Tag Archive | character

Author Confessions: Imagination and Creativity are Reflections of God’s Character

Apr29
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Author Confessions: Imagination and Creativity are Reflections of God’s Character

It would be lovely if I could claim that my stories are masterful works of art. I’d like to think they are good, and I’ve applied as much excellence as I have within me to write them. Awards and accolades (and money) would be lovely validation but in a deep field of other authors who are also doing their best to labor to write well, it’s hard to rise to the top of the heap in any way at all.

Creativity is a gift from God. He after all is the ultimate Creator of everything and any faults in them are not accrued to Him, but to our sin nature. I won’t go into the theology of sin but whether you have read Genesis or not, I doubt anyone can state that humans are innately good or perfect in any way. Even the physical world, including our bodies, are prone to the effects of sin including diseases and malfunctions.

I am a creative person. Now I would argue everyone can be creative in some way, shape, or form as we express that part of God’s character in our own lives. We paint houses, plant flowers, perhaps have a favorite color and it’s hard for anyone with vision to deny the beauty of sunrises or sunsets. My husband didn’t think of himself as creative, but he likes to fabricate things and fix things using the materials he has. It’s a challenge and he enjoys the process of trying something new to see if it can be done. That’s creativity. Maybe it isn’t as pretty, but even function can be a worthwhile aim. He has painted classic cars so there is that creativity for the purpose of beauty as well.

I mentioned that creativity is an attribute of God but it’s not one that we often think about. Without creativity we wouldn’t have innovation or try new things. There would be no music, no books, no art, no masterful gardens to walk through and enjoy. Buildings would be bland but functional, or would they? Even functionality requires creativity, doesn’t it?

Creativity is central to life and as an author who also enjoys other creative endeavors, I fully recognize that I cannot do any of it on my own. The imagination that helps me write stories is a gift from God and I have to believe my writing is an act of worship. When I go back and reread stories, I’m often amazed, not at how great I am, but at how God used my fingers on a keyboard to craft and weave through the stories all the threads that are there. They form a beautiful tapestry on the page. That’s not something I can do. Not without Him guiding me.

I also mentioned imagination. We daydream. We make up little songs. We converse with words that we somehow select and put together to tell others our life stories. Another gift from God. How did God possibly imagine us before He created us? Then He made every one of us so unique even to our fingerprints? Our DNA? There was no template for anything that exists on this planet without the imagination and perfect execution of that by our Creator God.

Obviously there are creations out there that do not glorify the Creator. God gives us these aspects of His character and holds us responsible for how we use them. Someone who writes erotica is misusing a powerful gift and will be responsible for how those words impact someone else. The same could be said for many aspects of life. Imagination is holy when subjected to the One who gave that to us. Then it can do amazing things.

Stop today and think about how creative life really is. How God has enabled you to express creativity. Whether you read a book, listen to music, watch a movie or television show, or even play a game. Stop for a moment in wonder and thank God for giving us such a marvelous gift because imagination and creativity are reflections of God’s character.

Living Large (Part 1)

Oct7
Reading Time: 3 minutes

IMG_0030I’ve had a rough year with weight loss. On the flip side, I’ve had a great year with weight gain. Between illnesses and unexplained back pain I’ll admit I’ve at times sought comfort in food that probably would not normally qualify as healthy. (gotta define that first!)

I’m back to the YMCA working out in spite of my struggles (since I’ve determined I’m not doing any damage in spite of the ongoing pain issue). The biggest workout has been in my own thinking and I’m not there yet. I wish there was an easy way to suck the bad messages that have been force-fed into my brain all my life. There’s really no lipo for that though, is there?

But the last few days I was thinking about some of my  friends that are not a size zero either. I’m not going to set a bar for weight or dress size that determines whether someone is “fat” or not.

Here’s what I realized. Some of the sweetest, most encouraging and beautiful people I know–are overweight.

What?

Yup. It’s true. I adore these people. I want to be around them because they smile and they know (I hope) that their BMI is not what God is interested in. They have won me over because of their positive attitude and the way they graciously treat and encourage others around them, including me.

A few years back I had mentioned the name of a gal who sang on a worship team. Someone else didn’t know who she was. I said “She’s on the short side and has the biggest, sweetest smile” and another person said “Oh, she’s the fat one.” Is it any wonder I didn’t really “like” the person who would make a comment like that?

I wish there was a correct way to say to my fellow ladies who tend to larger-than-normal sizes: “Hey, I don’t know if weight is an issue you struggle with, but the first thing I think of when I think of you is how much I enjoy being around you.”

I have to turn this around to look at my own self-condemnation over my weight. The number on a scale or the size on a pair of jeans is NOT the measure of my character or worth. It has little to do with the way I treat others. I am more gracious to those around me with similar issues, than I am to myself.

I’m not my own best friend but sometimes an even bigger enemy are  those around me that keep telling me I’m fat and need to lose weight.

News flash: I already know that.

I love the idea that if someone tells you you’re fat – you should eat them. Except those kind of people are not nice. The probably wouldn’t taste very good, even well seasoned. Even if they are skinny and dress well. Their character stinks. Their words pollute. I don’t want to be around them. They might even call themselves “truth-tellers” but there’s a big difference between encouraging someone and putting them down and it goes far beyond the words that come out of someone’s mouths.

I am NOT saying that all “skinny” people out there are evil. Some are delightful and I even call them friends!

So why am I writing about this here? Maybe so that if someone I know, who struggles with this issue and reads this post, they’ll know that what I see in them isn’t their size, but their attitude and smile and their love of God and other people. And maybe together we can encourage each other, not to lose weight, but to savor the value we truly have, that goes beyond the scale.

After all, the heart is what God looks at too, so why should we be any different?