Uncreative title for a post about creativity
I used to think I wasn't creative. Probably because I thought you had to be an artist in order to be considered creative. Now, almost eight years into being a mom, I've realized that yes, yes I am creative. In fact, creativity, I've come to believe, is a necessity for the sane mama's tool kit. Creativity along with a sense of humor and a deep, resilient, on-your-knees prayerful faith.
Why is creativity so important? Well, because life. And because kids. All different kids with every manner of personality and learning style and mood on any given day. Creativity gives you options and creativity can actually give you joy in the mundane.
I don't think any other child has helped grow my creativity more than my third. My wild child: Lucy Katherine. She lives on her own planet. One that is filled with dreams and adventures and fun. If I thought I wasn't creative before she was born I certainly don't think so now. I have to be! And yet at the same time she can also show me how uncreative and unimaginative I am by comparison.
Here are some examples of how my creativity muscle has been stretched in recent weeks (in no particular order):
* pretending piles of clothes are animal skins that need to be quickly stored in our cave (dresser drawers) before the hunter finds us!
* telling child #3 that when I get out of the shower I want to be surprised by which clothes she chose to put on
* singing on-the-spot prayers before bed time
* coming up with plan B when the library is closed
* making up imaginary friends who will beat my child (yes, child #3 again) to the bathroom if she doesn't get there first!
* choosing my words and attitude in the face of a raging tantrum
* making a game out of walking from point A to point B in order to coax child #3 again to come with me
I was thinking today how our God is a creative God. We haven't even tapped the edges of His creation. His canvas is vast and His imagination unending. When I tell myself I'm not creative I'm essentially calling God a liar. He made me in His image. I am not Him but I am like Him. I have qualities like His. And I can lean into those God-given moments of creativity and think-on-my-feet mom improvisation today. And I can praise Him for a mind that can imagine, create and enjoy!
Do you think of yourself as creative? Where can you press into creativity today?
Why is creativity so important? Well, because life. And because kids. All different kids with every manner of personality and learning style and mood on any given day. Creativity gives you options and creativity can actually give you joy in the mundane.
I don't think any other child has helped grow my creativity more than my third. My wild child: Lucy Katherine. She lives on her own planet. One that is filled with dreams and adventures and fun. If I thought I wasn't creative before she was born I certainly don't think so now. I have to be! And yet at the same time she can also show me how uncreative and unimaginative I am by comparison.
Here are some examples of how my creativity muscle has been stretched in recent weeks (in no particular order):
* pretending piles of clothes are animal skins that need to be quickly stored in our cave (dresser drawers) before the hunter finds us!
* telling child #3 that when I get out of the shower I want to be surprised by which clothes she chose to put on
* singing on-the-spot prayers before bed time
* coming up with plan B when the library is closed
* making up imaginary friends who will beat my child (yes, child #3 again) to the bathroom if she doesn't get there first!
* choosing my words and attitude in the face of a raging tantrum
* making a game out of walking from point A to point B in order to coax child #3 again to come with me
I was thinking today how our God is a creative God. We haven't even tapped the edges of His creation. His canvas is vast and His imagination unending. When I tell myself I'm not creative I'm essentially calling God a liar. He made me in His image. I am not Him but I am like Him. I have qualities like His. And I can lean into those God-given moments of creativity and think-on-my-feet mom improvisation today. And I can praise Him for a mind that can imagine, create and enjoy!
Do you think of yourself as creative? Where can you press into creativity today?
Comments
Post a Comment