Not today

We were sort of in lock down due to the fuel shortages. The weather was hot and humid, there was no electric power and therefore no running water in the taps in our block during the day. Our generator hours had been reduced in order to manage meagre generator fuel resources, and there was zero power from the national grid. I was unwell also, and all compounded to make me feel even worse. In order to distract myself from the circumstances, I decided to pull out a couple of canvases and did some painting. Something I have not done for over thirty years. It was cathartic. So therapeutic that i scarcely noticed the lack of the usual cooling air conditioning. I swerved the effects of the  resultant intolerable heat, by hydrating frequently, and focussing on delicate brush strokes. It was like a drug! 


There was no feeling sorry for myself as I shut down every negative thought , every desire to whinge and whine, and channelled my energies into painting my impressions of God's beautiful creation of flowers and plants. During the time i had brush in hand and acrylic paints  squished on to my palettes, i was just a conduit mirroring the strokes of the master artist that i have waxed lyrical about often on this forum.

I also wrote some poetry, ( or is it prose?), in any case, the title for this post was taken from the title of the poem. I hope you enjoy looking at my paintings as much as i enjoyed painting them. They were inspired by real photographs that i took on my trip to the Bahamas by cruiseship via Miami earlier in the year. One was taken on the Island of St Thomas and the other in St Croix.
Enjoy!

And here is the prose titled 'Not Today'

Not today

Will i dwell in the mind space of fear and pain

Not today

Will i make my shortcomings top of mind

Not today

Will i dwell in the shadow of all that is not well

Not today.

Today i will dwell in the secret place of the most high

Today i will abide under the shadow of the almighty

Today i will plug into all the powers of heaven

And own the facts that are true

That i am fearfully and wonderfully made

That i am the apple of God's eye

That i can do exceedingly abundantly more

That i am more than a conqueror in Christ Jesus

Not today

Will the enemy get a foothold

Not today

Because i choose joy

Today i choose faith

Today i choose gratitude beyond measure

Today i choose flight on eagle's wings

Today i walk in the power of all of heaven

I adopt the gait of a conquering hero

Today i take courage

For i am victorious and not a victim

Lara Cookey

30 May 2015