Have you ever wanted to help someone, but for whatever reason, lack of finances, lack of expertise, or just too much going on in your own life, found that you couldn’t? Or maybe you thought that what you could give or do, wouldn’t really matter or make a difference, so… why bother?
Well, in Jerry Palmer’s life that wasn’t the case for his middle school and high school art teachers, Miss Cunningham and Mrs. Turner. They both saw in him a gifted artist and one, even wanted to send him to art school. But being teachers on limited salaries they did the best they could by challenging him artistically in every way, building in him the courage and confidence to become the best artist he could possibly be.
One specific exercise given to Jerry was to draw, using a pen, something on a paper cup. Seems simple enough, but the difficulty came in that he was instructed to never lift the pen from the cup’s surface, and to include as much detail as possible. What that taught Jerry, was before beginning, to closely examine and see, either in his mind’s eye or in reality, every bit of detail. It also taught him that even when he made mistakes, they are nothing but “ever-endless” possibilities. Smiling, Jerry told me, —“I never knew what was going to turn out, but I was never disappointed.” To this day, whenever Jerry has moment and a paper or Styrofoam cup, he starts to draw…always remembering those two wonderful ladies.
Jesus said that when you give a cup of water to one of the least of His, you would be rewarded. Maybe, just maybe, a cup of water can come in many forms, but it will always bring with it, a lifetime of blessings.
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Please enjoy some of Jerry’s works of art:
To see more, click here.
