Endurance

Today at art class we pretended we were Michealanglo painting the Sistine Chapel.  Last week we practiced drawing the hands from the Creation of Adam (which was pretty difficult for 3rd-6th graders to do). Today we velcroed the paintings underneath the tables and gave the students paints and paintbrushes.  It was amazing how many of them started to complain after just 5 minutes of laying on their backs to paint.  Their arms were sore from stretching upwards, their heads hurt from not having a pillow, and it was hard to paint well laying down and looking up.

I said, "Come on guys!  You've only been under the table for 5 minutes.  It took Michealangelo day after day hour after hour to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel - and it was a fresco!"

It made us all in awe of Michealangelo (even more than already,) but it also made me think of building up endurance to things.  He must have built up such a store of endurance to be able to paint in that way for so long, and that must have come bit by bit via practice and dedication.

It reminded me of life with Christ.  The time we spend now being in His presence builds up a store of endurance for the trials we face in this life.  I don't mean to sound worksy - just thinking about that gift of time in the presence of our Lord, and the way that blesses and guards us...