I ripped yet another drawing up and threw it on the floor in frustration. How do you paint the first Christmas anyway? I’d accepted the commission from Reverend Haddox; how could I decline when he offered me such a large payment? But now I was having my doubts. I’d tried and failed to sketch the beginning of a painting. I’d get the stable or a few shepherds and it would look fine. But then I would try Joseph or Mary and it would feel all wrong. I tried them standing together, I tried them standing apart, I sketched them kneeling, I drew them happy, and I drew them awed. Nothing I did made it better. It worse when I tried the baby. Was he awake? Was he asleep? Did he cry? I didn’t even know how to begin.
I set down my pencils and went to the bookcase in the front room. On the bottom shelf I found our copy of the Bible. Flipping it open to the New Testament, I settled on the couch and began to read.
I read the story of the first Christmas several times, searching for a clue of how the family looked or how they felt on that wonderful night. I found only the most general facts. With a sigh, I replaced the Bible on the shelf and went back to drawing.
p.s. I know it's short, but I'm short on time. I promise I'll write more soon.
1 comment:
Keep going! Its sounding great! Eventually, you can put it into a really big book and publish it and illustrate it too! :D I'm only being half sarcastic... anyway, I'll talk 2 u l8r and Christina says hi...
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