I've been involved in a few conversations of late about media, socialization and initiative.
I am constantly inspired by the moms around me who are stepping away from conventionalism in education and seeking to be more innovative and adventurous with their children.
I called one friend a little while back to ask her a question, only to catch her in the middle of making a catapult with her 4 boys. When I arrived at her house later, her boys were so excited to show me their new project.
These same boys love to color, draw, build things like tables and spice racks out of wood, have their own little gardens, the list could go on and on. It amazes me to see the fruit of a mother who takes the time to teach them, play with them, but also encourage them to use their brains and entertain themselves.
I know young ladies from church who are and were cooking, by age ten, things that I didn't know how to cook until I was 18! They even enjoy using their skills in this way!
I know young men who already have visions for their future and are investing in these visions now at ages 14 and 15. There are other young men who have started businesses at young ages and have sought out ways to be industrious and entrepreneurs.
I know other young ladies who create things with their hands, like the Proverbs 31 woman, and sell their wares. Others have giftings that they use to build up the body of Christ and encourage other believers. What a blessing they are!
Sometimes, when we step away from the desk and into the outside world, we find stimulus that gets our brains going enough to solve problems and think through things or about things that we haven't taken the time to muse about before.
I've found, this past year, that I do my best brainstorming, creating and mental processing when I'm out working in the garden or going for a walk in the woods. I even find it easier to make conversation when I'm outside as opposed to inside.
All of the media and problem or time solving devices that we have today, seem to just make us busier and more out of touch with each other and with the world around us. It seems to numb our senses and stunt our ability to imagine, envision or create.
I'm not saying we should do away with all media, just that we should be more conscious about how we use it, how much time it takes and step away from it a bit. (I'm preaching to myself here too, you know!)
To those of you who are older and have past the "youth" phase of life, I say: it is never to late to begin to foster creativity. Step away from the normal and usual and seek to be inventive! If the younger people around you see you engaged in productive, industrial creativity, they will want to join you.
To the younger generation, step away from the video games, computer, television and do something creative and out-of-the norm to help someone. Your family is the best place to start! It will be hard, at first, for some, but if you cultivate artistic expression in small ways, eventually your sphere of creativity will get wider and wider!
So the challenge for us today is: How can I reflect the creativity of the Creator today?
Get to it! ; )
