September 1998
An unemployed crane operator was thrilled after being hired for a large construction project. However, he immediately realized that God had other plans for him that day and directed him to quit his lucrative new job. He would have no money for materials to work with or any idea of what he was to do. However, he complied believing that once he made the commitment, the way would present itself and it certainly did.
With only old moldy canvas, brushes, rejected house paint and a $10 garage sale frame, he began to paint and watched as the painting seemed to almost paint itself by dramatically changing colors. Within no time the painting was almost complete. It was only then that God revealed to him its purpose and where it was headed. The White House.
The artist was to declare that the painting would reach into the highest most powerful office in the world. It carried an Inspired Message and a warning for a President and the Nation. The clock then began ticking. Three years later, the artist was suddenly prompted to prepare the painting for its long-awaited print run. It was delivered 'by appointment' to the printer September 10, 2001.
The prints were to go:
"first to the leaders and then to the people".
The scheduled date for printing:
September 11, 2001
Over the years, many times people have been curious about the details
as to how this painting came to be. Numerous TV and radio programs that have interviewed me had touched on this, but not to the degree I will share here. The reason I'm placing so much emphasis on the details of this story is to demonstrate that God is real and how He did not let me get away from what He had planned for me, even before I was born. This is only one chapter, admittedly a big one, in a larger story titled, 'Spiritual Tightrope'. It began in the mid 1970's with a vision. It deals with spiritual deception, distraction and diversions that I ended up living out in real life. There are many other true experiences of this caliber, all spiritually related events that need to be shared, and someday will be in a true story titled: Spiritual Tightrope. The name 'Kern', meaning center, and being born mid-century
1950, in the mid-west State of Ohio, I end up traveling to the country of Ecuador, interestingly is officially know as, 'The Middle of the World'. Much of the story is related to that destination. Be aware I'm not a writer, English was my worst subject. If you can handle that we should be OK. When all is said and done regarding these stories, just ask yourself one thing. Is he, that's me, telling the truth? If so, and it is, it may just change someone's life out there, for eternity.
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For reasons that only God knows, in September of 1998, a former unemployed American Bridge crane operator was about to receive a direct commission. However, it would not be constructing the large new arena that he had been hired and set off for one early Monday morning.
Weeks before being hired to operate a crane, a pastor I was talking with had heard that I was once an artist. To encourage me, he offered to buy a print 'if ' I ever pained an Eagle for $200. Any Eagle would be fine. I thanked him for the offer. However, I would first need an original painting and that would require a lot of effort. Therefore, I didn't give it any more thought at the time.
After leaving early Monday morning for work on the new job, four things happened within one hour that convinced me not to take the job. The week before, I had made a commitment to myself as well as God that after twenty plus years, I would finally do something to honor Him using the creative gift I was born with. Soon after making that decision, I got a call to operate the crane. It was the slowest time of the year for business in Florida, September. Thrilled with this much needed job offer, I set off for the first day of work, ready to put my promise on thee back burner. However, this time God had a different idea. Crane operators are always on time, especially the first day. Without a crane, nothing gets done, everyone stands around. I left the Island with that on my mind. But then, I started thinking about that promise I made. As usual, my logical, realistic and analytical mind had all the excuses ready to justify things. You do need a job. You really need a job. This is what you do. With the income, you'll be able to this and that and you can paint later and so on. As soon as I reached the mainland, the car's rear tire went flat. I hoped I had a good spare. I did. It had never been on the car yet. Within minutes it was on. I did wonder if this had been a 'sign' form God trying to tell me something. To myself, I thought, don't be reading things into this situation. Car's do get flat tires. Fortunately, I still had plenty of time to get to work before being late. So off I went, again for the second time.
Less than one block later, I felt something strange with the wheel. I stopped to see what was wrong. I could not believe it. This perfectly good
'smaller emergency tire' had gone flat. Now I didn't even have a spare, or cell phone. I was two miles from a store. With no hesitation, I decided to drive on the flat tire so I would at least be able to call the new company
that would be waiting for me to tell them what happened. I didn't care if I ruined the tire.
Along the way, I thought to myself. This was the second thing to happen in a matter of minutes. Are you sure God's is not trying to get your attention. When you make promises to God, He doesn't forget. This time
I had to give it some real consideration. However, maybe the tire was low on air, the seal was compromised etc? I finally arrived at the store. Seeing an air pump, I figured I would pull up next to it. Surprisingly, the tire didn't seem to be cut up. I jacked the car up so that the tire would conform to the rim just to see what would happen. To my amazement, the tire inflated and held air. I let it back down and with drove on. In the past, I had not counted driving on the flat and its re-inflation as one of the three things that finally convinced me to make the decision I would soon make. But, as I write this twenty years later, I will now. I try to be very careful not to embellish or dramatize this story.
Now, on the third leg of this drive to work. I was mostly concerned about getting there on time. I've always said: "To be early is to be on time, to be on time is to be late". I arrived at 7:00 A.M. The crane was hard to miss setting in a open area by its self. The crane was unlocked and so after checking it over, I got in, started it and waited for the crane owner or the customer to show up. A few minutes later, the customer that had been renting the crane from the rental company came by and introduced himself. He then asked me where the previous crane operator was? I explained that there was an accident and that the crane owner sent him to
another job and hired me to operate this one. This fellow did not know me and I did not know him, but what happened next was the forth thing, the icing on the cake that did it for me.
Well, he said, I'm not going to work with anyone except him. He had an
accident, but he's good operator. I do understand how workers like to work with good operators. I've been doing this since in was sixteen. I started during summer vacations working for my Dad, an Operating Engineer / Crane Operator foreman for American Bridge Co. My first crane working out of town was on September 15, 1972 just one day after my 22 birthday. It was the tallest conventional crane at the Davis Besse Nuclear Power Station at Port Clinton, Ohio.
It had been a little over an hour since I left the Island and four things had now happened. With this last situation, I was absolutely sure beyond any doubt that I should be painting. I had been putting it off since August 11, 1974, twenty four years ago.
Before I quit, I just had to ask this fellow if he was aware of the 7,000 foot Veterans Memorial Bridge that was recently built between Cape Coral and Ft. Myers, Florida? Yes, of course. Do you remember seeing the two cranes floating on barges in the river? Yes he said. The operator of the primary crane 'jointly' setting those 100 foot, 100 ton guiders with the other crane was me.
Really? In that case, maybe I should reconsider? I replied, thanks, but no thanks. I have something else to do. I just wasn't supposed to be here today. The owner had just drove by and talked with the customer a few minutes earlier. To keep the customer happy, he decided to have us twp operators switch cranes. He then drove off to get him.
When the owner comes back, thank him for the job offer. Just tell him I had something else to do. I got back in my car, and made it back to the Island. On one hand, I wasn't exactly happy to turn down the high paying job, on the other, I experienced a feeling that is hard to explain. I knew for certain that I had made the right choice. In the Bible, God says that we will serve Him or money. When faced with a clear cut choice, I made the correct one that day.
On the way back home, I started thinking of what to do. If God convinces me to quick and I have no money. He will provide the materials. I found some old moldy canvas, brushes, and a half can of very bright blue house paint that had been given to me earlier by a store clerk. The brand, unnoticed until three
years later was, 'America's Finest'. After trimming off the moldy section of canvas, it was stretched over old pressure treated 2 x 2's sized to fit a frame that had been purchased at a garage sale for $10.
It was now ready for paint. Still having no idea for a composition. I would have to be sure I had enough paint for the large 30" X 40" canvas. I had enough blue house paint in 'that can' and it would have to do. Seemed like an Eagle flying through the sky would be OK. That may have been fine with me, but not for God. It appeared as though I still hadn't learned to do what I had been born to do with the gift I had been born with. Therefore, God Himself was going to take me by the hand show me how its done.
Actual paint brushes and blue paint that was used to paint Bound to Glory.
With the canvas resting on the easel ready for paint, I opened the can of bright blue paint. I decided that I'd start by completely covering the canvas and go from there. This was a departure from how I was taught to paint years before. I
would have planned and drawn everything out in advance. It could have taken me months to
complete everything. If I would have had any idea of what was in store for this painting, I'd probably still be working on it. You see, the technique I was taught had allowed 'me' to control the painting, at least that's what I thought. I was about to realize that the old painting technique I had been using had really been controlling me.
Now that I was under pressure to produce something quickly, I had no time for the old ways of the past. Into the can went the large 4" paint brush and onto the canvas went the paint. Within five minutes it was all done, and it was bright, The sky is blue but not that blue. I left it to dry and went to clean the brush out. Five minutes or so later when I returned, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It was as someone switched the canvas on me.
From a distance, it looked completely black, except for a few still wet heavy brush stroke lines that remained bright blue until they dried too.
This took a few more minutes. As I stood watching this, Dave, the property owner who lived upstairs, came over and asked what me what happened? He was a retired Chemist and said he had never seen anything like that happen either.
Regardless of how or why it happened was one thing. What was on my mind at the moment was what do I do with it now? Recently, I recalled seeing a picture of an Eagle laying somewhere around the property's storage area. I looked for it and found it. The background had a dark, if not black background behind the Eagle. How interesting. This would
have to do.
My only intention at that point was to only paint the Eagle. No thought was given to anything other than that. However, I was not interested in the solid black background and with a little more exploring, I located a couple cans of earth tone paints. I then blended them into the darker color. Under the right lighting conditions, the paint actually showed itself to be a very dark blue that could be picked up and exaggerated by camera film.
Moving right along, I didn't have time to allow for letting my sketched drawing of the Eagle set there. This is something that is done before painting. It allows for correction and /or refinements in the drafting.
By evening, the Eagle itself was mostly complete except for a few details. Later that evening I sat in my small efficiency apartment and studied the painting. It was about twelve feet or so from where I sat. The Eagle was looking upwards towards the corner of the painting. When an artist paints a painting its good to be aware that viewers will pick up on key parts of a painting. Their eyes will subconsciously or consciously follow a certain path. Looking at the Eagle looking upwards into a corner would naturally be where one would look right? So that is where my eyes went.
What is really amazing about this part of the story was that I could clearly see what looked like George Washington's face up there in that corner. Once you see it, it is obvious. So then, I'm sitting here in this room in somewhat subdued lighting from a lamp across the room. I attribute this to patterns. Much like seeing Mickey Mouse in the clouds in the sky. No big deal. Simple as that.
A little later on, I decided to go and take a closer look. Rather than looking like something else close up, it still looked like our first President George Washington. The same sort of look now seen on our dollar bill. It wasn't as though someone stuck a picture of a dollar up there, but anyone having to guess who it looked like would see the resemblance. It was soon after seeing this image that the idea of placing thirteen stars up there in the corner came to me.
The next day, I did just that. I placed thirteen stars circling our first President George Washington's image. In short order, things happened so quickly that it's hard to take credit for having actually painted it. To a great degree, I had no idea of what was really being represented here. The flag wrapping around the Eagle as in Bound does not necessarily mean that America is Destined as in Headed for Glory. It means that America is tied, fastened by honor or covenant with God. The stars, once seen as blessings, are being poured out onto the blue field of the flag from the heavens.
The Dove was placed over the area where President Washington had appeared to me the evening before. Our first President was only a marker, once again pointing the way for the nation he fought for and co-founded. The greatest most powerful nation to ever have existed on earth.
The Dove represents the Holy Spirit. As soon as I did this, I soon was automatically inspired to connect the Dove's wing directly to the flag. At the same time, the Bible represents God's Word was to be added.
It was about this time that I stood back to take a good look at was being painted. Up to this point, my intention was to paint an Eagle so that I would have an original from which I could make a reproduction/print for the Pastor. It did occur to me that if he was interested in a print, he may really be interested in the original as well.
After studying what had been done so far, I realized that the painting was something very special. Any thoughts about this being offered to the Pastor, no matter what the price, was out of the question. As a matter of fact, I decided not to show it to him. I was concerned that he would want it because of the request he had made.
At this moment, I fully understood that what was before me was 'meant for a President's eye's to see'. It would be in the White House. I was absolutely 100% certain about that and told that to everyone that had seen it from that point forward.
I then painted the Bible during this second day. I wasn't sure exactly what to do with the Bible floating there. I had to have it supported in some way. That was when I started to be 'careful' with the painting. Fortunately, it was about 90% complete by then, otherwise, it may have taken me forever to complete it. I did start to have some reservations about the flowing effect of the Dove's wing turning into a cloud that was to represent the Hand of God holding the Bible. Still, I decided to follow through with it. Afterward, I discovered that God was represented in scripture in this form. In Holy of Holies and in the wildernesses as a Cloud pillar by day being two examples.
As I am writing this account, now 20 years later in 2018, it just occurred to me that these three parts of the painting, The Dove,
The Cloud and The Bible (Word), are a perfect representation of
The Trinity.
Finally, with the Eagles talons gripping the foundation/cornerstone of America, I was to place the warning symbol directly on to the 'foundation stone' of America. This is represented by a gold pocket watch ticking with its hands positioned a few moments past the eleventh hour. That was twenty years ago.
Over the next week or so, I added some refinements such as shading and highlights etc. For the most part, the painting was largely complete in the first two days.
When I was finally able to set down at with a computer a couple of weeks later, the Inspired Message came to me in one sitting. That was an interesting experience too. Afterward, I was eager to quickly see the painting reach the White House. So was everyone else that I told.
However, I discovered that one of the people that lived on the same property as I did had been attending satanic rituals. That's all I needed to hear. By the very next day, I packed up my things, Amazon parrots, Hammock, Panama Hat and the painting and left.
On the way off of one of the Islands, before reaching the mainland, I stopped to see Mary Ann, a lady artist friend of mine. I wanted to tell her not to call me out there anymore and explained why.
Where are you going to go she asked? I'm not sure, but we're not staying there anymore!
"Well, I'm not sure if its beneath you or not, but that trailer next door is now available. They just moved out. As a matter of fact, the door is still wide open and the electric is still on. All you have to do is get a phone. Lew, the owner will give you the first-month rent free with no deposit. "
Sounds like the will of God to me! Come on birds, were movin' in.
We're back where we started, 'Somewhere between the Mainland and Paradise'. The name of this little Island is Matlacha. No one pronounced it correctly or knew where it was. When people asked where I lived, I came up with that answer and left it at that. It was in a way a mysterious Island.
I ended up there because of one of my best friends from up north that had moved to Pine Island. After we reconnected, Pat showed me around the Islands. One was Cabbage Key. According to the staff and local story, Jimmy Buffet and crew ran out of gas in the Gulf, Food was gone and when were rescued, they stopped for something to eat at that Island. The only things they sold were Cheeseburgers. That was the inspiration for his song, 'Cheeseburger in Paradise'. Being that Matlacha was positioned between Cape Coral, Florida (the Mainland) and Cabbage Key (Paradise)
I now lived: 'Somewhere between the Mainland and Paradise'.
Pine Island, the larger Island to the west, could also be included That was the first Island of residence for us, the Amazons and I, in the summer of 1992. I ended up living right near the main area of the Calusa Indians Shell Mounds. They looked like pyramids.
To be continued . . .
