Ethel

Original Watercolor, 22” x 15”, by Bill Hudson

With Custom Frame …………………… $1,650

Streaks

...... by Bill Hudson

Have you ever noticed how life seems to be a series of streaks…good fortune and happiness interrupted with periods of adversity and stress. Yet, that is how we grow strong – by pushing through resistance.

For years now, the highlight of my week is nine holes of early morning, highly competitive, fun-filled golf with my 4 sons, my daughter-in-law Kendall, and my son-in-law Mike. But last September I had to stop because of ankle pain from a decades-old injury when I broke several bones. The combination of electric golf carts, pain killers, and braces were no longer adequate remedies. The next step was ankle fusion surgery to relieve the pain and allow me to resume golf with family and friends.

Unfortunately, the surgery failed; my ankle collapsed, and I’m now resigned to walk with the aid of a scooter and cane. Golf is gone. And so is hiking through woods along coastal cliffs to capture reference photos for future paintings.

While lying in bed during my surgery recovery I discovered AI and image generation with Midjourney. It was then I realized the ability to create reference photographs that had been impossible in the past… marine images where I specify the location, the historic period, the season, the time of day or night, the tide, the surface of the sea, the sky conditions, the presence of people, vessels, birds, buildings etc. The truth is, I have never enjoyed watercolor painting more than today with the aid of Midjourney.

Now, as I paint an image of an old harbor from…say the 1950s, I think of my grandparents. I think of how hard their lives were, constantly living with pain…in joints that we casually get replaced and walk out of the hospital the same day. Or cataracts that were major surgery requiring comparatively large incisions, longer healing times and resulted in high infection rates. As I reflected on their lives, I decided to honor my Grandma Hudson by naming the boat, and the painting above, “Ethel” in her honor.

And as I was painting “Ethel,” I received a text message from our oldest daughter, Kim. The message shown below is the weekly reading from her Bible study class. It is an excerpt from “40 Days of Jesus Always” by Sarah Young. I have now read it many times. It always hits home.

“Learn to be joyful when things don’t go as you would like. Do not begin your day determined to make everything go your way. Each day you will bump up against at least one thing that doesn’t yield to your will. It could be as trivial as the reflection you see in the mirror or as massive as a loved one’s serious illness or injury. My purpose for you is not to grant your every wish or to make your life easy. My desire is that you learn to trust Me in all circumstances.

If you are intent on having your way in everything, you will be frustrated much of the time. I don’t want you to waste energy regretting things that have happened. The past cannot be changed, but you have My help in the present and My hope for the future. So try to relax. . . trusting in My control over your life. Remember: I am always close to you, and there is abundant Joy In My Presence.”

Psalm 62:8; Proverbs 23:18;

Acts 2:28; Numbers 6:25 TLB