In Between Sleeping and Waking

Clement Chen

I was at the beach recently with my friends, and I remembered an adaptation I made of a line from William Goldman’s “The Princess Bride” around two years ago. Towards the end of chapter one, Buttercup asks Westley if he loves her. And so Westley says, “Do I love you? My God, if your love were a grain of sand, mine would be a universe of beaches…”

Then I realized that only God could love so much. So I thought, “If my love were a grain of sand, God’s love would be a universe of beaches!”

A Universe of Beaches, 05/30/12

watercolor, metallic poster paint, and metallic markers on paper

I was watching the movie “Hook” today (I am a huge fan of J.M. Barrie’s “Peter and Wendy”). The scene where one of the lost boys examined Peter’s face to see if he was really Peter reminded me of how I sometimes forget who I am in Christ. I get caught up in different things and the big fat lies the enemy keeps on planting in my head, and so I feel lost and far away from Jesus. Eventually, I get tired and I start looking for Him again. But as it turns out, He has been beside me all along. I feel His hands wiping the dust off of my face and then he says, just like the lost boy to Peter, “There you are!” 

“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” -St. Francis of Assisi

My God Can Drive Away the Shadows of My Past, 04/15/12

My relationship with my dad is not everything I hope it would be. Our disconnectedness over the years has made it hard for me to perceive God as my “Daddy”. I’m not sure why… maybe I associate the word “Daddy” with my earthly father too much, along with his failures and shortcomings. Nevertheless, God faithfully shows me that I can fully depend on Him as my one true Father because only He can love me in all the ways my earthly father (or any other man) cannot.

Julie Clinton said, “Sometimes your experience with God can mirror the relationship you have with your earthly father. But the two really have no connection. To fully embrace God’s love, you must first understand how much God really loves you—regardless of the status of your relationship with your earthly father. You must be available and open to receive God’s love, even if you do not fully understand a father’s love for you… He longs to love you. Stop running. Let yourself be captured. Let yourself be loved.” (Living God’s Dream For You, 2008)

“I’ve never quit loving you and never will. Expect love, love, and more love!” (Jeremiah 31:3)

Inspired by Clement Chen’s “Daddy” (http://clementchenmusic.tumblr.com)

Dancing With My Daddy, 04/05/12

watercolor, aquarelle crayons, oil pastel, and acrylic on paper

I admire people who praise and worship God from their heart of hearts even when they are heartbroken, just as how a mockingbird still sings even when it has no more trees to come home to. Their transformation in the aftermath of suffering gives me hope, just as how a sunbeam breaks through the darkest of clouds, or the way buds grow from the dead branches of a broken tree.

Inspired by Clement Chen (http://clementchenmusic.tumblr.com/)

The Mockingbird, 04/03/12

watercolor on paper

http://unkaglen.tumblr.com/post/18471176092

To all the ghosts in my head: PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE. Stop making me feel sad and afraid. YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME. I will not let you pull me down and make me feel ugly, small, and weak. MY GOD IS GREATER THAN ALL OF YOU. He has planted the truth in my heart: I AM A PRINCESS OF THE KING OF KINGS. I AM BEAUTIFUL. I AM BRAVE. I AM BIG & STRONG.

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’.” (Romans 8:15)

“For the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.” (Proverbs 3:26)

God Is More Powerful Than The Ghosts In My Head, 02/16/12

watercolor on paper

Have you ever experienced how life feels like a balancing act that you just want to get out of? You are like a juggler on a unicycle on a tightrope a hundred feet above the ground. You think to yourself, “How much more can I dare myself to juggle?” or “This is too high… what if I fall?” or “I don’t think I can go any further…”

You look down and see the big audience. All eyes are on you. You cannot make a mistake now, otherwise you will surely disappoint at least one person and you could probably never forgive yourself for that. That is what YOU say to yourself. But FAITH ought to be the louder voice that says, “It’s okay to make a mistake… It’s okay to fall.” FAITH is knowing that there will be a trampoline ready to catch you and bounce you back up again. Once you’re back on that tightrope, FAITH reminds you to look straight ahead and focus on your destination. You see your master waiting for you and telling you not to quit. You are no longer distracted by the big audience or the struggle that comes with juggling and balancing on a unicycle. You move forward as you keep yourself present in the moment. The applause of awe and wonder from the audience naturally follows, and then, upon landing on the end of the tightrope, you heart bursts with joy as your master says, “Well done!” 

The Juggler, 02/08/12

Watercolor on paper

Wherever you go and whatever you do, God will always find a way to surprise you—like a warm, bright, and wonderful sunbeam that breaks through a vast storm cloud. He shines with hope and love that makes your heart sing and your spirit dance!

The Faithful Sunbeam, 01/08/12

Watercolor on paper

Sometimes when the enemy pops out of nowhere and tries to attack us, we are unguarded. It is in these moments when we need to remember who we are in Christ. We also realize that we are not always strong enough to fight. We still need to ask God (who’s always got our back even if we don’t see or feel it) to help us defeat the enemy. 

“Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7)

I Have An Undefeatable Dad Who’s Got My Back, 12/04/11

Watercolor on Paper