Michelle Shrader

This is a picture of a painting I purchased at a street market in South Africa years ago. I remember looking at all the booths full of paintings of animals and being drawn instead to this painting of a pregnant woman. The artist was in the midst of painting while I looked on and the image on her canvas was an image of yet, another pregnant woman. The artist herself was pregnant as well.

I asked her, “Is this you?” She smiled and said, “yes.” I engaged her in conversation and learned that she had HIV/AIDS. This was in 2006 when the outbreak was rampant. The trust level with western medicine was very low. She shared with me that she started painting these paintings of her and her unborn child, so that they would live on if the disease took them.

Her story stayed with me all day. I had wanted to buy one of her paintings, but I was running low on resources. Still, I went back later and told her I never wanted to forget our conversation. I would remember her and her child through her painting. When she passed the bag with the painting in it to me, she put another one in. She told me that I would know who it was for when the day came. The second painting lived under my bed wrapped in African fabric for some time.

I was having coffee with a friend one day, Enuma Okoro, and she shared with me that she was working on some writing that felt like it might lead to her first book. The struggle of putting word to paper felt to her, she said, “like giving birth.” She asked me to pray over her writing and of course I said, “yes.” Her 33rd birthday was not too long after that conversation. I took the painting out from underneath my bed, wondering if it was for her.

When I arrived to the party for her, I felt a little unsure. Maybe she would think this was tacky? Enuma is the queen of style and grace. When she pulled the painting out of the bag, I could tell by the look on her face that this painting indeed was for her. She loved it. I shared with her, that I hoped the painting would inspire her in her work of giving birth to her first book. That book, Reluctant Pilgrim, mentions the painting and her friend, “Michelle!”

This image is Enuma and I in Charlotte, NC.

Today is the day in the Catholic tradition where the solemnity of Mary is honored. Mary’s greatest gift to us is Jesus, but I have always loved the scripture that tells us, “Mary treasured up all these things, and pondered them in her heart” (Luke 2:19). Mary’s song (Luke 1:46-55) sings of a great leveling work God has already done. The mighty are said to be brought down and the lowly lifted up. These are things for us to ponder in our hearts.

God is always giving birth to something new. The painting reminds me of that and reminds me of Mary. My congregation, Good Samaritan UMC in Tallahassee, Florida and I are engaging in a study called, The Bible Year, by Magrey deVega. Today, is DAY ONE. I look forward to treasuring God’s word, pondering on it, and witnessing the New things God will give birth to in this coming year. Maybe some of you might want to join along. Maybe God is calling you to something else. Be sure to ponder on this. The gift of our lives is lived one day at a time. I am glad to be with all of you on this Day One.

Always grateful to be… with you on the journey, Michelle