Woman at the Well: The Gift of Creation

Last week I went to a nearby town where every year they have a sand sculpture contest. The theme was Legends and Myths and I enjoyed the various pieces of art. Although my favorite was the more traditional mermaid and castle theme, there were many pieces that used lesser known legends and stories from different cultures. I took pictures with my phone, but because the sun was so bright I was unable to see through my camera lens what I was doing and ended up being disappointed with the half pictures I got of the pieces.

This particular contest was giving a nod to at least three different art forms. The obvious was sculpture,

but those sculptures were based on storytelling and writing.

Because we are created in God's image (although many could argue that we create God in our image), we carry within us the very thing that makes God, God. We carry the gift of creation. All things He/She has created for our benefit and our enjoyment. We in turn do honor to God by using the gifts given us to create.

We are all creators of some kind or another. To be sure, our creations may only be copies, but we each put our stamp on it. If we are all handed the same supplies and the same subject we would still all create something a little different.

For some of us it's easier to see how we create. Those of us with artistic abilities will even refer to ourselves as "creatives". We can easily label these people as artist, writer, actor, musician, dancer, director, painter, designer, chef, gardener, storyteller. We see them create things out of textiles and paint, out of rhythm and sounds, out of pen and paper, and for the writer/storyteller - out of thin air. But what of those who do not see themselves as creative? Those people may have to look deeper. Perhaps they can't sing or paint, but they may be caregivers who create safe spaces, or scientists who create new theories, or tradespeople who come up with new solutions. And who says that creation has to be spectacular? If we cannot paint a realistic picture, then we can

certainly enjoy the process of painting anyway. If our knitting projects turn out wonky, then we can still enjoy the process and wear it inside the house. If we don't have the voice of an angel, God still wants us to sing.

So tap into the creative part of your soul. It's there somewhere. It doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to be enjoyed.

#sandsculpture