Two Museums and an Email

            Have you ever noticed how much perspective affects how you think about something?  This past weekend I visited two art museums – The Precious Moments Chapel in Carthage, Missouri, and Crystal Bridges art museum in Bentonville, Arkansas. 

            Had I seen the Precious Moments Chapel 20 years ago, I probably would have walked away thinking it was a little too kitschy for my taste.  But two years ago I saw the Sistine Chapel in Rome.  Looking at the Precious Moments Chapel, I saw the lovely product of Sam Butcher, an artist who joined Child Evangelism Fellowship after becoming a Christian.  His sweet chapel has the same objective as the Sistine Chapel in Rome – to teach the viewer the truths of Scripture.  

            The Precious Moments figurines my family bought for me over the years were small mementoes of big events in my life.  The last figurine I got is called, “Bring The Little Ones to Jesus.”  Sam Butcher designed it exclusively for Child Evangelism Fellowship.  The mother in the chair is presenting the Gospel to the children at her feet using the wordless book.  Long before the “Four Spiritual Laws” or the “Roman Road,” I knew the Gospel through the Wordless Book.  My husband bought the figurine for me when I finished my teaching degree.  As I looked at the Precious Moments Chapel, instead of kitsch, all I saw was a flood of family memories.    

           The second museum I visited was Crystal Bridges.  While there, John Twachtman’s “September Sunshine” pulled me over from fifty feet away.  Maybe it’s because the weekend had been cold, overcast, and chilly, or maybe I just like yellow these days.  The picture emanated a sunshine glow inside the darkened room that made the painting stand out from everything around it.  I ran up to see it close in, but only saw swirls and globs of oil. 

  I had to step back at least 20 feet to love it again.

            When I got back to work on Tuesday and opened my email, a friend had sent me a video of a moonrise in New Zealand.  Take four minutes to watch the link below.  Put it on the biggest screen you can.  Wear headphones, and give yourself a break.  It's breathtaking. 

            Perspective.  Time and distance bring such beauty to so many things we’re missing every day. 

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

 Full Moon Silhouette

(Better Quality on this link)