The Gift of Friendship

Spent some time with a dear friend of mine this morning--stretching out the birthday celebrations as much as I can:) She and I met for a late breakfast, coffee, and conversation. What a treasure! One of the greatest gifts of my life is that of genuine friendship. If you have even one true friend, you must give thanks…and show gratitude…and celebrate the bond!

Not everyone we meet can be called a true friend. Along life’s journey, I have met some folks that were what I call “soul sandpaper” to put it nicely. You know those people that just kind of rub you the wrong way…but God still uses the encounter for His ultimate good--to knock off a few rough and jagged edges? The refining process is sometimes painful, but I try to keep in mind that I may be the “grit” in someone else’s life. I find that it’s best to extend mercy as much as possible because I never know when I will need to be the recipient!

But still, there are a few shining favorites out there… the ones who just get you-- and you get them too! Those are the people who can tell you what’s going on in their lives and you find yourself nodding in complete understanding. True friends serve as a life mirror. In them, sometimes I see who I am. Sometimes I remember who I was. Sometimes I ponder what I will become. And all the while, it’s so nice to know that God can use me to meet their needs as well. He sends each of us the exact people we need – at the exact time we need them – for the exact support or challenge we require. Now that is a gift worth celebrating!

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Live a beautiful life! ~Kim P. Bartholomew

Aroma of Christ

Scents– wow can they bring on a flood of memories! It’s hard to explain how the smell of a vine ripe tomato can take me back to my grandmother’s kitchen…or how the smell of freshly cut grass puts me back on the golf course with my daddy…or how the whiff of a particular cologne makes me long for my husband's embrace. There is immense power in aroma!


Today I’m reflecting on the aroma of Christ. It is my heart’s desire to be a pleasing reminder of the love of Jesus to all I encounter. To anyone who may be reading this…I pray that God will send you a beautiful, fragrant reminder of His love for you today. Whether it comes to you in the form of your mother’s perfume – your baby’s gentle shampoo - or your grandfather’s aftershave, revel in God’s gift of scents. And let us be reminded of His pure love for us all.

Live a beautiful life! ~Kim P. Bartholomew

Description of Painting: This little jewel box of a piece depicts a perfume bottle with the stopper loosened – allowing the fragrance within the bottle to permeate the surrounding area. The plumes of the perfume fill the air in what becomes a cross shaped pattern. The four tips of the cross are punctuated by jewels for further emphasis. The stopper of the bottle is heart shaped and jeweled as well--the symbolism denoting the beauty and life that Christ brings to our hearts with His presence. The bottle itself is tipped over to remind the viewer that we are to pour out our lives in loving service to Christ and to those for whom we are to be “the aroma of Christ!”

Scriptural Inspiration for Painting:"Oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man's counsel is sweet to his friend." (Proverbs 27:9 NASV)

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV)

To see more original works of art and related products like note cards, posters, giclees and fine prints, please visit www.sonstudios.com.