The Joy of Creativity

Photo credit: http://www-scf.usc.edu/~ciccone/html/symbolism.htm

“…even abstract art depends on what God has made. No artist can invent a color. Every geometric from, every phenomenon of light, every texture, no matter how it is arranged, falls within the circle of God’s original creation. We speak of artists creating, but that is something of a misnomer. Only God creates. Human beings can make things too, since God graciously multiplies His creativity and His creatures, but human beings are not autonomous. We can only make use, in our faint and halting way, of what God has first given us.” (Veith 154)

I am brushing up on my art history knowledge this morning. I’ve read, State of the Arts, from Bezalel to Mappelthorpe before, but this morning, this passage particularly struck a chord with me. I love to create things with my hands. I wish I carved out more time to do it! There’s nothing like the joy of taking raw materials and molding them into something beautiful, if not useful. It blows my mind to think about the above statement. There is nothing that we create brand new, really. Everything we create is an imitation of something that God already designed. Colors, shapes, patterns, textures, if God hadn’t created it all, we wouldn’t be able to use it.

I look at the Biblical story of creation in a new perspective. God not only separated dark from light, land from water, and turned shapeless to form, he gave us all the essential elements needed to create art; light, form, and unity. We cannot create anything of an intelligible form without these factors. Imagine the intricacy of forest. He didn’t just pour out some green, gooey, fertilizer with some random sampling of seeds (although he could have).  He created an entire eco-system, complete with innumerable variations of species, each intricately designed. Stable in the soil, soaking up and synthesizing solar energy, and providing oxygen.  Can I make even one leaf?

The universe isn’t merely functional, it is beautiful. All things are created by God – Created from nothing, not just shaped. We are created in His image and given the ability to perceive and imitate the beauty of our Creator. We are created in His divine image, and therefore, cannot escape our natural desire to create.

What type of creative activity brings you joy? I hope you’ll take time to meditate on this and intentionally allow creation to bring you joy.

 

 

 

Veith, Gene Edward. “Chapter 9, Creation and Imitation.” State of the Arts: From Bezalel to Mapplethorpe. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 1991. N. pag. Print.

There will be storms

Photo By LUCAS JACKSON/REUTERS

My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected by Hurricane Sandy this week. The full extent has not yet been determined, but the damage is of unprecedented, epic proportions. I join with so many of you that I’m sure are counting your blessings this morning.

Storms, whether meteorological or metaphorical, are a reality of life on earth. It seems we are in a never-ending cycle; either just going into a storm, in the midst of a storm, or coming out of a storm. It’s inevitable. What matters most is what we do in the midst of it.

Consider the hurricane. The ‘eye’ is typically a circular area found in the center. It is surrounded by a ring of violent thunderstorms and as we know, the repercussions of it can be far-reaching – triggering other disastrous events. But at the very core of the ‘eye’, the axis of rotation, the winds are calm. There is little or no precipitation and sometimes blue sky or stars can be seen. Now, this is a very simplistic explanation, but how can we apply this to life?

What if we were able to live in the ‘eye’ of the storms of life? What if, no matter how loud the troubles that surrounded us bellowed, we could find peace, calm, and serenity? What if, we could choose to be still and trust in the middle of the storm? This is not to suggest that we do nothing to proactively prepare for the storm. However, when it comes, and it will, we have a choice. Do we try to escape through the wall of thunder and lightning, bursting through only to get caught up in the raging winds that encircle and toss us off our path, or do we center ourselves, trust, and ride it out? The latter, goes completely against our natural instincts.

And what comes after the storm? Depending on our focus, we will see how we have grown spiritually and emotionally. We might even cross paths with someone else who is experiencing the same type of storm and we can share with them the hope that comes in the aftermath. Dare I say that we can find joy, in the storm?

“The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; 

he knows those who take refuge in him.” Nahum 1:7

 

source: http://gohsep.la.gov/factsheets/FactsAboutHurricaneEye.htm

Battling the Joy Killer

Photo credit: http://wallpaperscristaos.com.br

In the midst of busy lives, we must not forget that an enemy lurks… the joy killer. To be unaware or unconcerned is to be as vulnerable as a lamb among a pack of wolves. My intention here is not to be an alarmist, but state the fact that we live in a world of opposing forces. We must know our enemy.

My husband just returned from a long weekend Christian retreat. Before he left, a friend of mine wisely advised, “Be prepared for attacks from the enemy. This experience is a big deal and the enemy does not want him to gain anything from it.”

During the four days he was gone, I admit, I felt a little fearful. In the back of my mind, I expected something traumatic to happen while he was away. Something that would cause him worry or worse, to leave the retreat early.  However, it turned out to be an uneventful weekend (with the exception of hurricane preparations), and by the time he returned I felt certain that we had avoided evil. I was not prepared for the attack that came after he returned home.

How easily do we fall into the trap? A slight change in tone of voice, a facial expression, or simply not giving our full attention… all ways that the enemy can slip a foot in there and stir up emotions and misunderstandings. The enemy doesn’t really need to work that hard to get us off track. All he needs to do is look at what distracts us and push more of it in front of us. Sometimes, it feels like we’re just being tossed upon the rough seas.

 

Photo Credit: http://nuleafdental.co.uk/b/6d8e8ff9d9

Joy: Fight for It

I’m now at day 11 of my 30 day quest to find joy. I must admit, I am losing steam. I find myself over-analyzing the issue. “Is this a joy-thing or just a happiness-thing?” I’m running out of ideas. It takes work and thought, and I feel like changing the subject.

I reflect on the recent death of Whitney Houston. I imagine she desperately wanted joy in her life. Sadly, she was looking in all the wrong places. Yes, my heart tells me that joy is worth fighting for. Let’s press on.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending a play about the book of Esther. Esther is one of my favorite books of the Bible, because it teaches us that even the most unlikely person in the most difficult of situations can find joy on the other side.

“weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” Psalm 30:5b

Although Esther was a Jew and did not desire to compete for the position of queen to the Persian king, she accepted her circumstances and persevered. She rejected the other virgins’ strategy of flattery and found ways to honor the king in truth. The king was pleased.

“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”” Esther 4:14

Later, when word reached Esther that an edict had been sworn to kill her people, she was faced with a very difficult choice: approach the king without invitation and risk death, or remain silent and protect her own life.

Providentially, Esther chose to fight for her people and approached the king.  As a result of her courage and advocacy, the Jews were saved. Esther could not have known the eventual outcome of events when she resolved to risk her life for the sake of others. In fact, it may have felt like she was in a bottomless pit of dispair. But she fought for it. She fought for joy.

“For the Jews it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor.” Esther 8:16

Joy #10: Answered prayer

Have you ever had a case of “ick,”  that grouchy, grumpy, ungrateful coating of the spirit? It spreads from one person to another, like a permeating mist.

Covertly, this unwelcome crud crept into my bed while I slept, causing me to awaken with quite a joyless demeanor. With a busy day of teaching ahead of me, I needed to get rid of the ick, and fast!

I prayed silently during the twenty minute drive, striving to hold on to the scripture I had grabbed on my way out the door. At first, it was more of a whining, griping session, “God, I am so irritated right now. This day is really going to stink. I just know it.  I’m tired. I’m late. The tone of the day has already been set. I just want to go back to bed.”  Poor me. Fortunately, there was a lot of traffic so by the time I arrived, I had reached the point of surrender, “God, I’m done. I’m turning this over to you. I’m just no good today.”

Unaware of the exact moment my attitude transformed, I experienced an awakening as the day ended and the clock struck 3:30.  It was as if the Holy Spirit had jumped into my skin and conducted everything for me that day, leaving me a silent partner in the background. I soared through the day and it was beautiful! Even better than I could have imagined.  It was answered prayer.

More blessings followed that evening. I felt like I had won the lottery. I’ll spare you the details, less one. The day was topped off with a volunteer appreciation dinner. As we entered the auditorium, we were greeted with cheers, beautifully decorated tables, Handel’s Water Music, and the most delicious food I’ve ever tasted served with a large dollop of love from the hands of our church staff. By the grace of God, early morning griping had turned to utter joy and gratitude.

My Father not only heard my prayer, he carried me through the day and wrapped it up with a big beautiful bow! How great is our God?!

The cherry on top, was a little surprise entertainment at the end of the night. Celebration. Joy. Answered prayer…gangam style.

Joy #9: God’s Word

 

If I were to be truthful, I would have to tell you that I did not focus on finding joy yesterday. How sad! I woke up this morning, realizing that I did nothing but buzz around all day yesterday, forgetting to seek new sources of joy. Admittedly, I was also feeling sorry for myself because I had an eye appointment and my eyes were dilated,which is always unpleasant. I bemoaned the fact that I still had hours of preparation work to do for my teaching day today and due to my lack of planning I was faced with  literally no vision to do it.  The worries of today crept in and stole my joy of yesterday. And now, that day is gone, never to be given a second chance. As I face one of the most important days of my week,  I realize I am completely unprotected against joy-stealers. Thank God, I have His word any time I need it. His promises are made new every day!  Thank you, Lord, for the reminder that you are my ultimate source of joy. Never ending, never ceasing.

…For this day is holy to our Lord. And be not grieved and depressed, for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold.Nehemiah 8:10  

 “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. John 15:11

 

Joy #8: Stargazing

 

photo credit: http://astronomycentral.co.uk/

When I was a kid, my parents instilled in me a love for stargazing. They had enrolled in an astronomy course at the local community college and my siblings and I were happy to help them with their homework. Often, they’d bundle us up in the middle of the night and we’d head to a nearby mountain peak, hot chocolate, blankets, and telescope in hand.

Have you ever experienced complete absence of city lights and sounds? It takes my breath away. Just me and the stars. We instinctively speak only in whispers. We would camp out in places that seemed so close to the sky, it felt as though the stars came down to meet me. I imagined an almost mutual curiosity. I loved the way my dad would point out the constellations. I especially liked it when he said “betelgeuse.”

This year, we moved to a house that sits on a quiet cul de sac. The perimeter of our back yard is surrounded by cypress, so we are somewhat shielded from neighboring porch lights.  Somehow, in the middle of this urban sprawl, I am gifted with a beautifully clear view of the sky. This month, Venus rises to greet me every morning. We talk. How I love the stars. They are filled with so much wonder and awe. Their timelessness, constancy, and mystery fill me with hours of joy and wonder.

“The moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;”

Psalm 136:9 ESV

 

Joy #7: Warm Sunshine

The warmth of the sun soaks deep into my bones, even to the pit of my stomach. I quiver slightly as penetrating heat is absorbed into every cell of my being. Joy permeates my soul. It seems we are always in search of the perfect temperature: not too hot, not too cold, not too humid, not too windy.  I fantasize about a few moments, if not a day, spent lazing in a hammock, soaking up the perfect blend of sunshine and climate. Perhaps I should purchase a hammock.

I should learn from my dogs -they never miss the joy of a sunny window. Laying on the kitchen floor may be undignified, but it just might be joyful… for a moment.

Joy #6: Family Traditions

Family traditions are the best! That Christmas Tree in the background, ornaments and all, has probably been with us for years. Every year, right after Thanksgiving, we drag it out, along with the boxes of ornaments we’ve loved since the genesis of our family. The boys help by handing me the color coded branches which are carefully inserted into its artificial trunk. Then the lights go on. I usually do this solo for obvious reason of which most of you know. 🙂 The men wait patiently, watching a Christmas movie or putting up decorations around the house. We all anticipate the unwrapping of the Cardinal which sings, “Santa Baby” and Douglas Fir, the singing Christmas tree (which freaks the dog out).

On Christmas eve, we always have dinner with grandma and open the presents we exchange with her. As a child, we would always go to my grandparents house and do the same. Dinner, was always Kentucky Fried Chicken with ruffles chips and french onion dip as an appetizer. To us, it was the best tasting meal of the year.

In today’s culture, it’s so easy to get caught up in ‘doing’. We forget about the traditions. Gradually, they lose their luster in the midst of our ever-oppressive busyness. I am so grateful for my mother who is the voice on my shoulder, constantly reminding me of how dear our time together is and how important it is not only to celebrate our traditions, but make new ones along the way.

Since we’ve lived in Virginia, we’ve looked forward to the fall colors every October/November. We take a drive out to Sperryville to see the trees, visit the Apple Festival at Graves Mountain, and stop at the Emporium, a cheesy little trading post where they sell everything from jam to moccasins and velvet Elvis paintings. As the kids get older, it’s harder to get them to go. We have grumbling sometimes. This year, I felt the joy of seeing my boys share the excitement of our tradition with their girlfriends, whom we brought along for the day. All of the sudden, this trip to the Apple Festival was, “The greatest!” and, “You have to see the Emporium!”  my little boy in the Santa hat exclaimed.  I secretly smiled to myself. Family tradition.

Joy #5: Serving

Akure, Nigeria March 2011

Serving others not only gets the focus off myself, it brings joy to others, which makes my joy complete! There is nothing like serving those who are less fortunate. The most amazing thing is, those who have less, often find so much more joy than I do. Why? Because they focus on the little things, the simple things, and the most important things; Food, clothing, shelter, love, warmth, and kindness. Maybe it’s time for me to take another visit to my friends in Akure.