Seeing His Face

Situated on a hill overlooking portions of the city named for brotherly love, it reminds me of another column laden building set high on the hills of Athens.  Though this art museum is not the Parthenon, both are considered works of beauty. 

The magnificent columns compel us to look up,

and we are greeted with further details of beauty. 

However, we didn't come to admire the building.

Nor did we come to climb the steps.

Although we did both.

We came for one reason, and one reason only:

to see His face.

It is why we got a membership to a museum an hour or so away.  Truly, it was cost effective.  Tickets to this very exhibit were free with the membership.  A fantastic deal for a family of six. 

Entering the stately hall, we make our way to stand in line.  Timed tickets only get us so far.  We must wait as others admire the beauty of His face.  We don headsets and listen as a curator explains what we will see in a few moments.  Historical facts and artistic analysis abound.  Intriguing and thought provoking, but it isn't why we came.  We came to see, to experience the different views of His face.  The paintings are just an artist rendition, made by a man who lived 1600 years after He walked the earth.  Of course, we know the depiction cannot be completely accurate.  No one who lives today knows for sure, but still the paintings, the expressions, and the beauty, touch our hearts.  It was truly an experience, and definitely a blessing for us all. 

...continuing my gratitude listing...

613.  Rembrandt's paintings and the Faces of Jesus exhibit we saw

614.  using the museum's flyer to seek His face in other rooms of the museum

615.  our youngest explaining why Jesus was carrying a cross in one of the paintings

616.  children completing library summer reading program

617.  prizes for their reading that included free, delicious ice cream

618.  oldest son's football skills improving

619.  youngest son's enthusiasm to begin flag football

620.  finding free football cleats for our son

621.  my husband, our oldest son, and my brother getting together, shooting a rifle that I shot with my dad and brother when I was growing up

622.  dollar days at the Natural History Museum

623.  a Turtle Travels special exhibit

624.  our youngest son's excitement while learning about turtles

625.  photographing water lilies with my children

626.  water lilies reflecting in water

627.  gardener who clipped a water lily for us to smell and their pleasant scent - like cotton candy!

628.  watching a gardener gently tend the water lilies

629.  playing at the park after days of rain and storms

630.  garden fresh squash from a friend

631.  sweet pears

632.  our daughters having a great time at a pottery painting party


...and so it continues...