I love this painting by John Buxton* of 18th-century frontier women. It captures the anxiety of the times so beautifully. Even the women's clothing is very authentic. You can almost reach out and feel the homespun and linen. The baby is so well drawn she looks real - I'm convinced that she's a she:) I'm wondering what it is they're looking at so intently. Their men are away, maybe in the fields, but most likely doing something far more worrisome by the expression on their faces. What about you? Have you been beset by anxiety lately? Wondering what the new year will bring? I'm guilty of having an anxious heart at times. More times than I care to count, actually. There are a number of great unknowns in my life right now. Yours too, I'm sure. Just yesterday I found this wonderful passage from the old devotional, Springs in the Valley:
When a man is living on God's plan he has no need to worry himself about his trade, or about his house, or about anything that belongs to him. The only thing a man may be anxious about in this life is whether he is working on God's plan, doing God's work; and if that is so, all the care of everything else is back on God.
Did you notice the unusual wording above? I said that the painting "captures the anxiety of the times so beautifully." Anxiety is not beautiful, doesn't feel beautiful, but it can be beautiful if we give our worries to Him.
If the Lord careth for thee, be thyself at rest. -Archbishop Leighton
*John Buxton.com
The painting is beautiful. Look at the woman's hand. She is not afraid to work, obviously.
ReplyDeleteMy devotion today took me to Proverbs 16.
in verse 7, it says
" When a man's ways please the Lord,
He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him."
I thought that fit what you wrote and the devotion from Springs in the Valley.
This is a beautiful painting. I too wonder what the cause for worry and stress is, I'm sure there was plenty to cause it! It just serves to remind me how much out ancestresses (is that a word? ha!) went through to settle this land. I dont know if I would have had the nerve to face all they did...all while trying to raise their family. What brave ladies~
ReplyDeleteJust last night I was writing in my journal about how I needed to let go of anxieties about the future. The scripture that always comes to mind is the parable about the man that stocked up his barn for the future only to not have a future. It reminds me that sometimes we put so much stock into something worrying about it when we should not. In the end I always figure God has His plans and what will be will be.
ReplyDeleteThis is great (and the painting speaks VOLUMES.)
ReplyDeleteI have OCD and GAD and my anxiety is at its worst during winter. I am completely reliant on God or else I'd go nuts.
I need Him so much!
Lisa, I love your verse. It says so much about what the Lord does for us when we please Him. That's my prayer every day - to please Him.
ReplyDeleteI took another look at the tall woman's hand - they are very work worn! They remind me of my granny's hands.
Bless you today!
Heather, I used to say I was born 200 plus years too late. But since researching the 18th-c. heavily I've changed my tune! The rigors of that life, coupled with the everpresent danger, would have made me a wreck. In The Frontiersman's Daughter, I tried to show how hard it was for many women through the character of Lael's mother. The wilderness wasn't for everyone though it must have been incredibly beautiful and unspoiled!
ReplyDeleteAdge, What you've said here fits beautifully with this post. And we can learn a lot from the Scripture you mentioned. We don't know what the future holds, so the old saying goes, but we do know who holds the future. Thanks for reminding us of that.
ReplyDeleteBritt, A picture like this does paint a thousand words, for sure:) I think so many struggle with OCD and GAD and panic issues - many undiagnosed. But you have the best remedy and admitting your need is the cure. I admire you so much for being honest about your struggles. We all have them. I tend toward the melancholy end of things myself and used to think there was no such thing as SAD. But now that I've lived in a dark climate I see that the sun (son!) is very needed:) Thinking of you today.
ReplyDeleteI see that the women in the painting have been traveling and they have been delayed. Maybe the men are replacing a wagon wheel or digging a grave by the side of the trail. It certainly is a beautiful, realistic painting.
ReplyDeleteMy own melancholy has been lifted for a while now, but I still feel generalized anxiety at times. Right now mine is coming from reading the news instead of reading my Bible!
Mary, Wonderful insights as to what could be going on in this scene! Must be that writer's brain of yours:) And I certainly understand about the news upping our anxiety. The situation in Haiti is heartbreaking. Glad you brought this up as we can pray for the people there today and in the days ahead. Bless you, Mary!
ReplyDeleteSharing that painting is timely for me. I went to the production "Little House on the Prairie, the Musical" last night. Melissa Gilbert starred as Ma. What I was struck by was how lonely life on a prairie could be for a woman. I hadn't thought about that part before. And when life becomes about day to day survival, there is a lot to be anxious about.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding me where to cast my cares!
The first thing that strikes me in this wonderful painting is the woman's arm around the young mother holding her baby. It looks to me like she's offering support and the entire image conveys a sisterhood among those women -- they have a real need for each other.
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was that they are about to cross a river and their men are going ahead to test the waters. I know that could be a treacherous part of the trek west.
I think pioneer women shared a sense of companionship and understanding that their men couldn't begin to comprehend. In some ways we're pioneering women exploring the unknown wilderness of cyberspace (at least that's the way I feel LOL)and I've been blessed to find my own supportive sisterhood on my journey.
As to anxiety -- I know it all too well and I'm always secretly thinking deep down inside of me "yeah, right, it's easy to say trust in God and everything will work out but it's hard to live it sometimes" but now I'm think of what is happening in Haiti and I realize I don't know the real definition of anxiety!!!!
Kav, Truly, when I see those suffering people in Haiti my heart aches for them and I'm so convicted of my own selfish, small whines. God is so patient.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing everyone's interpretation of the picture. You've mentioned such an important point - the women banded together and became family as often they'd left behind family in the east/colonies forever.
So glad to be part of the sisterhood of the blogs:) Cyberspace is truly a wilderness to me, too, Kav:) But you've made it less so!
This is a precious post, Laura. I love Lettie Cowman's devotionals. She is someone I would have loved to sit down to tea with. That quote says it so well, what a wonderful perspective. Sometimes we are worrying about the wrong things. I'm trying to not be so anxious about being anxious!
ReplyDeleteI thought the very same thing as Mary did about the wagon wheel, traveling thing in the painting. What a wonderful painting it is.
Lorna, Your and Kav's comments really dovetail nicely. Oh I would have loved to have seen Melissa G. play Ma - I'm sure it was a wonderfully done production! I still enjoy watching the Little House episodes and we have some on CD. Even my husband is a closet watcher:)
ReplyDeleteAm so glad you found the post meaningful. Your comments sure bless me.
Carla, I'm not surprised you're a Lettie (wonderful old-timey name!) Cowman fan. No wonder Springs (and Streams in the Desert) are still in print. There's something so beautiful about that archaic writing yet the spiritual content is always fresh.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments - they add so much here. Praying for you all today.
I had the same thought as Kav, a river crossing. I wonder what strikes that impression? Love his paintings, thanks for sharing one. Beautiful detail in their faces and their gowns. Can you imagine always having your head covered like that? That's a thing I have a hard time remembering in my 18C writing, to be sure most of the women wear their caps!
ReplyDeleteI forget sometimes, too, Lori, about all those caps and straw hats:) When I grew up I think I went around in a bonnet half the time. I still have my great-granny's faded pink bonnet and she had quite a small head. What I long for is one of those straw hats like the tall woman is wearing. Wish we still wore hats like that! So feminine and romantic. But I remember you are something of a tomboy - or were. Maybe you liked those coonskin caps?!
ReplyDeleteI had a coonskin cap, as a matter of fact (or a synthetic replica). But I've always had an aversion to anything on my head. I'd have been one of those little girls whose ma was forever telling her to wear her bonnet.
ReplyDeleteBeautifully said, Laura!! Throw all our cares upon God and know that He is control. That's what I tell myself often.
ReplyDeleteI've got to tell you, I started reading The Frontiersman's Daughter yesterday. Got through the first 25 chapters. That's amazing for me since I'm such a slow reader. It's a great story, Laura. Not at all what I expected, but I sure am enjoying it!!! Thanks for sending it to me!
Eileen, It means so much to know you're up there reading my book! Thank you for telling me. If you're that far in you've made it past the hard part. There was talk at the beginning of cutting some of the first half of the book and then the editors kept it in. So the rest is smooth sailing and the romantic stuff gets kind of intense so keep going:) From the sounds of your blog you have horses and girls to have fun with and maybe not a lot of time for reading. So thank you for that! I'm thinking of you (and thankful for you).
ReplyDeleteLori, You remind me of Lael:) No bonnet wearing for her, either!
ReplyDeleteThank you for this, Laura.
ReplyDeleteLife, for me, feels to be in flux. It feels like things will be changing soon and that brings anxiety. But I know I'm on God's path, so like that quote said, it's all on God.
Thanks
Kristen, I'm glad this post touched you in some way. I promise to pray for you in the midst of your changes. Yes, it's all on God. Good to hear it back from you as I needed it fresh today! Thank you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteI love that picture and can picture it on my wall in Pioneer room :)
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to come and visit my blog when you have time for the give away and my new listings in my other blog.
I wish I had a switch to turn off the stress I have right now..it causes pain with the fibro...spring is coming so am looking forward to better times and I do know that the Lord will provide when I need him
Nancy, Will have to stop by your site as I'm behind in my blog reading. But I sure love your crafts! Praying you feel better soon. This dark weather doesn't help. Spring is right around the corner for you southerners!
ReplyDeleteMay the blessing return to you, too, dear reader:)
ReplyDelete