Finding the joy in creating

The library of my childhood was the best.  I have so many fond memories of being dropped off at the library for Saturday morning craft time.  It was there where I first learned the art of stringing red and white tri-beads on to pipe cleaners and bending the end to make a hook at the end and hopefully it looked like a candy cane by the time we left. 

My mom did a great job instilling us a love for the arts.  She made sure we enjoyed children's theater performances, craft mornings at the library, or just making sure we had a constant supply of crayons, markers, and coloring books.  I loved coloring.  I can remember sitting around my great grandma's table coloring. . . carefully outlining the area I wanted to color in and then lightly coloring inside those lines. I also remember 6th grade me burning my fingers with my mom's glue gun with leftover wedding flowers and hats (it was the early 90's. . . we glued flowers on hats and hung them on walls). My mom was constantly doing creative things. . . I can remember her painting clay nativities (they were gorgeous. . . I kind of wish I had one!) and staying up late to sew so many Cabbage Patch Kid outfits! By 7th grade, I had learned basics of cross stitch and had sewed several vests to wear to school (remember it was the early 90's).  

The more I read the Bible and get to know God, the creator of the Universe I see how important creating is, but also I see just how vast the possibilities are.  God spoke and things were created, he sculpted and had a vision.  He even gave Adam and Eve the job of naming all the animals. . . that's creating right there!  We, as humans and God's creation, are called to create. 

I think that's when we start stressing out.  We have this image that creators are those who make beautiful art and put them in galleries and art museums and sell their creations on Etsy, when in fact, every single day we are being creative in our everyday lives.  So many people tell me they don't have a creative bone in their body, but that's not true.  We might not feel artistic, but that's simply only a tiny aspect of creating. Cooking, baking, sewing, stitching, decorating, photography, painting, gardening, gluing, card making, arranging flowers, throwing a party, playing an instrument, dancing, writing, scrapbooking, organizing, running a ministry or a ministry team, teaching. . . all of those things take creativity.  Several of those things we do every day (I mean, we have to eat, right?)

Several years ago, a sweet friend of mine went back to work after being home with her littles.  She loved her kids and she loved her job, but she felt like something was missing.  In the hustle and bustle of the day, between drop offs, pick ups, and getting dinner on the table, she hadn't left room for something that had been bringing her joy.  So for Mother's Day, that year, she asked for the afternoon to simply work on a project she had been mulling over for several months.  She got her wish, and ended up with the most beautiful string art ocean waves on a piece of pier wood from their favorite pier that had recently been rebuilt.  It took time.  It took energy.  She tried something new and the end result was not only a beautiful thing to look at, but it was also refreshed her soul.  She came out of the afternoon of creating with a fresh and energized outlook on life.  

This same friend is also been seen taking beautiful pictures of strange leaves lying on the ground.  It makes her heart happy when she gets to squeeze in some creativity. I have another friend who just loves to do paint nights and another who is creating delicious recipes from around the world and writing books.  My newphew has been working hard on his Eagle Scout project, creating a sidewalk path at a local nursing home. There is no one way to be creative.  

This weekend, as you seek rest, I encourage you to embrace something creative, don't aim for perfection. God created us. . . and we are so far from perfect. . and he said it was very good.  Not just good, like he called all the rest of his creation, but very good.  We are constantly falling short (thank goodness for his grace!), but when it comes to being creative, let's offer ourselves some grace and keep trying. I started this post with a picture of the quilt block I made today.  It's not perfect. I can tell you several things that are wrong, but you know what. . . I still think it's beautiful and it made my heart refreshed after a kind of stressful week.  Don't give up on being creative.  It's good for your heart, soul, and mind!  

Try something new.  Finish a project.  Start a project.  Look at your Pinterest board and actually do one of the things that you pinned! Let me know what you did.  Tag me @jolieklassen on Instagram and show me your creations!