Creatively Created to Create

A few days ago, I joined a group of ladies from our church at a local art studio. It's one of those wonderful places where you paint a canvas or a piece of pottery with the help of a local artist. If you've known me for any length of time, you've probably heard me say that I didn't get the "craft gene" or that I'm "artistically challenged". I say that because I didn't, and I am. I'm just not gifted like so many of my artsy friends. I did struggle more than most with the sketching required before you can paint. But when I was finished, and I signed my initial in the corner of my painting (a must, said our instructor) I was actually excited to take it home, in all its splendid imperfection.

I know, it's kind of wonky, and not exactly proportional. Kind of like me :o)  But I mixed the colors myself, and the brush strokes are all mine. There's something so meaningful about creating something. It reminds us that we are, after all, created in the image of the One Who Creates.  As I walked around the studio, I marveled at the spark of the divine in all of our handiwork; each woman's unique personality so beautifully reflected in her painting.  I learned some things from our night at the studio:

1. Because the Creator lives in us, we can all create! A song, a dress, a garden, a business.. create!
2. I cannot chat and paint at the same time. Or really even think and paint at the same time.
3. Never pass up the chance to have the instructor trace your squiggles with the puffy paint. Genius.


Verse for Today: "For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."  - Ephesians 2:10 NLT