Terah Lites

Creativity: The use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.

Right off the bat I have probably lost you because you are thinking, “Oh, this is about creativity. I’m not creative. This one’s not for me.” Don’t go! Don’t leave! Just hear me out and see if you think about creativity in a different way by the end of this post.

Ok, so after reading the definition above, what thoughts come to mind? Do you think about art museums, studios filled with paint splatter, or some other form of art that seems impossible to create? I thought all those things and they are true. BUT, there is more. Look at that last part again, “…especially in the production of an artistic work.”

artistic: having or revealing natural or creative skill

You can have natural skill or reveal it, but either way, it is in there. It also says “skill.” Does it say skill to paint or skill to sculpt? No! It simply says skill: a particular ability.

This is the part I really want you to grasp.

“In the beginning GOD CREATED the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
“So God created man in his own image, IN THE IMAGE OF GOD he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

God created AND WE are created IN HIS IMAGE, therefore WE were created to create. You still with me? That is a little bit of a mind bender there and it is ok if you read it again. I did. 🙂 What I want you to see is that God made us to take after Him. He gave everyone a deep desire to produce an artistic work. But what I have learned is that it is hard to identify what that desire feels like and how it can be fulfilled in my life. And, it is also true that some desires are buried deeper than others. We will work on digging them up in another post. But, now watch this…

Art:
the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination,
typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture,
PRODUCING WORKS TO BE APPRECIATED PRIMARILY FOR THIER BEAUTY OR EMOTIONAL POWER.

You have probably already created art and don’t even know it. Our entire lives are filled with moments where we are struck by the beauty of what just happened, or we are overcome with emotion as we navigate the trials and blessings that surround us.

• Did your children just treat each other with respect for the first time, and you saw light at the end of the tunnel of this thing we call parenting? ~ emotional power.
• Did you just finally get that scary closet organized where everything has a place? ~ beauty.
• Have you worked for countless hours with a struggling student to then finally see the light in their eyes as they “get it”? ~ emotional power.
• Have you just taken time out of your day to gather your family together to watch a beautiful sunset? ~ beauty.

You see where this is going right? Today, before you get too far into the list of to-do’s, take a few minutes and reflect on times of emotional power or beauty in your life, and start to notice your role in “producing these works of art.” Art is very much a part of our daily lives. We just have to pay attention and look for it.

Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; 
They will behold a far-distant land.
Isaiah 33:17

P.S. As I was straining my brain, trying to come up with a title for this post, my amazing husband saved the day and came up with this one. I like him. 🙂