The Artwork of S. Jewell S. McGhee
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Eleven Answer...

12/24/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
You gave eleven answers.

I wanted to know how to live a life that you would fill with your presence and holiness.

You told me these eleven things.

1.      To make my foundation a consistent dedication to the way of the LORD with my whole life; not sinless perfection but consistent dedication.

2.      To wear my heart on my sleeve.  “To speak the truth in the heart is to be so integrated that inner thought and audible speech agree. (Gerald H. Wilson)”   To be transparent in my words and deeds.

3.      …so that distortions of truth would never leave my lips.

4.      To do no knowing harm to those I know.

5.      And not to judge unjustly or hastily those I don’t yet know.

6.      To recognize wickedness as ugly. To hate what is hateful, and condemn what is damnable.

7.      To recognize virtue as beautiful, and honor holiness and righteous living.

8.      To keep the covenants I make. To recognize the sacredness of a promise.

9.      To keep my promises, even when it hurts. To be self-sacrificial in my virtue and fully committed to my words.

10.  To give plainly without strings attached or unspoken expectations.

11.  To never be persuaded that injustice is justice because of financial pressures.

These things will keep me grounded in the presence of God, infecting my whole life with worship.

by S. Jewell S. McGhee

11-14-2014

Quotation taken from Ps. Vol. 1 page 299 by Gerald H. Wilson, as part of the NIV Application Commentary Series


1 Comment

Goodness -Psalm 14

12/18/2014

3 Comments

 
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Do I say or act in my heart of hearts as if there is no God?  Do I enjoy watching corrupt and scandalous stories on TV?

            There is no one good, but God.

  God I know you see me clearly, you know my thoughts and motivations. You know that all too often I chose to relax rather than discipline myself in seeking you.

             There is no one good but God.

  We have all joined together with Adam and Eve and ignored your bountiful gifts in order to lust and lie over the forbidden and ungiven.

  Do I call to God when I need help, or do I make a phone call?

  Do I use my friends and use them up? Do I act swiftly on my selfish desires?

             There is no one good but God.

  When I think of God’s righteousness and his requirements, does it fill me with dread? Am I overwhelmed by how God asks me to live?

  Do I work with or against those who are acting righteously?

             You are my guide, your Spirit plants goodness in me.

             Your fruit grows in my heart—kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control

—and your salvation is near.

Restore me. Restore my heart and restore my actions to align with your goodness
and the good you’ve done for me.

 

 I was challenged in looking at this Psalm to see myself as the wicked and not righteous.  Because I really didn’t want to, I thought I should.  And as usual, I am glad I did.


3 Comments

Psalm 13

12/4/2014

0 Comments

 
Psalm 13
Jewell McGhee

1.  How long, God? I feel oppressed by my circumstances, my emotions, my relationships, my neediness. When will there be peace in my life and in my world?

2.  When you are near me you make things clear.  You give me rest even when things are hard, but right now I feel like I am on my own.  How long until I just break?  Sometimes I feel so sad I just want to give up.

3.  Come back! Look over here! Pay attention to me!  Answer me God.  I know you are in control.  What are you doing?  Give me some insight. Give me some light in this dark place.  I can’t see what to do nest. I keep tripping and falling.

4.  Everyone expects me to fail, show them all that they are wrong.  Show them that I am right to trust in you, God.  That you are good and that you are near to me.

5.  I trust in your love. I believe that you will not fail me.  I will rejoice in your salvation.

6.  I will sing to you and praise you because you have been good to me and I will continue to trust that you are good.
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Psalm 12

12/2/2014

1 Comment

 
Psalm 12
By S. Jewell S. McGhee

1. No one cares about morals or promises or faithfulness.  No one cares about religion or even thinks that God could be known. Religion has become myth or superstition.

2.  Because we have no respect for God or any acknowledgement of his rules, there is moral chaos.  Everyone lies and cheats and steals.

3. May the LORD in his strength and his truth bring respect to his laws, may he cut off lawlessness and thwart the boastful.

4. May he frustrate those who say and act as a god unto themselves, as if they make the rules for their own universe and rule their own lives.

5.  The LORD speaks, the LORD moves, the LORD will arise on behalf of the poor and oppressed.  He gives strength to those who are weak and he proves the weakness of those who think they are strong.

6.  There is no impurity in God or in his words.  If he promises, he will act.

7-8. You LORD are our safety and our protection even in this godless and amoral world even though our culture honors what is vile and celebrates wickedness and depravity.

1 Comment

Psalm 11

11/27/2014

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Psalm 11 - By S. Jewell S. McGhee

 I have decided to trust God and what he says.
            But what about what others say?
            But what about those who belittle me and make fun of me?
            But what about those who target Christians, they play dirty and shoot from the shadows?
            But what about when my world and stability is shaken to its core?

What do I do? What does trust and surrender look like then?
 
The LORD is stability.
The LORD is holy, he is god, he is God.
The LORD is the ruler of every realm.
The LORD is above and beyond and outside of the world.
The LORD is within and active and a part of the world.
The LORD sees.
The LORD comprehends.
                        He looks on the righteous with favor
                        He hates wickedness and violence.
                        He will judge them and bring justice.
                        Hardship and pain will follow wickedness

The LORD is righteous
The LORD loves justice.

He will be seen by those who seek his face.
I will trust God and what he says.
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Psalm 9 and 10 - God is Just

11/25/2014

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Psalms 9 and 10 together are an acrostic poem
God is Just
Psalm 9 and 10  By S. Jewell S. McGhee

Ps. 9:1-2. All my heart ( the center of my decision-making and trust) will sing and tell of your amazing acts. 

3. Before you all that stands against me must give account.

4-5. Clearing my name from unjust accusations, you have called my opponents into accounts.

6. Destroying their lies and declaring me righteous through your Spirit, and delivering me to live a righteous life

7-8. Establishing his throne of judgment, he rules in righteousness and equity.

9-10. For the oppressed, you are a refuge.  For the troubled, you are a strength. You have never forsaken those who seek you.

11. Give God the praises he deserves. He is GREAT and GLORIOUS and GOOD and GENEROUS.

12.  He remembers my unjust suffering. He avenges and brings justice and healing.

13-14. If I intentionally look past my bitter moment toward your salvation and deliverance, I will be able to declare you praises now in the midst of my pain.

15-16. Justice comes when the schemers fall into their own schemes and their traps trap themselves.

17-18. Know that God will not forget the needy, he will keep safe the hope of the oppressed.

19-20. Lord, let the world know that you will judge them for their deeds.

 10:1. Meet me here Lord. I feel alone. You feel so far away.

2-3. Noxious men seek out the weak and stand on the piles of their victims boasting of their wisdom and power.

4-5. Only for himself does he think. Only for his comfort is he concerned. Outwardly he looks successful and prosperous and carefree.

6. Preening his feathers he proudly professes his power.

7. Quite full of lies and equally full of trouble and evil and threats, he makes those around him quake.

8-9. Rotten and reviling and his actions. He leaves no repulsive thing undone to the innocent and the helpless.

10. Smugly, he misunderstands brutality for strength and fear for power.

11. Thinking he is above the notice of God, he does anything for his own advantage.

12. Uncover your face! Rise up! Show your wisdom and your understanding and your unmatched power and compassion for the weak.

13-14. Victims who commit themselves to you will see you victory. Those who revile you, in justice will be reviled by you.

15. Wickedness will be uncovered and the wicked will be punished

16. eXalted forever, you are King and you are God.  Cultures and philosophies will rise and fall, but your truth and your power will never fade.

17. You hear, you listen, and you encourage all who call on you.

18. Zap the wicked so that mere mortals will not cause so much fear. Zero out their power and the terrors they have caused.
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Psalm 8 - "You Are" My LORD

11/21/2014

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“You Are” my Lord
Psalm 8  By S. Jewell S. McGhee

      Your name is one of the greatest gift that you have ever given to us.   “I will be what I will be,”  “I am,” “You are”, and you are my Lord.

Exodus 33:19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

Exodus 34:6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.  Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”… 14 Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

       Your strength is enough, all by itself, so that you can choose any vessel, any person, no matter how weak or vulnerable, in which to establish your stronghold against your enemies.

       When I think of what you could do, what you have done, your power and your awesome works, I am humbled and awe-struck that you choose to use me-- so insignificant!--that you have chosen me and your choosing makes me significant.

       You have given me so much good work to do , so much to enjoy.  You begin every day with the sunshine and end every day with twinkling starlight.

     “You are,” You are my Lord and I stand with joy and awe in the midst of what you have done.
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Psalm 7 - The Thing about a Refuge

11/19/2014

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   The thing about a refuge is that you don’t need one if everything is okay.  You don’t need a Lord if you are the one in charge.  You don’t need to be saved if you are safe.

      A refuge means both that you are protected and that you need protecting.  

     I do need protecting.  It’s not that I try to live outside of your righteous guidelines.  It is not sin that I have done that is bringing confrontation or condemnation or consequences.  But I feel ripped apart.

     Arise. Awake. Act. Do something!

     I want to call the world into account for all that has happened.  I want justice to be given to the vulnerable women and children and power to be taken away from the selfish and wealthy.

      Why can’t you just help the righteous more? Why can’t you give jobs to people who love you and are trying to serve you?  You know our hearts.  You know we are trying to serve you!

       Yet.  You are my shield. You do save me.  When I am at the end of myself, at the very end, and I crouch beneath your protective hand, you do protect me.

       You do see evil clearly.  You will not overlook it.

Vengeance belongs to the LORD. 

       Anyone who plots and plans evil will have it visited upon them, eventually.

       If you make trouble for others it will cause you trouble.

      I will choose to give thanks in the midst of frustration and praise You for your righteousness when I don’t understand.  I will choose to sing praises of your perfect love and character.      

      So I will rejoice that you are my refuge, rather than complaining that I need a refuge.  You are my safety and my strength.

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Psalm 6 - I am so tired

11/17/2014

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I am so tired
For my friend Jen - Psalm 6
By S. Jewell S. McGhee

(1)        God, I feel like you are angry at me, or maybe punishing me for something I did.  Please
God, stop. Please be generous to me; don’t yell at me or punish me. 

(2)        I am so tired.

(3)        My body and my spirit ache. I feel so weak. I feel like my most vulnerable and intimate
self is curled up and trembling, hiding under a blanket.  How long? God, how long!? I
don’t know if I can make it any longer.   (4)  Come back from wherever it feels like
you've gone to. Save me from this mess, because I know you love me and have always
loved me.

 (5)        How can I praise you when I am so weak? How can I talk about your love when I can’t
feel it?  (6)  I am worn out from groaning. My nights are dark and long and my bed is
soaked with tears.  (7)  The light from my eyes is dim with worry and frustration.

People are doing me wrong. Life is treating me unjustly. The power and the money is
with the selfish and uncompassionate people.  (8)  I just want to get away from bad people who drag me through the muck! “Get away from me, God hears me!”

(9)        He sees my tears.
He hears my crying.
He listens when I pray.

(10)      All those who do wrong will be ashamed and dismayed; they will be turned back. They
will be disgraced. 

You are a God of justice.
You love what is good and hate what is evil.
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Psalm 5 -The Day of the Party

11/15/2014

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1. God I am having a hard time.

2.  So I’m trying to come to you instead of just complaining to others.

3. I’m going to start this day right and come to you. To pray and tell you that I really need you today.  I have so much to do, and the kids due home and I have family coming and there’s a million emotional issues as well.  But I know that you will be with me and help me.  I wait for you expectantly.

4.  Keep me from sin today in my heart and in my words to my children.

5.  Keep me from pride.

6.  Make my heart joyful and generous.

7.  Thank you for welcoming me into your presence. Help my heart to honor you.

8.  Lead me today, help me see the straight best smooth path.

9.  Help me to clearly as sin as sin, to see its destructiveness.

10.  Help me to banish it far from me.

11.  Let me rejoice and take refuge in you.  Give us your protection and your joy.

12.  Lord, I have seen your blessings and I have seen your favor. Surround us by your good presence.

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    S. Jewell S. McGhee

    Jewell is an artist who has come to be known also as an author.  She often writes a reflection to go with her art pieces and has been paraphrasing the psalms for many years.

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    About the Artist
    S. Jewell S. McGhee likes to call her art “painting with pencils.” She first started using colored pencils to help her mother write names on lunch bags for school. “My mom would pick matching themes for the names on our bags; all balloons, or sunrises, or sometimes just geometric shapes. She always made them so beautiful; a plain brown bag lunch was, all at once, a love note, a story, a hug, and simple colors to enlighten us for the rest of the day.”  These bags also became a constant reminder that art was simple, attainable, and a necessary part of every day.

                “I always start with a story.” Every time you hear a story you have a physical (tears, a chuckle, or a smile) or mental (confusion, contentment) reaction which is unable to be explained in words alone. “I like to use abstract art as a medium to dive deeply into the complicated mess of a story and discover something more about it and about myself.” She follows the flow of a story and finds the shapes and colors that express its fundamental emotions and questions.

                Jewell uses her art to interpret the stories of Shakespeare, the newspaper, the Bible, and her own life. “As I grapple with Hamlet, I see lines-sharp and violent-cutting through relationships and into love.  There is red: obviously for blood, but also for love (a riddle itself). A golden crown, a golden son; a golden sun breaking through ghosts, clouds, and lives to reveal blackness and blood.”  How black is the blackness of hate? What texture is grace? What shape is confusion, or desperation, or promise? These are the questions these pieces ask.

Copyright S. Jewell S. McGhee 2016, All rights reserved.

2735 Ellendale Ave. St. Louis, MO 63143

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    • Artist Talk- I'm in Danger...
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    • About
    • Resume
    • Contact
  • Current
    • Current
    • Videography
    • Waterfall of St. Louis Stories
    • Photography
    • Isaiah Project
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    • Turbulence behind Tranquility
  • Award-Winning Artwork
  • Gallery
    • Available >
      • Colored Pencil Gallery >
        • London Series
        • Hazel Series
        • Suffering Servant Series
        • Ruth Series
        • Theophany Series
        • Acts Series
        • Promise Series
      • Collage Gallery
    • Select Past Work >
      • Community Art
      • Colored Pencil Gallery >
        • My Life's Story, in 3 parts
        • People Series
      • Religious Art >
        • Colored Pencil >
          • Psalms and Proverbs
          • Suffering Servant Series
          • Ruth Series
          • Theophany Series
          • Acts Series
          • Promise Series
          • Covenant Seminary Prayer Chapel
        • Nativity Series
      • Performance and Worship
      • Tapestry >
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