Daring to Live More Creatively

Recently, I’ve  been so inspired to live more creatively. Basically, the book The Creative Family: How to Encourage Imagination and Nurture Family Connections has given me the courage and drive to do so.

For months, it seems I’ve been primed and ready, looking for ways to incorporate more creative activity into our lives and then, I stumble upon this book. Actually, a friend left it at my house and while she has been out of town, I’ve taken advantage of the opportunity to read it.

But I think it was a divine appointment.

I’ve made some creative additions to our home and our day. I love the excitement I feel about the creative possibilities lurking previously unnoticed around me. I love watching them come forth from my children’s drawings and outdoor play. I love approaching the world with more appreciation for what God has created and wanting to participate in creating too. It’s being comfortable with the process and not so hung up on the results. It’s overcoming a fear of failure and diving in head first to try, to mess up and to make something I love!

Connecting with the Creator Through Creativity

This morning I was reminded that “…we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus…” (Eph. 2:8-10). Not only can I approach nature with this truth in mind but I myself am His handiwork. He crafted me in my mother’s womb. I bear His fingerprints and so does everything and everyone He has made around me.

A natural result of this revelation is that I want to be creative because He Is and I am made in His image. We all are creative because we are designed to be. We just have been limited by the way we view ourselves or by the labels given us as children that we unconsciously repeat over and over again in our head. It’s time to break free!

There is almost something sacred in participating in creativity because it is taking part in our beloved Creator’s work. It’s “in Him we live, and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28) and when we are creative, we can experience this truth more closely. Because He lives in us and fills us with His fullness, it’s like He is creating and making things beautiful through us!  What a beautiful partnership!

God is the Divine Homemaker. “The Lord makes a home for the lonely.” (Ps. 68:6). Let Him grace your home with His intimate presence and creativity! He designed motherhood to be a far reaching land, where possibilities for using your gifts and growing your talents exists.

Let’s stop believing how the world defines it. Let’s jump into the river of life and splash and play! It’s supposed to be fun!

Examples of the Brendle Family’s Recent Creative Endeavors

I am discovering that as I add little creative touches around our home, I am making it more beautiful. As a result, I enjoy being here more and will look and smile at the process of creating going on around me! I can only imagine this is having the same effect on my family.

We sat together one afternoon, using oil pastels and designed butterflies. I love the colors Samuel (age 6) chose. It makes one so happy to look at it! I had an old frame in the garage with the matting still in it. I put a piece of green construction paper behind and voila! His own framed piece of art now hanging in his bedroom.

I hope framing his work affirms him as an “artist” and brings him the same joy it does me in looking at it! He has created a whole slew of butterflies from a ladybug butterfly, tiger butterfly to a bumble bee butterfly and a cow butterfly! What creativity!

I was thrift shopping and came across these boots. They’re ducks! Made in Canada. $3.00. Couldn’t resist putting these on my boot-loving son Joseph’s (age 2) feet. For me, even choosing these boots was a fun, artistic choice!

We order organic vegetables and fruit in a box. We received these “garlic scapes” and I had no idea what to do with them. Later I learned I could make the greens into pesto but I think they are more beautiful on our table in a vase.

These are our garden boxes in process. My husband worked hard to dump store-bought organic compost in them and we still need to spread it. I have visions of ripe tomatoes and wide-spread zucchini, children with there hands in the black dirt, and “garden journals” filled with drawings and scientific observations. I’ll let you know how the summer goes!

Trucks in a basket. All 5 of my boys are into trucks and cars. Two of the older ones have their own car boxes. Today, Stephen (age 2) filled a basket I gave him with his cars. I used to keep them in a plastic box with a label. I like order and organization and this has sometimes sadly taken priority over beauty and creativity.

So, I will be slowly gathering baskets to fill with toys to replace the plastic boxes in our life. The basket itself has become a plaything! The boys carry it around, empty it and refill it. They must like the beauty and feel of the basket like I do.

I went through my Grandmother’s sewing box she had given me and discovered these lovely 15 cent wooden spools of brightly colored thread. I couldn’t leave them buried in a box. So, I found a mason jar and it now sits proudly on a shelf for all to see!

The photos shown above are some of my attempts to dare to live more creatively. They are not prize-winning but that’s not the point. (I have to keep reminding myself!) It’s not about the end result but the process. It’s not about perfection but excellence and enjoyment.

The photos capture something from a particular perspective that I wanted to share with you. Who knows? Maybe there is a photographer inside of me after all! I guess I am still discovering new things about myself! What a journey!

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