North Beach comes to Iowa

My amazing noble comrades Adriaan and Angela Meijer arranged for me to visit Ankeny, Iowa for an "Angels and Miracles" conference at their church.  I am sitting in their dining room right now with their three princess releasing Crayola art all around me.

In thinking through my visit I knew I needed to bring them part of Southern California.  Angela had once commented about how significant my encounters with God are at the beach, and I had a brilliant idea (I love it when I'm brilliant.)  I would bring them part of North Beach, my favorite place in San Clemente.

On March 9, 2010 I went down to soak my 12"x12" canvas in the sea.  There was a bull dozer moving sand into piles, so I had to head south to get access to the ocean.






It was a cold day, and I wasn't so keen on imersing my hands and feet in te cold salt water to soak the cloth.  Then I saw it.  One lone rock waiting to anchor my piece to the shore so the waves could baptise it.  I approached it as the tide was receding and anchored my art.

The waves were not in a hurry to reach to rock, so I stood and waited  (and recorded it.)

Then I took a picture.

On my way back up the beach the bull dozer was leveling out the mounds it had made.  That made me happy.

The next day, on March 10, I went back to put the sand on .  I went right, up the beach and sat at a bench near the southmost fire pit. 

Several years ago, while I was in Vacaville at The Mission church, someone had handed me "Matte Artist Medium" which is basically like glue.  As I smeared it with my fingers all over the canvas, I was struck by how timeless God is.  When He had that person hand me the big tub in 2007 he was seeing this piece in 2010!  Woah.

God pointed out the perfect place for the piece, and I layed the gooey side down and stepped on the canvas.  Then picked it up and layed it flat to dry.  Then I smeared medium over the top so the sand would be contained.  As I picked it up, I was struck with how heavy it is! 

The 12'x12" packed easily in my carry on, and I had no trouble trasporting North Beach to Iowa on Monday, March 15.  I couldn't wait to give it to them, and pulled it out upon arrival Monday night!!  Angela loved it, and found a place for it imediately.  The next day she showed it to our friend Helen (below.)

So now, the Meijer clan has a little bit of North Beach hanging by their front door!  YIPEE.