Go on, be creative!

-- Why we must all create and be creative.

“I’m not the creative kind” she said to me and handed me the bulletin. I looked it over and knowing she had given it her best shot, replied, “you mean you are not creative in a particular way”.

Most of us think being creative is drawing, splashing colour, wielding the mouse and putting things together to get pretty, beautiful and classy. That is not exactly wrong – just that – we narrow it to

1. 1 Art and craft variety of creativity
2. 2 Only some can do it

Afterward, I continue to think about what the staff had said and found a deeper reply for her. Genesis says we are all created in God’s image. We bear some of the traits of God; not in His Godlike-ness but our humanity somehow cradles something larger such that we are not just spectators/participants of life but more. We were specifically called to be missional; to steward; and we are able to do so precisely because that entails qualities that rise above the rest of created order. One of those qualities is our ability to be creative.

Just think food. (some WOW food pictures)

It is mind-blowingly incredible what we humans can churn out with the raw materials we are given. We can mix flaours, tetusres, colours, looks. We can consider nutritional value, seasonal changes, production cycles… Consider with me that majestic animal that strikes terror in our hearts: the lion. Food? It roars back, “toss me a zebra! No dressing required!”

Being creative is essential to our being’s wellness; it is inherent and natural to our design.

Just think blogging.

For many of us, the act of writing, putting together ideas, stringing words and creating a message is life-giving (and it helps if it brings in the income too!). I have been writing now for more than ten years. It began first as a step of obedience, then sheer discipline, and now, it is mostly delight. In fact, many times I have found my writing practically saved my life when I can forge the flotsam of my heart and mind with a solid cord of truth and weird and wonderful creatures emerge from them instead of lurk around like shadows inside me.

Unfortunately, most of creative activity is lost to us. We limit creative activity to arts-and-crafts, and conclude when we did not get an ‘A’ for art in school that it is a lost cause.

In truth, our nature urges us on towards creative activity. This is why many who are in the workforce are extremely disenchanted. Most workplaces (including schools) major on conformity.

Stick to the rules
Appear competent
Push for those sales targets

Some are lucky to find that their abilities and creative energies are harnessed well. Most are not.

This is where hobbies can be life-saving.

But, there is a whole realm of creative activity that is not talked about: the home.

Here again, we think of creativity in terms of design and furnishing. We bring in the experts and pay them a handsome fee.

But in truth, it takes enormous creative energies to grow a marriage and to raise children.

It involves a responsive and creative nurturance of the home atmosphere – to build a haven of peace and openness.

It requires ongoing review and adjustments to creatively relate to children through the stages of life – to build and maintain a strong bond of love and trust.

I have worked in public relations, operations, taught a little, begun ministries and led a church. But the one role that has called for the most sustained effort, and broadened my inner reservoir of creative impulse has been parenting. Sadly, I believe that many women make the mistake of feeling that they are more creative at work. Yes, parenting has a lot of hum drum. There is a daily-ness to it that can drain the life from you; if you do not engage your creative impulse.

We were created to be creative; and in every season and sphere of life, we are animated and feel more alive when we will believe this truth about ourselves --- and . just . create.

A new recipe

Gardening

Blogging

Scrap-booking

Menu-planning

Conversations of loving-impact

Playing

Museums

Music

Musing

The list is long. Somewhere on it are things you can do, enjoy, and feel alive.

Somewhere on it, as you and I are willing to step off the treadmill and yell “I’m abstaining from the rat race”, we can be building a different world.

Go on, be creative!

CRI-ticise, -tique or Creative Construction?

From the food we are served to the air of our society, we have and frequently air many grouses. To criticise really is no genuis' work. All it needs is for you to have an opinion; and we all have opinions - they can be a repeat of some other opinion or a little more layered with more of our self thrown in. Criticism is easy.

Then there is critiquing. This is harder as it requires that you have some basis and ground for pointing out the gaps and sticking contrary ideas to holes you find in a situation. Again in our day of self-importance and information overload, we think ourselves very clever when we do this.

But so far, none of these really make for real engagement and change.

Like when my son's kindergarten teacher said after my son cheerily greeted her, "Why such a nice greeting...but in class, move here move there...". I acquiesced. But now I am pretty mad about it. What has she done?
Based on her preference for order in class and perhaps some training she has about structure and learning, she has criticised and critiqued (?) my son but done nothing more. He is not built up, encouraged or aided to further insight.

I am not saying we coddle our children and protect them from the truth. But, how about moving on to Creative Construction? In this instance, the teacher can see the child as a 'problem' or as a 'gift' for her to grow her teaching++ abilities.

She can resist relying on her knee jerk response and sinking into her preferences to see that as the adult she can take charge and bring change positively if she wins the child's affection and attention.

Likewise, for many of us, complaning is the norm. Creative construction is hardly ever considered. How can we take charge, add value and reframe so that things can be seen more positively and thereby energy can be found to move forward.

I think of conflicts for example. We disagree, of course we do. But most of the time our disagreements are rooted in criticism and critiques. How differently things will be if we brought our ideas tentatively to the other/team and seek creative construction. Instead of an either/or, we may get both/and as an outcome.

Creative construction demands too much from us. We are too mired in our little puny cubby holes. It calls for us to make connection and find reliance on a meta meaning. So in the case of conflict, if we believe in the meta meaning that we can keep growing as persons; we can ask 'how is this helping me grow?'. This Q immediately changes our posture and energises us for creative construction. We can go on to ask, 'how is this an invitation for the relationship to grow?'. If we can agree on the meta meaning, we can hang our labels and badges on the higher hooks of purpose beyond what we can pursue - and humbly work towards a greater goal: and not just my way versus yours.

For my son's teacher, I want to say to her "his enunciation is great. why not work on his strength?",and "i am sure you are able to find fun ways to manage all these rowdy boys".

Let's see what happens next!