming.  Around our Advent wreath I have placed scriptures about Christ’s first coming and His second coming.  It’s been special to reflect on both. 

Here’s another little picture of the town of Bethlehem.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  Luke 2:4

But you, Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come from me One who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.  Micah 5:2

I had an idea to paint my own Christmas cards this year.  I knew exactly what I wanted to paint for our cards – the little town of Bethlehem with the stars shining above it.  I’m not sure what compelled me to do this, because I never send out Christmas cards.  I’m just not the Christmas card sending type.  It falls under administrative duties and I don’t have the gift of administration.  In fact administrative stuff really stress me out – I would make a horrible secretary!  I painted the Christmas cards and then, because I don’t send Christmas cards, I just stashed the little paintings aside.  A few of my friends were looking through my paintings and they all loved these little paintings of Bethlehem, so I thought I would share them in my blog for some holiday posts.  I guess you could kind of consider this a blog Christmas card – does that count???  If it does then I can say for once I sent out Christmas cards :).  Let’s consider it official – here’s my Christmas card to you: “Merry Christmas from Grady and Sandi”! 

I made two pictures of the little town of Bethlehem.  I’ll post one now and one later in the month.  Hmmm, that means you’ll be getting TWO Christmas cards from me – wow, I’m outdoing myself this year :).  Oh yea, I’m not sure if you can see it or not, but the name of Jesus is in the stars.