Call To Creativity

First all, Thank you to Julia for reminding us that we are wonderfully created by an amazingly creative God! That we are called to create to reflect His glory and in the process bring joy to our lives!

I needed last weeks talk.  I needed God’s truth, and Julia’s reminder that it’s not about perfection, or comparison or even having to build something more out of my creative moments than the simple enjoyment while bringing glory to God!

I have always loved being creative! Before having all these sweet little blessings we call children, I had a whole room dedicated to me being crafty and creative! Well, as most of you can understand, with each new babe, my creative space and time got smaller and smaller.  It’s a rare occasion when I can bust out my glue gun or paint brush and make something. This has been a big frustration to me as I truly miss being creative.  But this past Tuesday’s meeting reminded me that I AM creative in so many different areas of my life...and so are you! 

I created dinner out of the almost nothing food that was in my pantry.

Helping my son creatively think of a way to present his book report.

You may have figured out a new way to save your family money this month!

I picked up a paint brush for the first time in a long time with my daughter and we just started mixing colors and smearing them on the canvas. 

You may have found a creative way to convince your child to put their pants back on or get them buckled into their car seat. 

I let the creative juices flow and figured out a way to rearrange an area of my home that needed help.

You are able to keep a musical beat and choreographed a dance with your kids.

Those leaves we found on our walk around the block turned into a beautiful centerpiece.

You can somehow make flour and water and sugar into something delicious! 

God has placed a creative bone in each and everyone of us! Yours may be in your arm, hers in a cheekbone and mine in my big toe! 1 Corinthians 12:14 says, “Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”  Thank you Jesus, we are all not earlobes.  Go ahead and ask your 5 year old to draw a picture of a person made up entirely of ears.  Just as our beautiful, wondrous bodies are made up of so many different pieces, each with a specific function, so is the many different creative gifts through out human kind. 

I used to still struggle when my creative niches don’t turn out like “hers.”  Or I would create something and it wouldn’t be nearly as perfect as I pictured it in my head; and then because it didn’t turn out 100% I abandoned it all together.  Definitely not a character trait I want to pass on to my children.  I love this quote from Leeana Tankersley: “The focus is on the process, the participation, not the product. Ever.” 

What if I allowed myself to be mediocre at a bunch of things I enjoy!? Getting rid of the pressure to create something the world can give me a gold star for, and instead simply create for Gods Glory and my own enjoyment.  

Whenever I start to feel myself slipping down this slippery slope of comparison and discontent in my creativity, I will remind myself of the 5 truths Julia shared with us:

God is who He says He is

God can do what He says He can do

I am who God says I am

I can do what God says I can do

His word is alive and active in me

After you have repeated those truths to yourself, give yourself the freedom and permission to explore what inspires or intrigues you! 

One of the gals at our table mentioned that she had recently made a list of all the things she was interested in trying.  It was her year to be courageous and experience new things.  This got me to thinking about what creative venture I wanted to try, but haven’t out of fear of failure. 

Acrylic painting immediately came to mind.  I love a good piece of abstract art.  So, right after MOPs I stopped by Joann’s for a bit of paint and bought Emmy and I each a small canvas to play with.  Slapping paint here and there, and smearing colors in no particular order with her was so good for my soul.  No expectations, no pressured finished product.  

Now it’s your turn.  YOU ARE CREATIVE.  It will look different than mine, or hers and even what yours was yesterday, but have the courage to step forward and figure it out!

Take a class.  On anything you find interesting! Cooking, botany, mechanics or bug dissecting!

Visit a museum, beach or art gallery.

See a show, concert or open mic night!

Adventure into your back yard with a magnifying glass. 

Sit on your roof, stare at the stars and create a new constellation.

Wander the arts and craft store until you stumble upon something that strikes your fancy! Use the coupon and forget about how messy it will be!

Have your children help you write a story filled with whatever comes to mind...you may create the next NY Times Best Seller!

Whatever it is you choose to do, start somewhere.  Figure out where God placed that creative bone inside your stunningly creative body and have fun! 

No rules, no expectations, no comparisons. 

Just you and the creative God who made you.  

~Mallory~