Our Christ

I'm so grateful for a weekend where I have thought so much about my Savior. Yesterday we went to the BYU Sacred Gifts exhibit, which has a collection of large (and a few small) beautiful artwork of Christ by Carl Bloch, Heinrich Hofmann, and Frans Schwartz.

 By Carl Bloch

 

 by Heinrich Hofmann

 

by Frans Schwartz

 

The art is on loan from several different locations and are loved by people of many different faiths. Most of the paintings are often used in LDS church lessons so I have seen them many times, but never so much larger than me and I have never seen the actual brush strokes. My son saw the exhibit with the young men once, but was happy to go again. My daughters were not excited about going and even after said it was boring, but they both asked me several questions about Jesus and pointed out details in the paintings that I didn't notice, so I think they did get something out of it. If you haven't been yet, the exhibit will be there untiil May.

Then today as I partook of the sacrament, I thought of many of these paintings and the feelings I had when viewing them. Our Relief Society (women's church group) lesson was on the sacrament where I was able to think about my Savior and my relationship with Him. Then after church Alexander and I went to choir practice where we are practicing a song for Easter called "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross". I was not familiar with it and when we first sang it last week, I wasn't sure I would like it. But after really reading the words today as we were singing, it was suddenly beautiful and had such power. I included the lyrics and a video of The Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing it so you can contemplate the lyrics too.


1. When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the Prince of Glory died;
my richest gain I count but loss,
and pour contempt on all my pride.

2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
save in the death of Christ, my God;
all the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to his blood.

3. See, from his head, his hands, his feet,
sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,
or thorns compose so rich a crown.

4. Were the whole realm of nature mine,
that were an offering far too small;
love so amazing, so divine,
demands my soul, my life, my all.

Utah Local: Kimball Art Center

I was so happy to have a week off of school for spring break, but was sad that it wasn't also my children's spring break so we didn't have a week to hang out together. But they did get Friday off. Elisa spent the whole day with a friend, but Alex and Sabrina went with me on a little road trip. We drove around through Heber and Midway and over to Park City.

We had lunch out and stopped by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, so that made the kids happy. I had looked up things to do in Park City before we went and saw that there was a Lego art exhibit at Kimball Art Center, so that was on our list too. It's a small art gallery just a block off of Main Street where all the shops are. I forgot to take a photo of the outside of the building so you'd recognize it if you wanted to go, but you can see a photo on their Hours of Operation page.

It is FREE, with a place to donate if you'd like. There is a little cafe on the left hand side and the art center entrance is just to the right of that.This colorful piano is right outside the entrance.

Right now and through April 21st (so go soon!) the main gallery on the main floor has Nathan Sawaya's "The Art of the Brick" Lego art exhibition. He has 4 exhibitions right now so the art he has at this gallery is only some of his Lego fun that he has created. If you go to his gallery at BrickArtist.com you can see even more of his amazing work. Make sure to click on "See All Work" on the right. Although the gallery is small, my kids really enjoyed looking at the art and we spent quite a bit of time looking at each piece. I don't want to give away all the fun by showing you too much here in case you'll be going there, but want to show some pieces in case you don't get to go.

I like this piece with the reflection of the boy in the puddle.

 

 

 

There is also a gallery downstairs that kinda wanders around different rooms and there's an exhibition called Geolines there now, but I didn't take any photos. Then there are a few photos in the cafe and right outside it in the gallery from an exhibition called Dwellings and are different embroidered homes by Stephanie Clark. They are small, but very detailed.



 

You don't have to ski to enjoy Park City in the winter. You can walk around, watch the skiers, shop, eat, look at art, take photos and walk some more.



Here's a tip if you don't know. Parking on Main Street has meters, but you can park for free on Park Avenue just a block over, at least where I parked, a couple of blocks down from Kimball Art Center.

26th Annual Spiritual & Religious Art of Utah

Yesterday the kids and I went to the Springville Museum of Art's 26th Annual Spiritual & Religious Art of Utah Exhibition. There were so many beautiful pieces. I had a favorite last year (and am still kicking myself for not taking a photo of it), but this year I don't think I did.

This triptych shows the atonement, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ with just his hands. The artist is Jennifer Diane Gubler and the title is Galatians 2:20.    

Mother & Child by Emily Ann Gordon

This is a very unique piece entitled Serrano de Christo is by Trevin Prince. He used resin and his own blood.

I just had to include this one just because of its title--Pondering by Catherine Darling Hostetter. Click on it to see it bigger and see the interesting old newspaper articles.

This piece Welcome to My World by Heather Barron reminds me of some paintings by my friend Elizabeth Sanchez, who I mentioned in this post.

Madonna Francesa: Remember My Son by Pedro Jose Ibañez

The light was coming in through a window hitting Christ by David G. Dean.

This one is called "Beacause of Your Faith"-Elder Holland by Matthew Grant McNaughtan. It is based off of a part in Elder Holland's talk Because of Your Faith where he describes the faithful "osteoporotic couples who trundle off to the temple at 5:00 in the morning with little suitcases now almost bigger than they are". It called my attention because I love to see older couples together, especially hand in hand. Two people who have gone through so much together, have so many memories and suffered and celebrated together, and because of their faith, stuck together through it all.

It's Really June Already???

Since I don't get to update my blog much at all anymore or even keep in touch with friends like I would like, I'm just posting some random recent photos. It's mostly for my family and friends who actually know us (cuz others just might not care), but you can all enjoy the good music while you're here. This is Taylor Olson, a BYU student and pop/jazz singer/songwriter. We like BYU and good music at our house. If you are around, you can hear her live this Saturday, June 11th at 10:00 at Muse Music Cafe in Provo. She'll be performing and so will some other great women like Jacqueline du Plessis. So click play and look through the photos or listen to her while your reading other windows.

 Alexander and I went to a program at BYU called Foundations that helps prepare kids for college and parents to know what to do to help them (ACT tests, classes to take, GPA requirements, etc.). This was his second year and he loves it. The parents and kids were separated on different sides of the room for this opening session. Before I left him, I told Alexander to go up and dance or answer trivia because that's what they do at the beginning. He said, "No way!" Then they asked for people to get up and tell jokes and he ran right up. (Horrible quality photo, but it was the best of the 4.)

 He came home with free loot!

 We went over to the Provo temple for a quick photo shoot. Only like 10 minutes. It's not easy to get photos of my children without them making silly faces!

 Maria Mercer Adams, my sister's sister-in-law, so kinda, almost my sis-in-law, had an art show at BYU and Sabrina and I went to see it. They are illustrations that she painted for a book that is to introduce newly diagnosed children to Type 1 Diabetes, which Maria has. I am in awe of people with such talent!

 Sabrina loved the apples!

 Maria's mother Lanette and Maria's cousin, who I just met for the first time that night. You can barely see Maria behind her mother's shoulder in the background.

 Maria was so busy talking to friends and family (even an art editor for The Friend was there) so I didn't want to interrupt her for a photo. So I snapped one while she was conversing.

 When we were leaving the art show, Sabrina asked me to take a few photos of her on campus.

 Yeah, we like BYU!

 For my family birthday party, we went to my parents' house and Alex played the fluter while the girls sang a couple of hymns for me. Alex taught himself to play the flute recently and didn't even practice the hymns before he played for us. The girls just decided what they wanted to sing in the car on the way to my parents' house. Lots of talent there too!

My niece turned 2 and I snapped some photos at the party. My sister Heather made the cute cake.

 This is my cousin Angela and her son Sky. As you can tell, she is lots younger than me. I met her either once or twice before she got married and took a trip out to Utah like a year ago. When I was growing up, I only had 2 cousins. Yep, 2 total on my father and mother's sides. A few more came along over the years, but not many and I barely know them. So it's pretty special that she is living in Utah for a few months while her hubby is deployed away from home.

 This is my brother Jared and his wife Debbie. They have the two amazing boys below.

I think that's enough pics for today! My family has probably seen most of these anyway, thanks to Facebook. Hope to be back soon for a new post, but I have a test to study for so I dunno.

I Love You Anyway

I have been listening to my Jarrett Burns CD over and over and over. I noticed that the two songs that I repeat the most (although I love them all) are both duets. You can start the music here if you’d like to listen to it while you read the post. The lyrics are toward the end of the post, where I talk about them. (Sorry for the crazy formatting on this long post. I don't have time to figure out what I did to the HTML. The post ends with the question in purple.) 

I love duets, especially with a man and a woman singing together. 2 people singing, using their own unique voices, often singing different notes, sometimes even different words at the same time, but when they both do their part well and work together well, it is beautiful music. Of course, this is like a good marriage.

I’ve been debating writing marriage posts for months. Who would read what a divorced woman has to say about how to have a good marriage? And it’s emotionally hard for me to study and write about it. I thought about starting a series of posts entitled “Preparing for Mr. Right, #_” and then each post has another number. I thought that would get way too depressing to see post #2000 and #99,999, etc. so I decided against that. But I do want to learn, change and prepare now so that if I ever get a second chance, I can be ready, well, more ready. So the posts are really for me, but just sharing with you the quotes I collect and some of my ponderings and asking for your ideas too.  

So back to duets… Check out my beautiful and talented friend Elizabeth Sanchez's painting called “A Balancing Act”. She is an awesome painter. You can see more of her art at her website or her blog Personal Epiphanies. You can even meet her and some other women artists at Art Access Gallery 230 South 500 West #125, Salt Lake City on Feb. 9 from 6-9 pm. (Anybody wanna go with me?)

Isn’t this exactly what a marriage is like? It is so much work and you feel like at any moment you might fall off. And of course, there is the adversary making it harder to stay poised on the ball, keeping the marriage together. In order to remain steady, you must help your partner and allow them to help you. Sometimes you might feel like you are doing all of the supporting and holding, while your spouse just struggles, but if you let go because you are tired or impatient, you will fall too. Both husband and wife have to work together, doing their part well, but being aware of what the other needs. That is so not easy!

“Marriage, in its truest sense, is a partnership of equals, with neither person exercising dominion over the other, but with each encouraging, comforting, and helping the other…

Marriage partners must be loyal to one another and faithful in their marriage covenants in thought, word, and deed. The Lord has said, “Thou shalt love thy wife with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her and none else” (D&C 42:22). The phrase “none else” teaches that no person, activity, or possession should ever take precedence over the marriage relationship.”    LDS Study Topics: Marriage

My friend Shauna gave me the book Covenant Hearts  by Bruce C. Hafen before she realized that we had already filed for divorce. I still read the book and it is one of the best books I’ve ever read. I will be quoting from it in future marriage posts. I highly recommend you to add it to your reading list this year. Soooo much for me to learn. If you don’t have the book, you can look up some of his talks. Many of the talks are word for word (or almost) in the book, like this quote I took from one of his talks.   

“When troubles come, the parties to a contractual marriage seek happiness by walking away. They marry to obtain benefits and will stay only as long as they’re receiving what they bargained for. But when troubles come to a covenant marriage, the husband and wife work them through. They marry to give and to grow, bound by covenants to each other, to the community, and to God. Contract companions each give 50 percent; covenant companions each give 100 percent…

Marriage is by nature a covenant, not just a private contract one may cancel at will. Jesus taught about contractual attitudes when he described the “hireling,” who performs his conditional promise of care only when he receives something in return. When the hireling “seeth the wolf coming,” he “leaveth the sheep, and fleeth … because he … careth not for the sheep.” By contrast, the Savior said, “I am the good shepherd, … and I lay down my life for the sheep.”  Many people today marry as hirelings. And when the wolf comes, they flee. This idea is wrong. It curses the earth, turning parents’ hearts away from their children and from each other”.

Bruce C. Hafen, "Covenant Marriage"   Ensign, Nov. 1996, 26

That leads me back into the lyrics of the song. 

I Love You Anyway by Aaron Edson

V. 1

Things have not been easy
I guess everybody knows
We've had our highs
But oh we've had our lows

I hope that you remember

Those cozy summer nights

When something deep inside you

Told you this was right

And even when you tell me

We don't fit that well we

Got something beautiful I hope you agree

Cause you mean so much to me

Chorus:

That I love you anyway

Yes I love you anyway

Even on the rainy days

When you won't meet my gaze

And there's nothin left to say

That's when I know its true
That I was meant to be with you
So you can do what you may
But I will always stay cause I love you anyway


V. 2
Don't know if I'll ever
Be what you really need
But I'll just keep on tryin
Even if I don't succeed
I really hope I get there
Even if for just one day
And if I don't, I really hope you say

Chorus: 1X

Bridge:
Nobody likes to think that
Someone sees the ugly in them
But people wind up all alone
If they don't let somebody in them
And its a bit naive to think
That lovin, livin' together we won't see
All the shameful things inside us
But if we love, then we'll be free to be
You and me and we'll agree that unconditionally
Chorus: 1X


It’s a couple struggling to make things work, but they know it’s supposed to be work, and they keep trying and they don’t give up because of their love for each other. They know we are to be longsuffering and that there is much hardship but blessings in enduring, instead of fleeing. (This part brings out the tears every time.)

Even on the rainy days

When you won't meet my gaze

And there's nothin left to say

I also really like the end of the song, where they sing about how they see each other’s faults and their bad sides, but they know that because they are loved, it’s okay. That person isn’t going to leave you because of them.

But if we love, then we'll be free to be

You and me and we'll agree that unconditionally

Isn’t that what we all want (and many of you are blessed to have)? Someone to love us even when it’s hard and doesn’t seem to be working, someone who we feel safe being ourselves with. I know that’s what Heavenly Father wants in a celestial marriage.  

So, how do you stay balanced if you are married, or what is one way you feel you could use support from a future spouse if you’re not?    

Believest Thou?

I have been thinking about how interconnected patience, hope and faith are. I recently was reading the familiar chapter Ether 3, where the brother of Jared sees the Lord’s finger as he is touching the stones. Verse 11 stood out to me and I read it and re-read it.

And the Lord said unto him: Believest thou the words which I shall speak?

It seemed that he was asking that question of me. It is an interesting question. How can you say you believe something you have not yet heard? Of course, if you know who is talking and trust that person completely, you know he or she will not lie and that you can believe all their words. When we truly know our Heavenly Father and our Savior, we know that whatever they say is true and we can believe it. We do not have to first hear it and think about it before we know that it is true. How wonderful in this world of uncertainty and even counterfeits and deceit, we have someone to rely on wholly for truth. What a beautiful gift faith is.

It reminded me of a scripture that I have had in my “future blog posts” file for a while.

Romans 8
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Sometimes (ok, most of the time) I want to see my future and see that things will be okay. I have the reassurance from the Spirit, but I wanna see it, like a small child whose parent promises him something and he doesn’t trust that he will get it. “You have the candy? Can I see it? Just let me see it to make sure you still have it.” (Yeah, that’s me.)

And that lead me to a quote in the same file. This quote, along with President Uchtdorf’s talk Continue in Patience, has taught me more about patience. I love the imagery Elder Maxwell used here. I wish I were an artist to paint what I imagine in my head when I read it.

This painting is called The Slave Ship and is by one of my favorite painters, J.M.W. Turner.

“Patient endurance permits us to cling to our faith in the Lord and our faith in His timing when we are being tossed about by the surf of circumstance. Even when a seeming undertow grasps us, somehow, in the tumbling, we are being carried forward, though battered and bruised.” Neal A. Maxwell, “‘Endure It Well’,” Ensign, May 1990, 33

If we have sufficient faith to believe the words of our Father, hope for that which we do not see, and patience to wait and endure well, we really will be carried forward through any circumstances that come into our lives. So it’s that simple. Do you believe it or don’t you?

"Faith exists when absolute confidence in that which we cannot see, combines with action that is in absolute conformity to the will of our Heavenly Father."
Joseph B. Wirthlin, Shall He Find Faith on Earth? October 2002, General Conference

Utah Local: Maria Mercer

Although Maria Mercer is not a Utah native, she lives here so she's local. I do have to mention that she is almost my sister-in-law (she's my sister's husband's sister), but I'm not biased. She is such a talented artist. I am not even good at drawing stick people so I am in awe of people who have worked hard to learn how to use their vision to make such beautiful pieces of art.

She paints and sketches and also uses cool computer programs to create digital art. This sketch below is one of my favorites that I've seen of hers. Wanna see more of her work? Check out her portfolio at her website.

Maria accepts commissions as well as freelance work for both Illustration and Graphic Design. She is available to do corporate/company based work, which is what most of her work is. But she is happy to sell digital copies of some of her work for under $50 or some of her paintings. She didn't give me any exact prices, so if you're interested, please contact her. I think it would be so awesome to commission a painting and have something so original and is a combination of your vision and the artist's.

After some investigation (I got the info from my sister Tiffany), I found out that Maria is using her talents and experiences to write and illustrate a book for doctors to give to children who have been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes to educate them and help them feel less scared. She was diagnosed with it when she was 9. Isn't that a cool project?

One of her other paintings I think is fun is the curious-looking owl in her Portfolio. I picture it in a reading nook, maybe because we think of owls as wise. Which one do you like? Have you ever commissioned a painting?