Living in the light of creativity...

Today I want to share some thoughts about nurturing creativity in our homemaking and in every aspect of life.  I need to be exercising my God-given gift of creativity in my homemaking (as well as in other areas) each and every day.

Quite a few years ago I happened upon some unique Thomas Kinkade calendars at the dollar store. They were unusual because each month emphasized living our lives in light of a particular quality. One that stood out to me was "Living in the Light of Creativity." I like to feel that I live my life in this way. I was thinking about this concept one afternoon as I worked in my simple scrapbook journal. I had cut out the little picture of this particular calendar page from the back of the calendar, and was preparing to paste it into my journal. I mused for a few minutes on what it means to live one's life in the light of creativity.

The artist, Thomas Kinkade, has written his thoughts on this calendar page. He wrote, "When I create, God lights a fresh candle of joy for the world." I thought, That's undoubtedly true for Thomas Kinkade. Each of his paintings will "light a candle of joy" for countless people all over the world.

But what about me? What does it look like when I live my life in the light of creativity?

When I personally create, I know it "lights a candle of joy" for me. I seem to need creativity in my life to feel truly complete. A little creativity each day -- be it in the craft room, at the computer, or in the kitchen -- seems necessary for me.

And just maybe, those on the receiving end of the creativity... a poem, a blog post, a devotional thought, a magnificent dessert, a homey meal, a cozy room, some homemade fudge, a hand-crafted gift... will have a "candle of joy" lit for them as well. Because when all is said and done, creativity is not just a God-given gift for our own enjoyment; it's meant to be shared.