When I was an elementary school student, I remember May 1st fondly. We typically stapled decorated paper cones, then filled them with flowers. After school, we were to surprise a neighbor or friend by hanging that flower-filled cone onto someone’s doorknob. It was the reverse of “ding dong ditch” where someone rings the doorbell and runs away as a prank. Instead of an empty doorway and the sound of giggling, retreating kids, a neighbor received a bouquet–a surprise of grace.

Later, May 1 meant more to me. It was the birthday of my mom’s boyfriend-then-husband Mark, a dear man whom I loved so much. He left this earth a few years ago, and his loss still breaks my heart. As a girl who has had far too many father figures leave her, his death stung all the more.

Today I want to honor Mark’s memory and return to that sweet practice of flower gifting. I wish I could slip a bunch of fragrant flowers onto your door, but instead, how about I give you a little painted gift?

I painted this initially for my Patreon podcast backers. They receive an original painting from me each month. The reason for this particular painting is that I’m walking through a season of anxiety. (Can you relate?) I’ve been crippled, unfortunately, with these circular thought patterns that never resolve, and many of those involve worry. So I painted this little amateur piece as a way to preach truth to myself. God knows our worries. He clothes the flowers. And they are beautiful. So if He takes care of the needs of bluebonnets and roses and pansies and snapdragons, surely He can take care of me (and you).

Art, though it’s certainly not fine art, has become therapeutic to me. I get lost in the paint strokes, the color, the process of thinking through which Scriptures fit the image in my mind or visa versa. And guess what? Art IS therapy! Just see this cool article:

All that to say, you may remember that I’ve been creating art for Lent for the past several years. It’s been a terrific exercise, one that has deeply enhanced my worship and connected me to Jesus in ways I hadn’t expected. Another thing I hadn’t expected was that you would ALSO enjoy my little small scale pieces.

As a result, after some sweet and kind nagging from friends, I have launched my Restory Art store on Etsy. You can order prints, downloads, and greeting cards there, if you’re interested.