Color Your World With Creativity

Color Your World with Creativity

Nothing gets whatever creative juices I have going like a new box of crayons!!  If it was up to me, we’d all color something every day for 15 minutes or so.  I think we’d all feel a lot better.

God created the world.  He saw what He made and declared, “It was good”.  Our Father pulled out all the stops, so to speak, when it came to His creation.  Look around at His world in the spring—all the beautiful colors of nature.  Robin egg blue, lilac purple, dandelion yellow (they’re such cheerful looking flowers!) and all the variations of green—grass, wheat, bushes, tree leaves.  Think of all the variations of creation—in plants, trees, animals, fruits, and people.  God approves of variety and creativity!

Because we’re created in God’s image, He put a spark of creativity in each of us as well.  Being ‘creative’ can take many forms—in writing, art, music, design, inventions and even in everyday pursuits and activities.  People tell me I’m creative.  I don’t think much about this because God gives us all “gifts” and to take credit or praise for those would be foolish as we’re given the gift God chooses for us.  It is up to us to be willing to use our “gifts”, however.  I sometimes write skits for the wedding showers and events at church.  I don’t know that being “creative” is a good thing. What makes it easy for me to write skits is that I see people who aren’t there and hear voices in my head!!!  It just happens!  Other people can design beautiful rooms from thrift store finds, play wonderful music and even write it, create amazing meals, teach thoughtful Bible story lessons and other subjects, create lovely clothes or quilts, entertain children with a few props, make Bible School crafts out of toilet paper tubes and rocks,and make a warm welcome for others wherever they are.

One of my favorite definitions of creativity comes from George Washington Carver, a pretty creative man himself.  He was the black scientist who revolutionized farming in the South by inventing about 300 uses for peanuts.  Here’s what he said:

“When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.”

           

I’ve been thinking about that phrase a lot…”doing common things in an uncommon way.”  Isn’t that what creativity is?  It’s setting the table with different types of plates, instead of the usual.  Tucking a note written on a napkin in your child’s lunch.  Having an ice-cream-only supper some summer night.

Putting together an outfit that is daring in color or texture.  Planting gardens or pots in wild or quiet combinations of colors. 

God made us co-creators with Him.  We can create and design what we wear, what we eat, things we see and do, and even how our environment looks and functions.

“But I’m just not creative, you say.”  Au contraire, ma chere. (That’s French for “on the contrary, my dear!”) (I was trying to be creative in how I said that)  Everyone can be creative in some way.

Take writing, for example.  You may not be able to write a book, an article, a research paper, or a poem, but you could write a great letter or Thank You note.

You may not compose or even sing or play music, but you can hum along or clap with the best of them.  As far as art goes, while I can’t paint or draw, I’m a decent doodler and enjoy “primitive” sketching—and I do mean primitive!  I’ve tried pottery (my bowls are lopsided), building and playing a dulcimer, and even making jewelry.  While I struggle to be even mediocre at some of these things, I’ve found some things that I really enjoy doing and using to bless others.  Be a creative cook—try new things, or bake a plate of chocolate cookies to deliver to a neighbor and tell them that Jesus loves them and so do you!  (This was the “cookie” ministry that Ann Kimmel Anderson used)

 Reserve the right to try to things, even if your results are not quite what you had in mind.  Your results don’t have to be perfect!  Being creative means being willing to challenge yourself to use the gifts you’re given to do “common things in uncommon ways”.

One of my favorite examples of creativity comes from Ann Voskamp, the writer of the book, One Thousand Gifts, and also author of the blog, www.aholyexperience.com.  She found creative ways to praise God for the many blessings and gifts He sends to us each day.  If you’d like to start counting His gifts, too, visit her website for a free downloadable booklet to get started.

Ann homeschools her children and did a column on Creativity.  Some tips she gives are:

-“When we stop fearing failure, we start being artists.”

-“Quit trying to fit.  Why try to squeeze your extraordinary into ordinary?”

-“Creativity is good theology, it’s what God did in the beginning.

-“Don’t let the sun set till you’ve done one thing that sort of scares you”.   

-"The only trees that grow tall keep relentlessly stretching into unknown territory.”

-“Art, it’s the second person present indicative of the verb “to be”.  Art is a way of “being” and when you make your life art, then thou art”.

She says, When did I forget too “be”?  Make time to do something creative each day.  (see ideas already mentioned)

When you’re using your creative talents, you truly lose yourself in what you’re doing.  It is a true form of “re-creation, the best form of recreation.  It refreshes you because that’s what you were made to do!  If we bury our gifts or talents out of fear, we bury part of ourselves and can not use that talent for God or others.    

Go ahead.  Get out the crayons.  Eat in a different language one meal this week or start a cookie ministry. Wear a different combination of clothes/jewelry than usual.  Buy a jewelry kit and make a necklace.  (I enjoy this, but haven’t mastered the knack of attaching the back hook.  My necklaces tend to fall apart as I’m wearing them!)  Write a great thank you note or note of encouragement.  Learn the words to a new song and hum/sing to practice.  Learn how to knit—I love all the different kinds of yarn and while I can still only knit squares and rectangles, I’ve enjoyed using yarn creatively. Grab your scraps and make a quilt.  Some ladies I know are having a wonderful time sewing their fabric scraps into dresses for little girls in Africa. Find some great jokes or a story to tell.  Memorize some scripture or a poem.  Rearrange a room.  Write a love note to your honey and kids.  Write a love note to your Creator who gives you so many gifts everyday.  Do the common things in your world in an uncommon way and praise the way our Father made us!!