Of Words and Phrases...

There are those folks in the world that don't feel passionate about expressing themselves. They don't see the point in writing or creating something to enjoy and share with others. There are those souls out there loose in the world that decry the act of artistic expression as a waste of time. Why does anyone feel driven to write, paint, take photos, or do anything creative? If it doesn't return a paycheck, then what is the motivation behind it? I have heard it said that there is a certain temperament of the artist that breeds a form of insanity...

Let me stand up and wave my hand and identify with those who get bitten by the desire to be creative. As for the temperament issue...I will simply say that I do not suffer from insanity...I enjoy it. Just kidding...the men in the white coats haven't caught up with me yet...Ok, ok...I will get serious and lay it out the reasons why some people have a passion for being creative.

Creativity, I believe, is a reflection of the divine spark within us. We were made in the image and likeness of God. What did God do in Genesis? He created the heavens in the earth. Then, he created man...and He has had His hands full ever since...ok, ok...back to the subject at hand. I think those of us who are engrossed with experiencing the process of creating just like to fan the flames a bit more. Some of us are pyros(figuratively speaking, of course...). There is something exciting about bringing a concept out of the depths of your being and putting a "face" on it. It should be listed in the DSM-III as an addiction, but I am not going to formally submit it. I think it ties in with my earlier comment regarding the men in white coats...alright...I will go back to my point.

I do believe that there are some of us who just have to create whether we ever show another soul what we do or not. I have written letters to God on many occaisions and then destroyed them. He saw and understood, and that is what mattered. Other times, it is an absolute hoot to show what has emerged from the abyss of the soul to another person. A new part of the adventure of creating/writing is embarked upon when another human being experiences what I write through their eyes. It can be a good thing to climb out of your own head once in a while. The spirit of man shrinks and whithers when outside contact is not made periodically. There is only so much room in there for growth. Creating something in that room is necessary; and sometimes sharing it is even more necessary. It is similar to a small child drawing a picture and wanting to show someone what they did.

Creating is a joy. I can only try to imagine how God felt when He created the universe. While I do not think he sat back in a lounge chair and had a nice cold glass of iced tea; he must have felt some sense of accomplishment. Doesn't the verse in Genesis say, "And God saw that it was good"? I like to think that could be a way of saying, "Alright!". Sometimes the journey of creating something brings new revelation and insight that did not originate with me. Sometimes I don't know where I am going with a piece until I get to the end. (I can sense the cracks coming on now...I promise I will make a coherent point with this soon. I haven't kept you that long now...)The phrases and images mix altogether with old memories and concepts to form my word choices and mold what ends up on the screen. I feel as if I am talking to someone as I write.

We are all parts of the body of Christ. Some are feet, some are knees, etc. Every one of us has a place value; a value high enough for Christ to have died on the cross for us. I think God knew that we would get bored with ourselves if we were all the same. Variety is good because it makes the journey that much more fun. There is comedy in the body of Christ that counts my ribs. There is amazing ability that ushers us into the presence of the Lord. There is also an endless adventure in getting to know each other. Sometimes when I start thinking that I have a corner on weirdness; the Lord brings someone into my life who shows me their patch of oddity and I feel alright again. God bless the nuts. Make this a "be kind to nuts day" and you may just be blessed...

In returning to my point(and I do have one...), I want to say that creativity flows out of sticking with this habit of breathing in an earthsuit. It flows out of every spiritual gift and ability given to us by our creator. Some of us just have a few extra quirks in the works planted(or impaled)in us that make creating/writing almost an RDA for finding fulfillment.

I hope I have made a few coherent points. I ask for your mercy and a generous dose of grace if you feel that I have not done so. Come back another time anyway and let's see if I can nail down a topic then. I think we will both have fun either way.


Have a cup o'joy
and a dose of peace...

Lynne