Almost Dawn - Painting

Glorification of the Saints - Painting

"Glorification of the Saints" by Valerie Horner  2/25/2016

Acrylic on canvas paper  12" X 16" matted.

I'm on a bit of a medievalist kick lately. I noticed that one of the motifs representing the glory of God, The Holy Spirit, or the presence of God in Medieval art is a cloud with cherubim around the border and light coming out of the cloud.  Some people have claimed that these painted clouds are actually representative of UFO's (which they are not!) I've also been reading N.T. Wright Surprised By Hope, John Piper's article about Athanasius of Alexandria, and listening to Dr Michael Heiser's podcast in which they are all discussing the glorification of the saints, so instead of putting the Virgin Mary under the "UFO" cloud like many Medieval painting, I put glorified saints or the believing church of God in Christ Jesus.

....





This cloud/angel motif is even found in an a cave in
China. It is very old.

So it was too much of a fun challenge for me to pass up!

I get a kick out of this painting below. It appears that the artist was much more impressed with the architecture at the time than the miracle of the annunciation.

My next piece I'm working on is - Guess what?
Yep - the annunciation.
Once again I apologize for the poor photo
quality of my art.

The Writing on the Wall - Political Commentary

2.21.16

“King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon,” Daniel 3:1.

This is more of a diagnosis than a prophecy; I’m reading the writing on the wall.  Donald Trump will be our next president unless some major blow-up happens in the race.  At this time, he has just made his second primary win in South Carolina with Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz tied 13 points behind in second. After The Donald’s win in New Hampshire, he mysteriously announced he wasn’t going after Marco Rubio any more.  Even more mysteriously, Marco Rubio never went after the man who was in first place in the South Carolina polls, but went after Ted Cruz instead.  It looks like the deal maker has shaken hands with Senator Rubio, and it’s a good deal for both of them.  Rubio is obviously not going to get the Republican nomination for president when he can’t even win a state. But he might manage to win a number of delegates. Let’s say that Kasich and Carson got out before March, there is a possibility that Trump, Rubio, and Cruz would each get ⅓ of the delegates (even though it is more likely that Trump will have over half).   It is easy to see Trump and Rubio joining tickets and delegates.  Trump has already decided that Rubio would be better for his ticket than Cruz: Rubio has higher  approval by the Republican establishment and will hopefully have a better influence with the Latino vote, which Trump is going to have to make mucho apologies to when he secures the Republican nomination.

The left (who has given Trump hours of free promotion on television) is thrilled with his lead among the Republicans for a number of reasons. First of all, he’s as socially left as they, and they hope this will end the Evangelical influence in politics.  In case you have been asleep, Bible believing Christians have a target on their backs. Second of all, they think Donald will lose against Hillary. They are certainly mistaken.  It is true that ⅓ of the hardcore Evangelical and/or Libertarian branch of Republicans will never vote for Donald Trump, but they will also never vote for Hillary.  2/3 of  Democrats will also never vote for him.  However this leaves most blue collar Democrats, moderate Republicans, and Independents to vote for Donald’s brash style over Hillary’s worn politics.  She is a weak and unpopular candidate.  Some think if Hillary runs against Donald, she will bring out the big guns and dirt to bring him down; however, one things that has been obvious to me throughout this campaign.  Mr Trump has vast landholding of dirt on  many people, and the Clintons are dirtier than most.   Anything they expose about Trump, he will dish out three times more on them in retaliation.  If he does become president, this technique of his will  also make it difficult for the Republican party to have any control of him.  I am sure he will make deals with flexible Democrats and Republicans at will. Furthermore, he doesn’t seem to possess any party loyalty.

Trying to predict what a Donald Trump presidency will be like is difficult because it will be unlike any presidency we have ever seen in our lives or has ever existed in the US.  He will be the first president to have no previous experience in either government or the military.  People in the military know how to take orders, and people in government learn how to compromise.  Trump knows how to make deals.  He is also not an ideologue.  We know that Bernie Sanders is a Democratic Socialist and that Hillary Clinton is a big business Democrat. We know that Marco Rubio is a social conservative Neo-Con and that Ted Cruz is a social conservative Tea Party Republican.  Donald Trump seems to borrow ideas at will from all of these groups depending on the day he is talking and the group he is talking to.  This makes his actual policies if he becomes president hard to ascertain.

I expect there would be some benefits to having a successful deal making businessman as president.  I take him at his word that he wants to make America great again.  Our last three presidents have increasingly taken us towards a more global version of governance which leans heavily on international approval.  Trump  will not be the sort of president that will easily be pushed around by world opinion or political correctness.  He wants to put America first.  A strong and stable United States has benefited not only her citizens, but people around the globe with better health and prosperity.  I think he will be fantastic at fighting terrorism and at giving incentives to bring American businesses back to the US.  These are good things.  

World trade, treaties, and tariffs are not areas I am very familiar with; however,   Trump promises changes in these areas and change will come.   One of the guiding philosophies of the last 50 years is that countries who trade together are less likely to go to war with each other.  This is sensible.  I worry that his bullying might not be looked on too kindly by other countries, and if he continues with his name calling/ belittling techniques with world leaders like he does with Americans who criticize or disagree with him, it could be catastrophic.  Although I think we would have a more secure country with a Trump presidency, it seems to me the likelihood of a major war would also be increased.

For domestic concerns, his Supreme Court appointments would be a disaster: the worst of two worlds.  He would nominate Supreme Court judges who support business rights over the individual, and I doubt his judges would do anything to support the religious and free speech rights that are now under deep assault. Because of election year promises, Trump would sustain the status quo with abortion, and he strongly supports the right to bear arms.  My main concern is that he doesn’t seems to function from a core of moral values or from a defense of the constitution.   He appears to be a person who would go to almost any lengths to obtain more power and would do anything to keep hold of that power for as long as possible.  Dangerous?   I think he has already proven that he will strong arm (or bribe) people anyway that he can to support him or at least, to not oppose him.  He is a man used to having his own way.

Donald Trump could become like a modern day Nebuchadnezzar.  Someone who values great wealth and power and who would not be afraid to display both lavishly.  However Daniel, too, played an important role in Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom.  Daniel, in our context, would be the prophetic voice of the believing church.  Daniel had the courage to point out to the king that all power and wealth came from the Lord Almighty who was in fact the true ruler of all.  When Nebuchadnezzar’s pride got completely out of control, the Lord struck the Chaldean king down and made him like the beast of the field who wandered naked for seven years grazing on grass like an animal.

If my projection of the direction of this political season holds true, I would give Mr Trump some free advice, so that he would not go the way of the great king of ancient Babylon.  One: learn to recognize your own sins and ask for forgiveness from the Lord Almighty. If you do not recognize areas in your life that need forgiveness, I could recommend a dozen pastors who could help you.  Two: Fear God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I pity a country who puts rulers into power who have no fear of God.

To the church, I would say: be as Daniel and his friends.. Serve God, serve the king, but don’t bend down to any idols. Even if disobedience means being thrown into the fiery furnace like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

“At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,

for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

   and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;

 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

   and he does according to his will among the host of heaven

   and among the inhabitants of the earth;

and none can stay his hand

   or say to him, “What have you done?” Daniel 4:34-35.

Eleanor, by the Grace of God - Painting

Eleanor, by the Grace of God, Queen of the English, Duchess of the Normans.

Acrylic on paper 12"X18"  Rendered from her seal

Please excuse poor photo quality

Carrying the Light - Painting

Carrying the Light acrylic on water color 12"X18" unmounted
Apology for poor photo quality

Woman and Child - acrylic on watercolor paper

Woman and Child - acrylic on watercolor paper - January 22, 2016
un-matted and unframed - original - 22' X 30'
Email me for pricing information.

The Enemy List - Political Commentary

"I want to make sure he is a ruthless son of a bitch, do what he's told, that every income tax I want to see I see, that he will go after our enemies and not our friends. Now it's as simple as that. If he doesn't he doesn't get the job." —President Richard Nixon, on appointing an IRS commissioner

Confession:

My father was a card carrying proud Wisconsin Progressive. He even ran, in the 1930’s, for the Wisconsin state legislature  as a Progressive.  “The Candidate of the Farmer - Laborer and Small Businessman.”  Of course this was in the middle of the Great Depression, he might of still been in college (living on peanut butter and crackers) when he ran. He lost the election, he dropped out of college, and in one of those ironic twists of fate (brains, and hard work) became an executive and eventually a Vice President in various steel and aluminum companies.  One of the driving engines of Capitalism in the 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s.  However, despite being a capitalist, he never lost his liberal point of view.

Bragging Rights:

Yes, he was liberal and in many ways, William Scott Harms was a visionary.  In the 1950’s, while vice president at Caine Steel, he bought a rundown farm in Illinois to begin experimental agriculture.  He introduced  crop rotation and contour plowing, which even though commonplace today, was considered strange at that time.  He built a passive solar heated house - a term that only started to become known in the late 70’s - which let the sun heat the house in winter through large southern windows, while the precisely measured overhanging eaves provided shade in the summer.  

Besides his ahead-of-his time lifestyle, he was passionately opposed to racism and anti-semitism -  before it was cool.  In 1950’s America, many hotels would not only not allow persons of color, but also Jews to stay overnight on their premises. My father hated this kind of bigotry. He gave generously to Golda Meir to help the state of Israel and to organizations like The United Negro College fund at their inceptions. He practiced what he preached.  For honesty’s sake (and I cringe to admit this), he was also a big supporter of the ACLU - but this was before their anti-christianity spoken or practiced in public places crusade.  My father also continued with his lifelong passion for politics.  

The 50’s are notorious for the McCarthy hearings and the hunt for communists. Undoubtedly there were communists in the United States; however, McCarthy shredded the constitutional rights of hundreds of influential American by dragging them to congressional hearing for thought  and guilt by association “crimes” (or in his words: subversion, disloyalty, and treason).  He began in 1950 with a supposed “list” of 205 members of the state department who were communists.  He never did make this list public.  Richard Nixon, McCarthy’s fellow senator and right hand man, assisted in what later became called a witch hunt.

My father despised both of these men, and despite the very real possibility of being called a traitor and communist, wrote editorials and spoke against McCarthy’s “witch hunt” while commander at his local American Legion chapter.  Eventually, McCarthy was condemned by the senate for his abuse of power, but my father never forgot Nixon’s participation.  It wasn’t until after Nixon became president and was eventually impeached, however, that our family realized, that Nixon too never forgot his enemies.

My father only had one personal contact with Richard Nixon that I know. I include this story because it’s amusing and demonstrates my father’s personality.  My parents were staying at the posh Key Biscayne Resort in Florida which just happened to be a favorite vacation spot for the Nixons.  My parents were leaving the hotel when Vice President Nixon was entering with his CIA security detail. The Vice President stepped to the side to let my (very attractive) mother go through the door first. My mother stepped aside at the same time, because, after all, this was the Vice President of The United States.  My father, in utter disgust, stormed through the opened doors before both of them. Nixon gave my mother a wink and a smile as she, embarrassed, quickly followed after my father.

My father swore that if Nixon ever became president, he would ruin the United States  and that my father would move us all to another country.  Unfortunately when Nixon became president in 1969, my father had advanced lung cancer and died that year.  However, before my father’s departure, but while quite sick, he went through an income tax audit.  My father was an honest man and paid his taxes, yet mysteriously the year Nixon got into power, William Scott Harms had his taxes audited for the first time.  It was only after Nixon was removed from office and my father was gone that our family learned that Nixon, like Joseph McCarthy, had an enemy list, and that tax audits were one of his methods for “screwing” his political opponents.

Conclusion:

Recently we have seen under Democrat Barack Obama’s administration, the IRS going after political opponents of the president.  The IRS overwhelmingly denied conservative and Tea Party groups tax exempt status.  Obama may or may not of have been aware of this, but his followers seemed to think that using the IRS to “screw” with political opponents was ok. The IRS officials have never been penalized for this terrible abuse of power.  The “main-stream” media who got Obama elected are strangely silent about this scandal. One has to wonder if it had been a Republican president if they would have been so reticent.  The IRS yields the power to turn people’s lives upside down; it should never be politicized.  

A president with an enemy list is a scary thing.  Citizens of the United States should be able to speak their heart held convictions loudly and proudly without fear of retribution.  We should be careful not to elect people into the office of the presidency, Republican or Democrat, Constitution or Green Party, who have temperaments inclined for personal revenge.  Men and women with a vision for America and a desire to serve are above vendetta politics. They can take the refining fire of criticism and disagreement.  For me, like my father, it’s probably too late. I am already on an enemy list for my outspoken beliefs.  However as a Christian, I am taught to fear God not man, and that is what I will continue to do.