I'm not a painter

So where does that blog title come from? If you would look around my house or my parent's house - you would realize that my mom is a painter - but I didn't get any of those wonderful talents. I think she got all of them for the family!
But, I am not a painter - but I know in order to paint a piece of furniture there is a process. The part of the process I want to talk about tonight is the stripping process. I would think that if the piece of wood could feel anything - that it would be quite painful. I don't even know what all goes into stripping - but I know it must be done.
That is kind of how I feel where I am with God right now. He is the master painter (kind of life the master potter as it says in Mal 3). Right now is a stripping period in my life - He is stripping many things I held dear away - so that I am completely satisfied with Him - and Him alone. Just like in painting- it is a process. It doesn't happen instantaneously (one of the biggest words you'll find on this blog). It occurs over time. It is painful - because I die to Kim. I die to the things I want or think I need, I'm humiliated - all so that Christ can live and dwell in me. And just like with painting - I don't know all that has gone into or will go into this stripping process in my life.
But, I look forward to seeing what the finished product will look like.
Today I was in Ps 21.
v 2
You have given him his heart's desire and have not withheld the request of his lips.
What is my desire - from the above conversation - hopefully it is be more like Christ. I would think the apostle Paul would definitely say that, David would, Joseph would, John would. All these people I would like my life to look like (imitate me, as I imitate Christ - as Paul said). Shouldn't that be the request of my lips?
v 6
For you make him most blessed forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
Kind of reminds me of Ps 16.11 - Let me be glad after I have dwelled in your presence. There my true joy lies.