Today I was bored so I decided to look at the books that I've collected over the years. (which are now collecting dust on the bookcase.) One caught my eye, "Inspiration Sandwich" is it's title. The cover was once vivid in color but due to it's age, it's now faded and nondescript. I pulled this book off the shelf and it opened naturally to a page where laid a paper. A bookmark that once was a receipt from a catalog purchase - dated October 11, 1995. I vaguely remember the day I bought this book and the feeling I had then came rushing back to me again today as I held this little paperback in my hands.
I had to chuckle at God. "Inspiration Sandwich" is a book to inspire - a book to unleash the creative self. Right now where I am in life, I thought, how ironic is this? God has been trying to tell me something for well over 12 years and I just keep ignoring Him or look the other way. Why? Can't I accept the fact that I have a creative vein in me that was there at birth and continues to grow through my adult life? Why do I cram it down and say it's not there? What am I afraid of?
It seems pompous to say "I'm an artist." The cultural world view of the artist is one of fame, fortune, super talented or insanely crazy with wild hair and bare feet. Well, I don't really want to be associated with any of those descriptions. Therefore, I'm not an artist. (However, I do have wild hair...another gift from God?)
Now, do I really believe this? That I'm not an artist. Not for one micro second. What is an artist? Hum...well we can talk for hours about that! Well, I could anyhow, if you were so bored to listen. The deal is, I'm an artist. You are an artist. How will you respond to that?
Okay, back to God being silly. He's been pointing me in a particular direction for so many years and I'm just now starting to connect the dots to see the beginning of an image being created right before my eyes. He's also been incredibly patient with me! So now the big questions is HOW WILL I RESPOND TO GOD'S DIRECTION? The answer is simply put but challenging to carry out: Move With Him.
3 comments:
God is SO cool, isn't he? I LOVED this - in fact, this is exactly what I needed to hear this morning. God, he's just so clever. I love how He gets our attention in such creative ways and tells us things about ourselves when we least expect it. Thanks so much for this post!!!
Hey dee,
What a great post! Let's redefine that cultural world view definition of an artist into a God's/Christian view of an artist:
Fame: How about bringing fame and glory to God with those artist talents that you have?
Fortune: Let's just change that to fortunate! As in all those that come in contact with you are fortunate enough to have met you and be blessed by your gift!
Super Talented: You are so super talented! I think that your other real gift besides being creative is being such an inspiration to others. And trust me, you are very much super talented at this! God has used you to further me in my walk with Him as an artist more so than almost anyone else!
Insanely Crazy: Well, let's just make that insanely crazy with joy and peace from walking on that very special path with God that He has created for just you and Him! What an amazing feeling this must be!
Wild Hair and Bare Feet: Yep! You have the wild hair! (I can say that because I too am a member of the wild hair club!) Bare Feet? I bet you prefer to be bare foot over shoe foot any day!
Anyway, you are just so cool and thank you for being so faithful in your posts!
Love ya!
Carol
Can I comment on a comment? Well, I'm gunna try it! Carol ~ you are a gift to me. Thanks so much for your encouraging words and sense of humor!!! I think God leads me to creative people (whether they know they are creative yet or not) and in that interaction creative synergy occurs. My passion is to see people discover they are an ar-teeest (said with the french accent) then inspire them to keep the creative juices flowing ~ for His glory. You rock. I'm honored to be your friend. Loveya! ~ deAnn
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