Create and survive are the prompt words for Day 18 and Day 19 of #write28days. Like I did with an earlier post, I think I will combine them.
In a way, I see creativity as a key to survival.
Creativity also encourages me to stop and pay attention to details, rather than continually rushing through life. When we are so busy, we miss the beauty around us. We can miss little moments of joy, because we simply don’t see them.
In our #thepresenceproject Facebook group, Summer shared THIS POST by Hannah Savage. In it, Hannah encourages us to notice what God is doing in and around us, then to ask honest questions before God. As soon as I read her post, these words came to me and I wrote them in a comment:
How many times in our busy life have we passed by not noticing? We’ve gotten good at hiding our pain or filling our lives so we don’t have to stop and notice. But what has it gotten us? We’ve forgotten how to cultivate relationships, how to engage in the moment. Sometimes I don’t think we even know ourselves, because we don’t stop long enough to notice.
I have been guilty of moving through each day without noticing. Sometimes I have wondered if I really know who I am.
Last April, I participated in a writing challenge with prompts for each day. One of the prompts was Who do you say you are? It caused me to stop and think and this poem was the result:
Who Do You Say You Are
I am a woman
who trusts in the Lord
Wherever I go I
am never alone
I am a woman
who sometimes feels small
When life overwhelms I
hold my head high
I am a woman
who follows the light
Aware of my space I
find joy in each day
I am a woman
who loves to create
Through words or collage I
spread cheer all around
I am a woman
who opens her home
With kindness and love I
will welcome you here
~gsw~
By taking time to think of who I am, I’m reminded that I belong to God.
It is through Him I have life. Through Him I am able to create and survive, for He gives me strength and courage.
I Peter 1:3 (CSB)
His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
Create and Notice Details
When I take time to make a collage or drawing or write a poem, it’s a way to process my thoughts and clarify them. It also forces me to pay attention to details. Besides that, creating art is fun! It’s relaxing to thumb through magazines looking for photos and words that jump out to me. Then, taking time to arrange them on a page is sometimes hard, but always satisfying when I find the right combination.
Drawing is also fun. When you have fun, it helps you relax and let go of things that might try to take your joy. It is needful for survival.
Anime art is something I enjoy, mainly because my kids got me into it and some of my grandkids also love it. Just last night I created this drawing based on an anime character by following a YouTube tutorial by Mark Crilley:
Creativity Doesn’t Have to Be Fancy
In conclusion, I just want to encourage each of you to take time to stop and notice what is around you.
See the beauty, ask the questions, and feel the pain. But don’t stop there. Take time to create.
Creativity doesn’t have to be fancy or hard. Maybe put a flower on your dinner table or arrange your child’s food in a cool design on the plate. Write a letter and put pretty stickers on it. Set a candle to cast a soft glow where everyone will see.
Everyone can create, even in a small way, because we are made in the Creator’s image. Nothing is insignificant. I promise if you take time to create, you will learn to relax and have fun. And it will help you survive in this busy world.
What are your thoughts? Do you have any ideas or suggestions to offer on how creativity helps us survive? I’d love to hear from you.
You can find the rest of my #write28days series HERE.
I’m linking up with: #TeaAndWord, #TellHisStory, #LMMLinkup, #porchstories
Creativity can come in many forms. From painting to drawing to writing to creating stories and so much more. The more we use the gift of creativity, the more we learn.
Yes, many forms and you are so right. The more we use it the more we find and learn. I’ve learned so much since I started art journaling over 5 years ago. I started very simple and have gradually expanded. Thanks for visiting, Melissa. Many blessings to you!
When my husband bought me a nice camera I started noticing my surroundings more. I love to take pictures of flowers and berries–and if I am quick enough to get a photo of a bird, that is a bonus.
Isn’t it cool how a new tool can help us notice more? I love taking nature photographs. Yes, it’s so hard to capture a bird. I don’t know if I ever have yet, but I guess you have to be patient and ready. 🙂 Blessings to you! Thanks for visiting, Carol.
Hi Gayl, You know my creative outlet is writing and I have my create post up and survive already written. Good idea to combine them. I know being creative is certainly survival for me, I have gone through times of not writing, being disappointed, feeling no one was interested, but the Lord restored my soul with it, literally. And I love your poem.
Yes, your writing is a great creative outlet. I think many would agree that creativity really helps us survive. It is hard sometimes when it seems no one reads our writing, but we can remember that God sees it, and maybe it was just for us at those times. Yes, I totally understand how God could use it to restore your soul. I’m so glad you love my poem. Thank you for your encouragement. Blessings to you, Rebecca!
Lovely poem and inspiring post, Gayl!
Thank you so much, dear Bette. Blessings to you! xo
I agree that creativity is a key to survival, for species and for individuals. And that taking time to do art is a way to help us pay attention to details and to process life. 🙂 Thanks.
Thanks for your agreement and encouragement, Molly. Creativity is definitely an important part of life. Blessings to you!
Yes, some days creativity does help to get me through! On crazier days (with 6 kids 12 and under) it may be a creative response to a bad attitude or a creative solutions to kid squabbles, but when there is time and energy, painting and illustrating have become my favorite creative outlets. 🙂 And I blog it all to keep me accountable to doing it even when the energy is wavering. 🙂
Here from Tea and Word Tuesday.
Blessings,
Babychaser
I know what you mean! I had 7 kids, though there were 6 years between the 4 and 5th, so I didn’t have so many close together. I agree that sometimes creativity is a good response and workable solutions! And yes, the creative arts are great when we can. 🙂 I will have to check out your blog. 🙂 Thanks for visiting. Blessings to you!
Thank you Dear Gayl for sharing with us so many different ways to be creative. And thank you for sharing the many times that you pause and look around you to notice the ways that God is working in your midst. He is so creative, Himself, and has given us such pictures of beautiful survival when we look around. May I let Him open my eyes to see more of His creativity too. Blessings to you my dear poet/sister/friend! xo
Dear Bettie, thank you for your support! Yes, God is the great Creator and made such a beautiful world. And yes, He has given us many pictures of beautiful survival. 🙂 May I continue to see more of His continual creativity in our lives, too! Blessings, love and hugs to you dear poet/sister/friend! xoxo
It was a perfect combination of two prompts. Great job and wonderful reminders. I love the principle to slow down and enjoy the details of God’s beautiful creativity.
Thanks so much, Karen! It’s so easy to forget to slow down, but I want to keep remembering. Blessings to you! I’m saying a prayer for you and your family. Much love! xo
Gayl … I love your emphasis on creativity – the key to survival, the key to calmness, the key to grace. Such peace and freedom to be found …
Thank you, Linda! Yes, creativity is all that you mentioned and more. 🙂 I’m thankful we have a creative God, who gave us the ability to create. Blessings to you!
Creating helps keep me centered and grounded 🙂 Wonderful post! Love your thoughts on this and you are so right, we need to take more time to notice things around us. People now a days are so busy and in tuned with technological gadgets, we’re forgetting how to connect with one another, face to face.
Carrie, I love that thought that creating helps us keep centered and grounded. It really does! I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I want to be more intentional to put down my devices and connect more with people face to face. I do appreciate my online friends, though. I think it is a good way to connect and encourage others in the body of Christ, esp. when it’s hard for some to get out. Thanks for visiting. Blessings to you!
Yes, I think online friends are awesome to have. I know this has helped me immensely as I’m not able to get out on my own (do not drive due to my visual impairment) as often as I’d like.
Carrie, a couple of my closest friends are online. We communicate nearly every day and pray for each other. One has RA and is not able to get out much. So in that case, technology is very helpful. We are able to encourage each other and keep pointing back to Christ, who is our life. Blessings to you, dear Carrie Ann! Btw, I love your writing!