To Create
Being made in the image of God has given us the capacity to be creative. We can’t speak a word and form life ex nihilo, the way He can, but through His gifts we can make something new.
I love seeing how others put the gift of creativity to use. Callie paints. My friend Jenni makes quilts. Grace decorates.
Language has always been my favorite creative gift. I miss practicing the art of writing during college, rather than just blogging didactically. I miss relishing the beauty of language and enjoying the rush of putting something into words just exactly right.
The other day, I came across this poem by Sara Sophia. It’s lovely. And it made me miss writing poetry. I’m not Emily Dickinson or e.e. cummings, but I still miss it.
Poetry can capture the impression of a memory in a way prose… or a photograph… cannot. I wrote my favorite impression-capturing poem during a drive from Ohio (where I grew up) to Chicago (where I spent my freshman year of college). (Previously posted here.)
I love the way the lights on Chicago’s skyline
turn into tiny stars when the evening sky
is sapphire blue.
Even though the other cars on the highway
are speeding past, an endless line of hurried traffic,
it’s a quiet night.
It’s my transition time, between home and school,
between family and friends, between old and new,
and each light, each moment, is a gem.
Some people say they feel insignificant and small
and even trapped and stifled by the towering buildings
and faceless crowds.
But I feel freedom and adventure. The air rushing through the windows
is warm, and musky with the hint of a coming summer
and I breathe deeply.
I want to take it all in, everything I see and feel,
and make it a part of me, this moment of possibility,
and this sky of city stars.
I wrote that for my Creative Writing class. I remember being in my sister’s dorm room, staring out the window and trying to come up with a “traveling poem” for the assignment. Suddenly that memory came to me and I wrote and rewrote for about half an hour until I had painted a still life with words.
I would love to hear your thoughts on creativity, and what it looks like in your life.
I miss writing, too. I enjoy blogging, but there’s something I miss so much about writing in a journal – pen on paper. I also love to scrapbook. It allows me to escape the busy, chaotic world I’m living and re-experience memories from the past in a beautiful way.
I’m glad you mentioned journaling. Putting pen (or pencil) to paper is irreplaceable.
I love your painting, Anna!
I’ve been thinking a lot about creativity and how it’s part of my life. Part of how I love people, part of how I teach people, especially my daughters. I am so visual, so it transcends what I can’t always express with words.
The heart of my blog is where faith and art intersect and it’s the heart of me!
Here’s a gift of creativity to share, my friend! http://madabella.typepad.com/blog/2010/09/diy-printable-signed-god.html
I agree. God is our Creator and He made us in His image. Many of us are creative whether we realize it or not.
I like to quilt and make some crafts. I dabble in writing. I dabble in photography. I dabble in interior decorating. And, I dabble in being a frugal homemaker. LOL. Hey, being thrifty takes some creative hard work. 
My husband likes to do some woodworking and is currently coming up with a rectangular lazy Susan for my cutting mat so that I can easily rotate it 180 degrees without disturbing the fabric. He also likes to take model car kits and turn them into some awesome looking tiny cars. He also tinkers with his classic ‘66 Mustang. He’s planning to restore it someday.
I think it is wonderful that everyone is different in their creative talents. All together, it makes for an interesting and beautiful world.
I love the creative lanquage arts, your poem is beautiful. For me the art of cleverly combining words is not something that I work at improving, but I do enjoy it. So, my blog is sort of my outlet for that. I love having a journal of our lives for my girls too, but I can’t sit and write with pen and paper about my thoughts or feelings, actually, if I did no one would ever be able to read them because my handwriting is near illegible, ha! As far as a more challenging, life-applicable art though, things that feed that creative bone for me are sewing, home decorating, and cooking…
Beautifully written…I am convinced everyone is creative but God made us all creative in our own unique way. We just need to find our niche.
I agree!
I love making food. Especially learning how to not to waste anything while making it!
Blogging, cooking, homeschooling, photography, graphic design, journaling, scrapbooking, crafts, frugality, woodworking, sewing… so many I hadn’t thought of!
Photography is about as creative as I get. I love it, but I don’t really think of it as creative because I don’t “create”, I “capture”. I guess it still counts. 
Actually, I think clothing can be a fun creative outlet. I love the creativity of being original with my outfits. I might be a little too original sometimes!
Love the poem! I used to write a lot when I was in high school. I love everyones thoughts about what creativity is to them. Sometimes I feel like a jack of all trades, and master of none, and I think that’s something God has been teaching me. We can love and enjoy different things without having to be perfect at them. So long as we use them to His glory. And a lot of times just having the right heart/attitude about why and what we’re doing brings Him glory. That being said, I think my niche is photography. Maybe for no rhyme or reason other than to capture what He’s created. We all can look at the same subject and see Him in it differently.
Hmm, I have always love writing…and baking! My family has always called me their little baker girl, even though I’m not a “flop-free baker” and everything doesn’t always turns out just perfect. I love both baking and writing. Other than that, I can feel like I’m not especially skilled at any certain thing.
Beautiful poem, Anna! I feel like such a slacker when it comes to painting – I want to do it, but I’m lacking motivation (and time). This makes me want to get going on it again!
“this sky of city stars” — What a beautiful line!
I love poetry (reading it, writing it, etc)…good poetry really is artwork to me. I have attempted to paint in the past, and while it’s therapeutic and creative, I’m no Picasso. 
I think decorating is an art, especially when your funds are limited (it forces you to be especially inventive and creative when you don’t have every option at your fingertips…). I think it’s important too to immerse ourselves in others’ “good art” as often or more than we try to create it ourselves…
Me too! I miss writing assignments. I’ve always been fascinated with language. These days, my creativity flows a little through language in blogging, through creating delectable dishes my family will enjoy eating, finding fun ways to teach my children through our homeschool efforts, photography, and the little graphic design side-work I squeeze in here and there. Creativity is awesome and encouraged in our home.