The Cultivating of Creativity: A Stitch in Time

Once upon a time there was a little girl who would spend a week of her summer vacation at Grandpa and Grandma's house. She was very lucky to have two Grandpas and Grandmas -- so sometimes she would get to spend one week at one house and another week later in the summer at the other house.

One Grandpa and Grandma lived on a farm. It seemed like a magical place, really. There were corn cribs that when empty made the perfect play-school house and an old school house that made the perfect play area. There were tall strands of grass and cats that would come drink from the water well. Sometimes there were even legendary snakes or skunks...but usually only one person would get to see those treasures and then run to tell the rest of the family. There were big open fields for kickball and soccer, and sometimes softball...but mainly just running around. There was even a classic truck and farm tractor. Once in a while she would get to ride with Grandpa. On one particular day she even got to walk through the truck bed full of feed grain in her bare feet. It was a paradise. And that was just outside.

Inside the humble little farm house was another land of fortunate happenings. This was the only place this little girl got to play with glitter -- the starting place of all things creative. Sure, it made a mess to clean up, but she and Grandma were real good at that. Grandma even had a certain way to use newspaper to recycle stray glitter sparkles back into the bottle. It was simple really, but to this little girl it was special. And so was Grandma.

In the middle of one summer vacation at this grand adventure place, Grandpa was out working hard on the farm. This left Grandpa's chair inside the house the perfect spot for this little girl to perch. As she sat there she looked over to her Grandma who was was sitting in her chair next to her sewing basket. Curious, the girl asked her Grandma what she was doing. Grandma went on to explain that she was stitching up a hole in Grandpa's trousers so he could wear them again. This intrigued the little girl, so she looked on.

With a twinkle in her eye and pursed lips, Grandma somehow just knew what she was suppose to do. She dug through her sewing basket and looked over at the little girl. Within minutes the girl was ready to learn with a scrap of fabric, a needle and thread in hand. It was on that day of this summer vacation that Grandma taught that little girl to sew. It was a simple project really. With the scrap of cloth Grandma had taught her how to make a little pocket. Simple as it was at the end of the vacation it also had a two-dollar bill enclosed. A valuable item the rarity may be, yet even more valuable was the time that was spent and the skill that was taught. For from it would come pillows, and quilts, and other projects for years to come. But even more, the cultivating of creativity was the best souvenir and life-long gift from that summer vacation.

Unwavering

I resolve not to make resolutions that will fail me,
but to strive to be resoulte.
To have faith like a child
and live the actions of Christ.
To make lifestyle changes
that are life changing.
To be a good steward of all we are given --
body, mind, and soul.
To live out of a Power that is beyond me
and to live out the Strength that is within me.
To grow from failure, and not fail to strive and grow.
To be humbled by mere humility, bringing a smile to the face of God.
To read more. Seek deeply. And listen.
To learn. To love. To Love.

reso-lute - adj. having or showing a fixed, firm purpose;

determined; resolved; unwavering --SYN: Faithful.

obedience and abundance

One of my favorite songs is Eyes of a Child by Keith Naylor. It talks about how there is a simple purity in the world through the perspective of a child. I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately as I am studying through the book of John with a group. There are lots of stories that I know I’ve read before, probably a lot as a child and although I’ve heard them since there is a new perspective when reading them deeply. In some ways through the simplicity of that of a child, but also the curiosity.

A story that has been on my mind a lot since discussing and sharing a few weeks ago is that of John 6 and the feeding of five thousand (really a lot more than that). If you would have asked be a month ago my recollection of this story would be that of a miracle and showing of God’s power. While this is true, much deeper in the story are the themes of sovereignty, wisdom, obedience, and abundance in His provisions.

If Jesus can respond to the needs of a crowd greater than 5,000…how much more does he know and his able to respond to our needs (v 5)….even before we bring them to Him.

He already has in mind what to do (v 6)….even when we give multiple solutions that seem like the perfect answer to use in our human problem solving ability (v7-8).

Even within that, the Lord may not give us the final solution and outcomes, but rather take us step by step and we must first LISTEN and then OBEY (v10)….first the crowd had to sit down….just think if they had not done so.

Give thanks for what we do have which God has provided (v 11).

What Jesus gives is enough and satisfies (v 12)….and yet, even in the leftovers there is ABUNDANCE… and NOTHING IS WASTED.

A good page turner, yet so much more

Imagine being a kid. At the end of the evening taking your favorite blanket and a good book. Then searching for someone to sit and read a story with you. Cuddling up in a lap, getting all comfy, and then digging into the book. Ahhhww - the best thing ever!!! I was reminded recently that my top love language is Quality Time (more on that later), so it is no surprise that this story-reading-adventure was the "best thing ever."

Recently, I was pretty sick. As the sickness was sinking in, I can remember thinking I need to ask God about this -- I mean why do we have sickness, what good can come out of using an entire box of Kleenex and sleeping all day? Regardless not so much fun, but once I got past the watery eyes and lots of sleep stage, I had some spare time until my fever dropped. I remembered the chronological Bible I had picked up a while back and the big gap in time since the last time I had picked it up. So, what better chance to dig in. I had nowhere to be for a while.

Well, it turns out that something good can come out of something bad, as I was reminded with the story of Joseph (also a favorite..."what you intended for evil...God intended for good"). I found myself so in the presence of God and His story. It was the best page turner ever. I would always get caught up in the genealogy, so never thought I'd say that about Genesis, but it came to life. Especially, Joseph...by the end of it I couldn't get the songs from the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat out of my head :) Tangent, but it was so for real.

So there I found myself, at the end of the evening, favorite blanket and a Good book. And cuddling up with being so much in the presence of the Author and Storyteller. Ahhhww - amazingly the best thing ever!!! And the good thing is, I can't stop...on to Exodus and so on. So much to learn, hear, and be reminded.

So glad that one of God's love languages is Quality Time, too.

The curiosity of a 4.5 year old...

"Aunt Tonya, that's not your real name, is it?"

"What do you mean, nephew?"

"Well....I think your real name is just Tonya."

"Oh, yes...you are right, nephew...most people just call me Tonya."

:)

This is one of my favorite stories from my recent travels home. Still makes me smile.

A Breeze Full of Hope on the Balcony of a Clear Night Sky

Praise be to God, who finishes our thoughts for us...well actually, who knows our thoughts before they are!

I trust You, Lord.
I love You.
Help me to please You,
to be a blessing of obedience.
I want to believe
and to do Your will.
Take my inadequacies
and just hold me
until I am full of
God-confidence
and empty of all that
I forgot I am not
and full of all that
You promise I am.
This is my Hope.

Speechless

So, I just caught the second half of this song on the radio. If I had heard it before, I don't remember, but it for sure is now the song I dig most! It seemed pretty catchy at first. Even better once I got past the rhythm, the words were so powerful. I got on-line to hear the entire song and here I sit with un-dry eyes. It's one of those songs that is caught between a declaration and a longing-prayer, depending on the day and season. So powerful. I will continue to listen and reflect more later.

What balance

The latest re-realization or epiphany in a new way...

We aren't called to find balance...but rather God wants all of us...of me...of you....and will settle for nothing less.

Relentless.

Relentlessly He digs deeper into the pockets of the soul to consume and conform.

Conform me.

The reality of action

Faith is praying with your head, waiting for your heart to catch up.

Grace is praying with your heart, waiting for your head to catch up.

Love is faith and grace in action.



Think about it...



with your heart and your head,

and let love be the answer.

A happy heart turns the page

Ok, so I really don't intend to take you all on a page by page journey of my re-reading...but I've just completed Chapter Four and the conclusions were just so sweet that I have been reading them over and over and over....and have now decided to just put in the bookmark and marinate for a while.

"Getting honest with ourselves does not make us unacceptable to God. It does not distance us from God, but draws us to Him --as nothing else can -- and opens us anew to the flow of grace. While Jesus calls each of us to a more perfect life, we cannot achieve it on our own. To be alive is to be broken; to be broken is to stand in need of grace....The gospel of grace calls out: Nothing can ever seperate you from the love of God made visable in Christ Jesus our Lord. You must be convinced of this, trust it, and never forget to remember. Everything else will pass away, but the love of Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Faith will become vision, hope will become possession, but the love of Jesus Christ this is stronger than death endures forever." - Brennan Manning

Marinate with me. I hope it will make your heart as happy as mine. :)

The complete list, as promised...

In effort to keep it to a list of ten, had to combine a few. Yet there is so much more.

* = a potential blog topic later...some really funny stories. :) I may have some problems prioritizing which to start with, so let me know where your curiosity lies.

10. Staring new family traditions...like, new recipes and sharing the stories about where they come from...like, going to the best Children's Museum in the world....like, making up games such as "Hey..."* and "Grocery-Stockmarket-Bingo"*...and the amazment of little kids being able to play for hours and hours...such imagination.

9. Seeing all the grandparents and such at the Children's Christmas pageant eagerly taking photos of their angels and shepperds. If I would have thought, I would have taken a picture of the grandparent paparazzi. That is a frame that is forever in my mind...how sweet the love they have for their cuties.

8. Looking forward to starting my book-club-blog in the new year. Even more excited for my friends across the country to meet each other through the book club. The first read will be "A Lineage of Grace."

7. Realizing and letting go of my need to clean my place before I travel. A full dishwasher and smelly trash may be just as welcoming as the opposite that has always been my preference. ...ok, I could not let go 100% had to empty the dishwasher and use up the leftovers in the fridge...made a pretty stellar baked potato soup. ...Being able to break out the vaccum cleaner upon my return.

6. The feeling of the empty streets on Thanksgiving...always reminds me of driving to my grandparents house fifteen minutes away in the country for Christmas or Thanksgiving, depending on the year.

5.5 The beauty of free choice. Someone once said it is not the right vs. wrong decisions that are tough, but the right vs. right. So true!!! ...If I decide to take an alternate flight and gain $200 it is fine. If I decide to stay on the same flight and not risk getting stuck in a snowy city it is fine. If I decide to drive home through storm, He will be with me. If I decide to stop and make it home in the morning, He will be with me.

5. Being able to hold a 6 day old baby. And chat with her 3 year old brother about how cool she is.

4. A peaceful flight out, where I could finally start my latest read, "Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World" and some great discussions with my seat buddy on the topic. Some great Amish Proverbs, too.*

3. The love my 94 year old grandparents have for each other and God. So much wisdom. So beautiful. Spending a day with them was not enough.

2. Hearing things again as the first time...Mary's words in Luke 1:38... And "abide" in that one Christmas carol, really struck me this year. Definition of abide=to stand fast, remain, go on being, reside, await, submit, carry out, continuing without change, enduring, lasting.

1. Inviting the story of Christmas into my heart and letting it dwell for real, and hopefully overflow. And a rested start to the new year. :)

Love is in the air...

So, I started to title this entry as such above. But, then I realized that doesn't really describe all of these points well. Basically, the list below is my top ten picture perfect moments (see Sept blog), enjoyable epiphanies, ahh-haa moments, or just extra sweet or perhaps funny moments. As you can see there are some gaps to be filled in...check back in a few weeks...maybe I'll have a new title by then.

10.

9. Seeing all the grandparents and such at the Children's Christmas pageant eagerly taking photos of their kiddos. If I would have thought, I would have taken a picture of the grandparent paparazzi. That is a frame that is forever in my mind...how sweet the love they have for their cuties.

8. Looking forward to starting my book-club-blog in the new year. Even more excited for my friends across the country to meet each other through the book club. The first read will be "A Lineage of Grace."

7. Realizing and letting go of my need to clean my place before I travel. A full dishwasher and smelly trash may be just as welcoming as the opposite that has always been my preference. ...ok, I could not let go 100% had to empty the dishwasher and use up the leftovers in the fridge...made a pretty stellar baked potato soup.

6. The feeling of the empty streets on Thanksgiving...always reminds me of driving to my grandparents house fifteen minutes away in the country for Christmas or Thanksgiving, depending on the year.

5. Being able to hold a 6 day old baby. And chat with her 3 year old brother about how cool she is.

4.

3.

2.

1. Inviting the story of Christmas into my heart and letting it dwell for real, and hopefully overflow.

Another poem

Recently at an event we got to trace our hands and write what we were thankful for. I decided to write a poem, the second of my blog-poem-collection. Enjoy :)

I am thankful for...
the sunrise
the sunset
and the time in between
and...
love, peace, joy
and the hope
of big dreams.

Amazing Agape

God is love. And He loves me.
He is bigger than the world,
Yet, in the small things, too.
He is everywhere all at once,
Yet, with me moment by moment.
Though I may neglect it;
I can not deny it; Amazing Love.

Thankfulness for..... faith as small as....

I was recently visiting with a four-year-old friend. I was getting ready to leave and had said our goodbyes. In the faint distance behind me I heard this sweet little girl, "Miss Tonya, Miss Tonya!" As I turned back around to again say goodbye, her big eyes peered over at me, "Miss Tonya, I will pray for you." Taken back, although I don't know why, I simply responded with a "thank you," instead of the what sometimes seems automatic, "I will pray for you, too." There was just a moment of silence as she gazed back in my direction. "Miss Tonya, will you pray for me, too?" "Of course I will, friend," I said. And then it came, what seemed like the natural follow-up question. "What should I pray for you?" I asked my friend, as if prayer were all about dreaming and wish-list making, something to be granted. Oh, but my dear friend, though small, has a greater faith and wisdom. "Miss Tonya," she whispered pulling me in, "you should thank God for me!" Left in a simple ah-ha moment, I replied, "Yes, of course I will." That was it. All that she wanted me to pray for...prayers of thanksgiving to our Lord for her life. With that deep realization, we hugged, waived goodbye and goodnight, "I love you" she yelled in the distance. "I love you, too," I shouted back as I was thinking truly what a gift I had been given to thank Jesus for....seen through the eyes of faith a small as a four-year-old.

What a challenge, yet what should be a privilege to go before Him in simple thanksgiving for the friends and lives He has blessed on our paths. How many times must He be upset with our wish lists and all that we ask for, without pausing to realize all that He has already given. This and this alone is my goal for the week ahead.