"When We See Christ" in memory of Bernice Christine Gardiner

Copyrighted by Art4Him Studios - All rights reserved

When my mom was seventeen years of age, she married my dad right out of   high school. She had me two years later at the age of nineteen. I wasn't yet a year old, when my dad decided to move from New England to the West with my mom being newly pregnant with my brother. I am sure it was not easy for her to leave everything she knew, to go cross country with her husband of not quite three years, her 6-7 month old baby daughter and being newly pregnant, but she did.
My dad would have to work out of town many times and I am sure she felt lonely during those times. She didn't have the internet, or even unlimited long distance phone service to call family back East. I often think about this and realized how much strength my mom truly had. I never heard her complain about anything but just did what she had to do. She didn't know the LORD yet but I am so glad that He knew her. He sent a sweet lady to her, inviting her to a ladies'  Bible Study and that is where my mom met her Savior. 
My mom shared her new faith with my dad, who had claimed to be an atheist. He wanted nothing to do with her new faith, so she and others prayed for him to see his need of the One who loved him so much to die for him. After a short  while, my dad did come to Christ.
As a young child, I thought I was going to Heaven because of my parents, but it wasn't until my mom, brother and I were back East visiting family, and while my mom was sharing the Gospel with her sisters and parents, that I realized I, too, was a sinner heading for Hell and that I couldn't get to Heaven on my parents' merits.  The next month, I asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins and to be my Savior.
My mom thought that she never did much for the LORD, but she did in her own quiet way. She was so instrumental to me getting saved and many others, but unfortunately, I don't think she realized that.  What does all of this have to do with the painting? I wanted to share a little of my mom's story before sharing the story of this painting.
Mom went home to be with the Lord unexpectedly on December 30, 2005. About three weeks before that she had told me that she wanted me to sing "When We See Christ" at her funeral some day. I told her that we didn't need to talk about that at the time but I did tell her that I would see. To sing at your mother's funeral, I thought, would be the most difficult thing to do. After she went home to be with the Lord and we were planning her memorial service, I told my father that she had wanted me to sing that song. I didn't know how I was going to do it but I did know that I wanted the Lord to be glorified through it. I also knew that nothing was impossible if the Lord was behind it. With His strength, I was able to sing that song along with another song that I sang with my voice teacher,  ( "His Way is Perfect").  I look back now, knowing that it was only possible because of the One I wanted glorified!!!
One year later, I started an art course, as my mother wanted me to grow in my art.  For my final project, I had to do a mixed media, which I had never done before.  A lot of prayer went into this piece. I wanted it to be something that I would be able to witness to my teacher and give God the glory. He laid on my heart a memorial to my mother.  This mixed media is dedicated to my mother and to our Savior; because of Him dying for our sins and rising from the dead, I will see my mother again, for she also had received Christ as her Savior as have I.
I love the ocean and see so much symbolism in the many things that God has created in life. I started off with the song, "When We See Christ", on the mound of sand. It keeps me focused to the fact that He is always with me no matter what I go through. As you go down from the mound near the bottom, I placed two sand dollars; then three starfish in front of the sand dollars. The sand dollars reminds me of my relationship with my Savior (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit). The two sand dollars represent that my mother and I have been redeemed by Christ dying for our sins. As you go down on the beach, you will notice the broken shells which represent the trials we go through. When you come to the sand dollar broken in half, it represents the time when we as believers, represented by the small doves, pass from this earth to our Heavenly home where Christ awaits to be the first to greet us. I know then, that I will be able to say that it was worth it all when I see Him, which takes you back to the song, "When We See Christ". I, also, look forward to that time when I will be reunited with my mom and we worship our Savior together. 
"Now the God of all hope fill you with all joy and peace in  believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the Holy Ghost." Romans 15:13 (KJV)

My mother, Bernice Christine Gardiner, having her quiet time with her Lord.