From My Experience-
[Note - This is NOT written by me - Photo is mine; taken in Zion Ntl Park last summer]

[by Kathie Weaver - from: http://summityouth.ca/category/devotionals/ ]

Every summer I would spend my summer vacation at my Grandmother’s. I would have lots of fun and I learned so many new things from her. She was so creative! One of the many things she taught me was how to do ceramics. She would take me to the greenware store and let me pick out any pieces that I wanted to make. We’d take them home and spend hours on the front sun porch creating our masterpieces.

What I learned from my experiences is that there is nothing more satisfying than opening up the kiln in the morning to see your finished product. All the time and effort that you spent is realized when you look at the results of your labour. I can only imagine the feeling that God must have felt when he saw his final creation. He must have smiled widely and proudly when he said “it is good!”

Like I proudly displayed my workmanship, God displays His work proudly for all to see. Always sharing His creativity with us for our enjoyment. All nature in it’s splendor and glory created by God for us to enjoy. So much beauty. God is so creative! How too should we be with our creativity – using it to honour God and to share with others.

Think About It…

Everyone is given talents from God, talents that are meant to be shared with others and to honour God. Even the smallest thing created can bring great pleasure.

Creativity is a wonderful talent – it allows us to touch other people’s lives in a fun and exciting way. It is non intrusive and can be interpreted in so many ways. It can be a great ministry tool, in fact the Bible is full of creative stories told over generations. Stories that spark our imagination, our interest and our hearts.

Creativity Tied to Inspiration

NOTE: THIS IS NOT ME TALKING, THIS POST IS FROM:
From: http://faithcreativitylife.blogspot.com

I had a wonderful time on Monday speaking to a group of women from northwestern Wisconsin at their annual retreat. I spoke for three 45-minute sessions on "Treasures of the Heart." It's one of my favorite subjects because I get to mix my love for trash to treasure decorating with my love for helping women see how much God loves them.

In the first session, I showed lots of trash to treasure decorating ideas (many of them from my trash to treasure website) on a power point presentation. Then in the next two sessions, I talked about how God can take our struggles, frustrations, and difficulties (our trash) and turn them into opportunities to bring him glory (treasure). It's part of helping women connect the dots by seeing how the delight we take from taking yard sale junk and turning it into beautiful art is just a tiny glimpse of the delight God takes in turning our emotional junk into something beautiful.

It might not happen overnight though. It involves a change in perspective. It means that we begin to see everything as an opportunity instead of wasted experience. I showed the women a plastic Wal-Mart bag that we'd normally consider as either junk, or a liner for our trash cans. But then I showed this flower.

I took several discarded store bags and cut them into strips. Then I wrapped the strips around a piece of cardboard, slipped the looped plastic off the cardboard, and tied a string around the middle of the loops. Then I cut the loops, just as I would if I was making a yarn pom pom. I attached the plastic puffball to a wire and wrapped the stem with floral tape to make it into a flower.

It's still plastic bag. But it's different. Now, the bag has become something that we can appreciate, something we might consider beautiful, even though it is made from the same material.

Our experiences might seem like junk. Abuse. Divorce. Depression. Losses. Teasing. Loneliness. It's all difficult. But when we begin to see that as the material that God uses to make something beautiful out of us, we begin to appreciate the role that our difficulties play in making us beautiful examples of the grace of God.

What "junk" do you wish you could see in a different way?

[photo from facebook - one of son's friends]

The Spirit Flows Through Us.

But God has revealed it to us by his spirit.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

I Corinthians 2:10 NIV

Thought:

I think every person experiences or sees the world in a slightly different manner from the next. Visual artists might be prone to notice color, texture, value, shape, and line. A musician might be more sensitive to the sound of people walking down a hallway, the rhythmic patter of rain on the rooftop, and a blast from a train whistle. A biologist might be drawn to the sound of an animal in distress or the movement of birds in the trees. We all have interests that influence our view or perspective of the world. We all have knowledge of one sort or another.

God provides us with another type of knowledge or wisdom through the wonderful gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can open up a new world to us whether we are an artist, musician or biologist.

The Holy Spirit lives in us and flows through us. The Holy Spirit helps us understand the deeper things of the world and allows us to be more spiritually connected to God. As artists we can use the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us become better artists and better people. Remember that you have this gift.

Prayer:

Lord,

Thank you for always being there for us. Thank you for blessing us with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Guide us as we use our gift to do your will. Bless us in our creativity on a daily basis. Give us the ability to inspire and help others. Grant us peace and joy. In Christ’s name. Amen.

From My Creativity Blog.

I don’t walk around in a naïve little bubble of happiness.

But, a little about magic.

[If we look for it]

there it is,

there it can be,

in so many moments of our lives.

[And] I don’t want to miss out on any of it.

So, I pay attention.

I wait,

and I watch closely for it.

Discovering…

I talk about it when I see it…

when I feel it… because, I. Live. For. It.

Who doesn’t want to point out a rainbow when you see one? – Tara Whitney

----------------------------------------------

Worthy, O Master! Yes, our God!
Take the glory! the honor! the power!
You created it all;
It was created because you wanted it.

– Revelation 4:11 [The Message]

[Thank you Lord, for sharing the beauty of Your creation with me.

- photo taken in Panama City Beach July 24, 2010; edited with picnik]

Scrapbooks of the Soul

[Photo of my cousin's granddaughter, taken by her mother,
and enhanced by me with picnik]

I am better than I was, but not quite as good as I was before I got worse.

- Barbara Johnson [Boomerang Joy, published: 1998]

Scrapbook lovers rejoice! This is our moment! Now you can put together scrapbook photo albums with stickers, stamps, and special acid-free, photo friendly paper to commemorate life’s most important moments. Your one-of-a-kind album will become a family heirloom if you take advantage of special pens, glues, photo corners, mats, page protectors, fun paper punches, and decorative edged scissors! As for me, I love the idea of finding fresh and creative ways to treasure moments.

Like Mary, the mother of Jesus, I have treasured many moments in my heart, special memories of God’s faithfulness to my family over many years. God Himself has used all kinds of colorful and creative ways to document His love, glorify Himself, and pass on the heritage of faith through the scrapbook pages of my life. Bet of all, He guarantees that none of it will fade away. It’s all acid-free!

God uses something even better than stamps, stickers, and scissors. He uses that little bottle of magic stuff called white-out. You know that stuff that does a fantastic job of erasing mistakes. With a dab of a brush, the wrong thing is covered over, leaving a fresh white space upon which to work. Years ago when I worked in an office I called white-out my 1 John 1:9 stuff because it would blot out the mess and leave a clean place – just like God does with our sins. We all need spiritual white-out to make us white as snow [Isaiah 1:18.] We can all have a clean fresh start every day. God no longer sees our sin, because it is covered by His special white-out: The blood of Jesus.

In our journey through life, the scraps and souvenirs we save can be turned into artwork by the creative Hand of the Lord. Let Him set down at the table of your life and got to work. And while you’re at it, why not help Him out? Gather up all the color you can, cut away the broken ends of your life, and find ‘stickers of the heart.’ – the things that make you laugh. Most of all, don’t let the best you have done so far be the standard for the future. You can do even better. Let God use His white-out: it works wonders!

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. – 1 John 1:9

Way to Pray: Almighty God, my Redeemer, thank You that the blood of Jesus cleanses me from my sin. Please send Your Holy Spirit to fill me with Your peace so I can rest in the midst of my circumstances. You have given me forgiveness and righteousness in Jesus’ name. Hooray for your heavenly white-out! – Amen.

[Straight out of the camera shot from a McDonald's Drive-through - Montgomery, AL]

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord….

It is the Lord you are serving.”

~Colossians 3:23-24

Thought from 'My Creativity Blog':

I love this scripture. It can be applied to anything, such as, creativity, life, marriage, education, physical fitness, etc.

This week my former mother in law, Joyce Adrienne Paschal Holliday, passed away after over 20 years of battling Parkinson’s Disease. We celebrated Joyce’s life today in a service with family and friends in Houston, Texas.

Joyce lived her life according to Colossians. She was devoted to serving the Lord in whatever way she could. Joyce was a wonderful wife, mother, daughter, grandmother and friend. She taught others by example about faith, hope, joy, strength, peace, dignity, and grace.

So many memories of Joyce’s life have flashed through my mind since learning of her death. Those memories make me smile. I think the thing I will miss the most about Joyce is her laughter. Her laugh was contagious and often came at very inopportune and inappropriate times which created some funny situations. I feel fortunate to have had Joyce in my life. I will miss her with all my heart but, I rejoice in the fact that Joyce is free. She has finally beaten Parkinson’s disease.

Thank you for visiting my blog today. I know you came here to read a devotional about creativity. I hope you don’t mind that I digressed a bit about family.

Post the scripture in Colossians up on your mirror, the refrigerator, or better yet, memorize it. Today as you work on creating artwork, planting your gardening, making cupcakes for your children, or playing a game of golf, remember to do it with all your heart. God bless.

Prayer:

Lord,

We want to serve you. We want to do your will. We want to make you proud. Please bless us with the ability to use our whole heart as we live our life for you. Fill us with thy spirit. At this time, we especially ask that you comfort those who are dealing with sickness or death. In Christ’s name. Amen.

From: http://mycreativityblog.com/“And the day came when the risk [it took] to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”

Anais Nin

Thought:

My calendar says that Spring begins officially on Saturday. Apparently, the trees, shrubs, and bulbs in Portland did not read the calendar. We have been blessed with blooms in a riotous array of color for the last few weeks. As the days began to get longer and the temperatures warmer, the flowers could not wait to burst forth.

What would Spring be like without flowers? Imagine delicate buds holding their petals tightly together in a refusal to show their beauty, to do as God intended. Can you imagine the energy required to go against the laws of nature and God’s will?

How drab and dull our lives would be without flowers.

Tomorrow as we celebrate the first day of Spring, let’s commit to using our energy to blossom creatively. Let’s stop holding back. Let’s do God’s will. Let’s be the creative beings He had in mind.

Prayer:

Lord God Almighty,

I am so in awe of Your wisdom and Your creation. Thank you so much for the seasons of the year and the beauty that surrounds us. Thank you for blooming plants, energy, and strength. Bless us with the ability to use our talents as You see fit. Give us knowledge of our next best creative move. Help us to burst forth creatively and to overcome fear as we open ourselves up to the world.

In Christ’s name.

Amen

No One Likes to be Disapointed...

From the Creativity Blog:
Thought: “No one likes to be disappointed. It hurts. Disappointment chips away at our self-esteem. Disappointment sometimes makes us fearful. I always hated it as a child when someone told me they were disappointed in me. I still hate it. Being disappointed in yourself is probably the worst. Failing at something can drag you into self-disappointment.
Let’s say you tried something and failed. You tried a new art technique on an oil painting and completely botched it. Okay, you are disappointed. But, look at it another way. What did you learn from the experience? Trying something new gives you added insight even when you make mistakes. I personally have learned more from making mistakes than any other way.
What if you don’t want to make mistakes or face disappointment? Then do nothing. Don’t try anything new. Live a life of boring sameness. Don’t think outside the box. Don’t experiment.
I doubt anyone reading this article wants a life like that. The alternative is to try, to learn from your mistakes and move on. So, today get out there and try something fresh and new. You might be disappointed, but you might not. You might succeed in ways you never imagined. Either way you will be better off for trying!
Prayer:
Lord, Please continue to bless me with new ideas, inspiration, and creativity. Bless my efforts. I know that at times I may fail. When that happens help me to learn from my mistakes. Give me the strength to move on through my disappointment. Give me the ability to recover, to regroup, and to do better the next time. I ask all in Christ’s name. Amen”
From Beth Moore,
[Stepping Up, A Journey Through the Psalms if Ascent, page79]:
“You and I will never move to the next level with God if we’re scared half to death of what awaits us. On this mysterious pilgrimage we will find that when we do meet difficulties and sorrows they were not meant to stop us, but to form the character required for our great harvest in the coming season. Step into your future, Precious One. Something wonderful awaits you.”

God is a God of Freshness and Change -

[I just love those snowy aspens!]

by Charles R. Swindoll
Exodus 35:21, 25-26
God is a God of freshness and change. But wait, before I leave that thought, let me make something very clear: God Himself isn't changing, nor is His Son. He "is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb. 13:8). Isn't that a great thought? God is no different this year than He was last year or a decade ago. Nor will He change one hundred years from now. But even though He is the same, His working is different. It stays fresh. His ways and methods are forever fresh, unpredictably new.
I need to warn you, if you like things to stay the same, you're going to be terribly uncomfortable in heaven. Everything is going to be new. God is a God of freshness and change. He flexes His methods. He alters His way so much, it's as if you've never seen it before. You can't imagine what it may be like next time.
God says we are to be "imitators" of Him, which really means we are to "mimic." Since God is a God of freshness and change, so we should be. If we are to fulfill this command, then I suggest that we stay fresh---that we remain open, innovative, willing to change.
Every age knows the temptation to try to restrict God's dealings. The majority of people in this world are maintainers. Once we get things set, we don't like them changed.
Are you open to change in your life? Are you willing to risk? Are you flexible enough to innovate? Are you willing to tolerate the sheer possibility of making a massive change in your direction for life? "Lord, is it South America? Great! Or Indonesia? I'll do it. I'll move or change my profession. Fine! Are You leading me into a new venture? I'll do it. Count me in!"
That's the spirit! It may mean moving across the street. It may mean moving across the States. It may mean moving across the seas. How flexible are you? It may not involve a move at all, only a willingness.
Reprinted by permission. Dear Graduate: Letters of Wisdom from Charles R. Swindoll, Charles R. Swindoll, © 2007, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved. Copying or using this material without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited and in direct violation of copyright law.

Creativity That Lasts

by Robin Sloboda
Psalm 90:17 - Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands. (NKJV)
Looking through a collection of cross-stitching books today, I found a prayer that inspired me. I began thinking about how God uses our creativity to touch others and bring glory to himself, even when we are no longer living in this world. Artist Betty W. McCool writes: "Father, grant that I, through your gift, may reach beyond my earthly years and touch with love all who look upon my work forever."
What a mind-blowing, creative thought! Imagine.
The work we do with our hands can, does, and will outlive us. Da Vinci's work did. Michelangelo's work did. Even works of art done by Egyptians dating back three thousand years ago did. What we create with our hands will outlive us here on earth.
Later that day at a friend's home, we were sharing life stories while having tea. She showed me a few beautiful needlepoint pictures that her mother-in-law had created. I was in awe with the story that followed.
After her mother-in-law's death, the family found fifteen handcrafted pieces of needlepoint tucked between mattresses in her home. The cost of framing was not in the family budget, so with care, she had carefully covered each one in tissue. Then she had loving put them away under the mattresses until they could be mounted and framed. Her thought was that each of her children and grandchildren would eventually receive a gift of her handcrafted love.
What an amazing story! Part of her will live on through the work of her hands. The opportunity to frame the work never came during her lifetime, but each one of her children received a piece of her love nevertheless. My friend decided to frame one piece of tapestry a year in memory of her mother-in-law. What great heirlooms to cherish and pass down through generations!
Over the years, I have made a few cross-stitched pieces myself and written many poems, stories, and other items that will still be hanging around, even when I am not. My prayer is that through the creative work of my hands, God will bless my family for years to come. May it all bring glory to Him.
What creative gifts has God given us to touch the lives of others, even when we are no longer hanging around in this world? How have others blessed us through the work God has given them?
Prayer: Gracious Father, thank You for the many ways You have gifted each of us to touch others' lives -- for creativity in building works of love to pass on to others. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Robin Sloboda <r.sloboda@shaw.ca>Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada