I looked around at several places. Nothing jumped out at me. Kim's word about the significance of that wall stuck with me. I knew, I KNEW I wouldn't compromise. I didn't even want to put something up in the meantime. It would just wait.
I remember sitting in early Fall, after another shopping trip of no luck, and thinking "What if someone did a personal canvas?" I put out a call on Facebook, but the Lord whispered a name to me, my friend Lisa Vrooman, a beautiful artist! I didn't know what I wanted, but I knew I wanted Lisa to do it. I got ideas from friends, including song lyrics, the infamous monkey bars from 1st Grade, and my purpose statement, which is my life mission.
In September, I visited Lisa in Nashville and we got to really talking about it. She showed me some of her pieces to see features I liked. We even did a little shopping for inspiration. That's when we came across a framed painting in a store. We both paused and did a double take. It was me. What I saw was me in any city in the world. Lisa and I stared at it for awhile and she could add some artistry to an existing painting. We held onto the idea, and continued to look and ponder.
The wall sat empty through the Winter. Lisa and I talked a few times. We still liked the image and slated it for January/February.
When Lisa and I talked again in January, she didn't feel totally comfortable adding to the existing painting. Quite honestly, my heart longed for an original Lisa piece, if she was up for it. We talked about it and what this commission would involve. While Lisa was snowed in and I was iced in, the inspirational juices flowed! I sent her pictures that meant something to me and she incorporated some of her own, taking the inspiration of the original painting we saw, along with our own symbolism. She took buildings from my trip to Italy, her own European trip photos, a coffee shop for obvious reasons, and other elements inspired by the Holy Spirit, like names for the coffee shop and bookstore. I sent her a picture of myself to inspire her putting me in the painting.
I assured Lisa's that I would gladly wait for it to be right. She kept me apprised along the way, and we brought our friend Katie in to help with stenciling.
I asked Lisa about the practicality of having the piece in time for my housewarming. She said that should work, and worked tirelessly to stick to that. After she came down with an illness, I didn't want her to feel like she had to, but to my delighted surprise, they made plans to hand-deliver it from Nashville to Atlanta on the day of my housewarming! Oh I was so excited!! The painting would be unveiled and I would get to see two of my favorite people!!!
Beauty Unveiled
Lisa sent me the progress in stages, up until the final touches. Then, as expected, she gave me my last viewing before it was to arrive in person. Everything I had seen was perfect!
The moment arrived. Lisa's husband Chris brought this bubble wrapped canvas up my stairs and into my house. I could hardly contain myself. When there was a free moment, Lisa unwrapped the masterpiece. I was overcome. Joy, perfection, fruition. It's everything I wanted, and more! I loved that I could share the moment with other friends present, new and old. It's me. It's right. It's perfect.
I look into the piece and it brings calm, it brings joy, it brings peace. I'm going to have it forever, and we know God is going to continuously reveal Himself through it!
I (half) joked with Lisa that the only thing missing is my (future) husband. Her response: "I thought of that! He's just around that corner...or in the bookstore...or he owns the coffee shop!" Bottom line? She'll add him later. It's all part of the lifelong revelations of God.
Trust
God's already worked so much through this painting. I knew from the beginning that I wouldn't compromise on what went on the wall. I WANTED to wait. I trusted Lisa without hesitation, first with her judgement about how to approach it, then with every step of the process. I knew she would make it perfect. Not a shred of doubt.
If I can wait for the right piece to go on that wall, I can wait on the right thing in other areas of my life. If I can trust Lisa with a masterpiece, shouldn't I trust God that much more? Isn't the Creator of Heaven and Earth worth even greater trust? Isn't He going to paint the best masterpiece on the wall of my life? "For Him who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask or imagine." Ephesians 3:20. It's well worth the wait.
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