After a busy weekend in my booth at an art fair, I got to thinking about success.

What does that mean?

We tend to think that successful people are those who are making at least a bit more money than they need to live on.

They are able to take vacations and travel.

They eat out whenever they feel like it, and purchase any items that they desire.

But I'm not sure that's the whole picture.

I think perhaps those who are successful may be the people who find joy and peace in their present circumstances.

Those who creatively manage to provide for their needs and the welfare of their family in spite of the money coming in.

Those who teach others to love and appreciate the every day gifts of warmth, sun, rain, and a trip to the local park.

Those who are able to take an unfortunate circumstance and rise above it with grace and added wisdom.

So was my weekend a success?

Was it worth the stress of a car breaking down, some paintings getting soaked, and rushing to pick up the dog from the kennel on time?

When I look back over the experiences of the art fair, a lot of things stand out.

It's easy to look at the positive bump in my bank account and knowing I can pay for 5 more months of coaching and count that as success.

It's easy to see that 3 of my original paintings sold and call that success.

But those don't stand out as much as some other aspects of the weekend.

I often doubt the validity of believing I'm an artist.

I continue to struggle with knowing what an abstract is and how to make one happen.

So it's the conversations that meant so much to me.

A man came into my tent and wanted to ask me a question.

He is an artist and had been wanting to begin making abstract art.

He chose me to ask how I make my art.

Me.

He saw my abstracts as successful.

All three of the people who bought my originals fell in love with the pieces.

Every time someone buys an original painting it's a process.

First they come in and pause in front of their painting.

They get really close to it and spend time searching through the painting, absorbing each aspect of it.

Then they leave.

After they have walked through all the rest of the venders they come back, take a deep breath, and search through it again.

Then they ask for me to take it down so they can see it better.

I love watching them go through this exploration.

I love seeing the pull they feel toward the painting.

I really believe that each painting is for a specific person.

And I feel like I won a gold medal each and every time the two connect.

That is why I paint.

That is my success.

In a perfect world I would make more money doing this thing I do.

I'm not a financially successful person.

I am struggling, but each and every time I wonder if my bills will be covered, I have enough.

I believe God's promise that He will provide for my needs.

Every month that is proven to be true.

I also believe He has given me the ability to connect to people with my paintings, and that I am supposed to paint.

When I paint I feel at peace, and some paintings seem to paint themselves.

Sometimes after praying my mind is filled with an image.

Other times I get the paper wet and am directed to a color and let my hand make the motion it wants to.

On occasion I begin a painting and I hate it. 

It is ugly and the colors aren't right.

When I ask God for help and how to fix it I can usually turn the painting around. 

The image with this blog is one of those.

It isn't one of my favorites, but it didn't end up in the trash or in my box of unsuccessful paintings.

So to me, success is about being comfortable with life, completing the work I'm supposed to be doing, and having an ongoing working relationship with my God.

Hmmmm.

I guess I am successful.

Imagine that.

Money and sales don't have to play into it at all.