I wanted to write a little more, primarily for the distillation of my thoughts, about the basis for this “push” to work creativity into my daily routine. But, hey, if you are reading this, maybe my musings will have some meaning for your life, too. I hope so!
On Monday of this week, I was feeling very low. My thoughts and emotions were a crowded and confused jumble of anger (oh, yeah!), frustration, disappointment, fear, doubt, sadness. I felt that with Joey’s unfair job situation, we had been kind of forced into a “mid-life crisis.” I was saddened by the situation in Haiti. I was upset for the Staab family and their losses associated with the house fire. I was tired of hearing Martin Luther King, Jr. wanting his children to be judged by the content of their character when his character appeared to be in need of a little attention since apparently he could not be faithful to his wife. Did I mention that my thoughts and emotions were a crowded and confused jumble?
In the midst of this, I could not find the Bible study that the kids and I always do on Mondays. I still cannot figure out what I have done with it. Very strange. In any case, I decided that we would do something crafty instead and I got out some pottery to paint. I got one too many plates and found myself, while supervising the kids’ painting, staring at a blank expanse of white, begging me to put something on it. In my not-so-great mood, I first protested, telling myself that I did not have enough time. But, then, I grabbed a Bible and a pencil and started writing out Matthew 22: 37-39.
It is effortless for me to calligraph a word or phrase in a designated space. I do not have to measure or really think about it. This is why I was one of the people who was called upon regularly to make posters in high school — before computer programs did it all. Now, I am not saying that pridefully at all. It is the same thing that Amelia can do when she accurately fits the dresses that she sews. It is the same as Clara being able to walk, talk, read and knit cables simultaneously. It is why Jacob can see and execute a breed standard groom. It is how Tim identifies every bird that comes across his path out in the field without having to refer to a guide. It is how Margaret can sing the highest notes from “Phantom of the Opera.” It is Eleanor’s intricate jewelry design. It is the way Joey can take a complicated scientific concept and, without watering it down, make it accessible to a student.
It’s called a gift. It’s a gift that God has given. And I believe that He gives gifts for His glory and to advance the Gospel.
All of a sudden, I saw that my NOT making time in my schedule for creativity meant that I was NOT using the gift that God had given me. Not using that gift meant that God was not being glorified with it and that it was not being used for the advancement of the Gospel. Wow. This was a major shift in my thinking about the whole issue. Before, I was thinking that it was selfish of me to try to force time for creativity into my already-very-full daily routine. Maybe it was selfish of me NOT to.
So, yesterday, Joey, the dearest person, unearthed and revived my light box. I researched sellers of embroidery patterns on etsy to see how they are presenting and selling their patterns. Today, I am going to try to scan a pattern I have created.
I’ll let you know how it goes!
Tags: creativity
365 Days with Flylady 
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