Friday March 27th, 2009
Give a three-year-old a paper, some paints and a t-shirt displaying, “POTTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR” and she’s completely confident she can take on the world.
But when it comes to me and my own attempts at world domination, I’m not so easily convinced of my own abilities.
I have my paints. I have my own version of a wide open kitchen table and the afternoon free of responsibility. Yet most of the time I feel like I’m just rubbing my brush around aimlessly on the newsprint, throwing gobs and blobs of paint wherever it may land. Never finishing something well. Always just “surviving”. Never making my brush strokes look like anything beautiful.
She might be doing that too. But she’s having fun.
Her artwork may never be on display in a museum or gallery, but I will tape it up later to the sliding glass window (and when I run out of room, the door to the garage). I give it worth because I know the little one who painted it so intently and purposefully and I know her heart.
God knows mine. And even when my daily “artwork” seems pointless and ugly, He gives it worth because He deems it beautiful. He finds the flower in the pile of orange paint and the smear of green.
I’ve been enjoying your thoughts on creativity. I totally agree… but I’ve also experienced another angle that I blogged about today… the dark side of creativity. I think it’s worth checking out.
my pastor’s wife, kathy (you’ll meet her)once gave me a bookmark that said, “put your big girl panties on and get on with it!” even when my “artwork” seems pointless and ugly i HAVE to get on with it, because your right “he gives it worth.”
love the t-shirt!
First, I am Samantha and found you through Tammy’s blog I think. I don’t remember. But, I just love reading your stuff. It makes me feel calm. I just love your writing. Anyway I totally know what you mean about not just painting away like kids. We have the tools that God has given us so lets use them. I feel inadequate with my kids sometimes, but they of all people aren’t critiquing me, they just want me and as much as I will give. Oh how I need to just give and paint my brush strokes.