I've been doing these Adventures in Green Living for about a month now and as I have been my creativity has been booming. That's why I started it.
Confession Time: Before I began writing these, I was feeling burnt out. My loyal friends and some followers could probably notice by some of the things I'd shared.
Life is draining. Life in winter can be even more so, but isn't that how the seasons work. We have times of drought where inspiration and spiritual wellness is sparse. Then here comes the spring. Like the first bout of lightening striking the Earth to fill it with nitrogen to spark the birth of new seedlings. So a burst of inspiration must be set forth in the human mind and body to produce the life of new creativity. Hence has been my Adventures in Green Living.
Each project produces a realm of more ideas. More thoughts about what can I make with this? Or how can I make that?
I am a believer in creation. Maybe it's because I'm a creative type, but I believe that creativity is one of God's doorways of expressing himself through human beings. Creativity is the meeting of humanity and divinity. Creativity is prayer.
This may be the noticing of creation. Ann Voskamp in her book One Thousand Gifts declares this as Eucharist Deo, or the giving of thanks. It is seeing the hand of God and giving thanks.
It may be in creation itself, when we empty our minds to hear God's voice and declare its truth. This in Meditation and Prayer, aligning our hearts with his.
Creativity is the work of Prayer. Creative living is a prayerful life, where we take the time to notice and interact with God.
I've started meeting with some friends for a creativity group and last night we watched a Ted Talk with Elizabeth Gilbert, the author of Eat, Pray, Love. And she talked about how in this century, with the evolution of post-modern thought, we have neglected the concept that creativity is outside of us. The ancients believed that all expressions of creativity were the expressions of a higher power being made manifest through human encounter. She continued to talk about how upon the viewing of a play or performance, when struck with the awe of creativity, the ancients would yell "Alla!Alla!" Meaning God. This later, through immigration and cross culture in Spain became "Ole!" which we hear declared in all sorts of cheers.
With post modern thought we have forgotten God, which has lead all the pressure for creativity to be upon the artist. He is responsible to produce out of his own mind. Not merely be an observer and tool of divinity.
As I continue to explore creative living and making it a part of my prayer life, this is my goal: that I may experience God more fully. You'll be occasionally seeing me post more about this as I continue exploring with my creative friends. However, my challenge is to see God. To seek to be in his presence. As David, maybe the greatest Biblical artists "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord forever, to gaze upon his beauty" Psalm 27:4.
I want to be like David. I want to dwell in the presence. I want to live in creativity. I want to experience God in my all day everyday.
So here's to a new adventure, or maybe not new, but continually growing and evolving, to understand what it means to walk with Jesus.
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