The Face of Jesus

We went to our favorite donut shop yesterday for a treat -- Lieberman's Bakery in Massillon.  There was only one customer inside when we arrived at around 8:00 a.m.  The three women who work at the counter were all oohing and aahing at a canvas the man was showing them.  Of course, I was curious but I didn't want to appear nosy.

The man then turned the canvas around for my husband and I to see, and it was the face of Jesus.  He said that an eight-year-old created the painting.  In many ways it reminded me of the old masters.  The lighting on the face, the eyes, the skin tones.  It was clearly an excellent painting and he volunteered that he paid almost $500 for it.

He carefully covered the unframed work of art with his jacket and left saying, "I just thought maybe you'd want to see this."  The women thanked him for coming in.  I responded, "You made my day."

After he left, I mentioned to the women the special that was on TV about four years ago, "The Face of Jesus."  It was an excellent program, showing how several men over a period of years used NASA and Air Force technology along with the Shroud of Turin to recreate the face of Jesus.  And at the end the face of Christ is revealed.  If you ever see that it is going to be on, please take the time to watch or DVR it for a later viewing.

So we returned home, had some donuts, and later I was doing the Jumbles (the game in the newspaper using scrambled letters).  One of the four words for yesterday was SHROUD.  Yep.  Honest.

Isn't life something?  I'm so happy that the man chose to come to the bakery with his painting.  And I'm so happy that God put us in the bakery at the very moment that he was there. 

We are going to be entering into the period called Advent.  It is a joyful time in the many Christian churches.  The Lions will put up their creche scene in front of the old Exchange Bank again.  We will start lighting a candle a week at church.  Holding Christ in our hearts, Christmas will be the celebration that it is meant to be.  And we will grow in faith and in love.