Jacob Nelson

This was the first time I ever painted after the loss of a dear loved one.  I was 22 years old when my older brother suddenly passed away from a car accident.  We were 13 months apart and he was all that I had ever known.  He was always there to watch over me and take care of me.  His missing seat at the table has changed our family forever.  Before the funeral I could only think about painting. 

There was a CD that my grandmother gave Jacob for his birthday 24^th birthday that he had not opened yet.  It was as if God knew this would happen and we would need these praise songs to get through the most devastating loss of our lives.  The CD was Above All by Lenny LeBlanc and as we played the songs we would just cry uncontrollably as the brush would touch the paint and spread across the canvas.

  Let me be a shadow in your light…. 

I am unable to count the hours and hours of painting and crying that happened.  I found a photo that he took of himself at my parents house.  He looked so happy Then I found a sunset on the ocean as if I was imagining him in heaven and I put his favorite number 21 in the clouds which was my dads high school football number.  To be honest I don’t know what I would have done without being able to paint.  The healing that happened during that time along with the music that seemed to pierce my soul.  It brought my mourning to a new level and I gave this gift to my parents.  Hoping that they see Jacob in heaven too, happy, well and waiting for us…