Creators! Let's Create!

I went to church with my grandsons on Sunday. This was the first time the church was fully opened since the pandemic began. Opened, with the exception of limited seating that was maxed out and distanced. What amused me the most was when we walked up to the front doors, tables were set up outside with these bowls of wrist bands on them. Each color had a specific meaning for each one's social desires: Red = “So glad to be here, but please keep a safe distance”; Yellow = “Ready to chat but prefer not touch”; Green = “Ready for hugs & handshakes”. I’m sure introverts loved the red ones; the non-huggers, the yellow ones; and, the social butterflies, the green ones.

I liked that creativity. I also appreciated the thoughtful way the rows of chairs were spaced a good distance apart with two seats between families. Creativity seems to have been a major plus during these times. Sometimes a crisis becomes a strong driver of creativity and innovation. We’ve witnessed it on many levels – families who became creative within their family dynamics – more outdoors activities, indoor games, creative projects and creativity and innovation at national, state and in educational levels here at the start of another school year.

Anyone who spends time on social media has probably noticed that hidden between the political rants and Covid fears are more interesting posts sharing someone’s latest craft-work, recipe, a talent being shown off, or a Facebook Live inspirational talk or some other kind of hilarious situation – many of which have gone viral. Most represent small, but important moments of creativity. I’ve seen many of my friends completing jigsaw puzzles. One couple was so creative that the 1,000-piece puzzles became an opportunity. When they placed a piece, they would offer up a prayer. 1,000 pieces meant 1,000 prayers.

The examples of everyday imagination we see on our timeline may not strike us as creative-with-a-capital-C. Clever family photos, meme creations, or Zoom singalongs may not be the best-of-talents, but we can’t let comparison diminish their value. If creativity is a light, it does not have an on/off switch. My view is that creativity has a dimmer switch, growing from a tiny bit creative to a little creative to creative enough to light up the whole room. I’ve seen that in the way my own family has come up with creative work spaces for school projects and backgrounds for videos.

The truth is we are ALL creators because we were made in the image of OUR Creator. Erwin McManus says: "Creativity should be an everyday experience -- as common as breathing. We breathe, therefore we create.” And on another level of creativity is everyday we have the opportunity to not only create beauty in others by the way we speak to them, but we have the opportunity to create environments conducive to turning darkness to light, animosity to tenderness and kindness, hatred to love and sadness to joy!

So, CREATORS!!! Let’s CREATE!!! Let’s get our “creative” juices flowing and start creating beauty and life with OUR words AND actions! Wouldn’t it be great if we could look at OUR creations, and, like God, say, “It is very good!” (Genesis 1:31)

God Sees the Big Picture

Dear friends of mine, sequestered like the rest of us, found that putting a jigsaw puzzle together is a great way to make the most of this at-home time. They chose a 1,000 smaller-pieces puzzle. Far more challenging than 500-pieces like I usually choose! They started off all gung ho – displaying on FB when they completed the frame. I know how that feels as my family and I are puzzle fans also. Getting the frame completed gives the foundation for completing the rest.

It’s usually at Christmas that we’re all-in with getting a puzzle put together. It’s displayed on a table area or kitchen island. We can’t help ourselves – every time we walk past that area, we have to stop and find at least one piece. Such satisfaction comes finding that piece that opens the door for other pieces to pop in. And then the big ta-da – when someone gets to put in the last piece. Oh, the thrill of accomplishment!

But, not so, for my friends. The last piece was never found. She said: “Aargghh! We have one missing puzzle piece. How is that possible?!?” Her husband said: “We finally finished the puzzle, only to find there is a missing piece! 😖 Still enjoyed it enough that we have already ordered another.” Their frustration didn't stop them from carrying on.

And, so it is with us – we don’t let disappointments stop us! My friends had the box lid which showed the 1,000-piece puzzle – all completed. And, we want God to show us our lives: “Please, Lord, show me how this situation – this time of isolation – this time of fear – this time of worry and uncertainty – this time of disappointment – PLEASE show me how it’s going to turn out! I don’t want it to end up with missing pieces.” In real life and in puzzles, God works all things together for good -- but He has a perfect way, a perfect plan, and a perfect time, and He will not be rushed. He just asks us to trust Him.

The outside-of-the-box puzzle picture gives us hope for the finished product. But, it sure seems overwhelming when we first dump out all the pieces on the table. Similarly, we love the picture God presents in His Word of what we may become, what our future looks like, but often our patience gives way before the final picture is put together. God certainly wants us to try! So why don’t we? Let’s keep stretching and trusting and seeking Him Who has the BIG PICTURE already in action. Let’s let God’s grace keep helping us become the best-put-together puzzle we could ever be! We can trust God that He is working on our behalf – even when we don’t see any evidence that He is. That’s what faith is!

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Mark 10:27

What is PUZZLING You?

Fun photo of my Larry and Staci working hard on a jigsaw puzzle together. Not! Not the puzzle because it was lying there waiting for attention, but asking these two, who were very busy working at their computers, to pretend they had the time on this day to find a few pieces and connect them. They helped me stage my inspiration for today's blog.

It isn’t out-of-the-ordinary for this family to have a jigsaw puzzle going at the end of their kitchen island. And I have been known to add to the continuation of the fun by gifting another one to them. I’m catering to my own enjoyment of finding a few pieces to add to the project when I stop by. But, this recent puzzle has been sitting on their island since I gifted it to them for Valentine’s. The border is done (that’s the easy part) with some added pieces, but progress has been slow with this one. Why?

This jigsaw puzzle is lenticular which means the image has an illusion of depth and changes when viewed from different angles. In other words, what I saw as a fun opportunity to expand our horizons, has become an “eye-sore” – literally. The way the light hits the variegated shiny pieces, you have to move your head back and forth to not only see the angles of the pieces to match a partner piece, but the colors are so skewed, your eyes get sore just looking at it. I offered to take the puzzle back, but, as in anything they do, they are up for the challenge! In the meantime, we are all puzzled by this puzzle!

Tomorrow, Ash Wednesday starts the season of Lent when we have the opportunity to work on the skewed, difficult-to-reason-out pieces of our lives – those “eye-sore” pieces and welcome this time of seeking God for a clean slate and being transformed to who He desires us to be. We will receive ashes on our foreheads, in the form of the cross. We will be thinking, “I welcome transformation. I welcome You, Lord, to cleanse and purify me as I approach Good Friday when your Son paid the ultimate price for me. I welcome Resurrection Sunday when I rose with Him into the abundant life He promised to give me as I walk faithfully with Him."

Yes, as with the jigsaw puzzle, life can present "puzzling" challenges and "puzzling" situations, but when we submit to His desires for us to be renewed and transformed, our Master Creator steps in and gives us His wisdom for handling the challenges and He'll be sure to help us finish OUR "life" puzzle with all pieces intact -- and it will be JUST as He planned it to be!

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

Centered AND Bordered

We were huge fans of putting together jigsaw puzzles. It started when the kids were little with those easy-to-do wooden puzzles. Putting a jigsaw puzzle together at Christmas was one of our family traditions. The box top would be in a prominent place where ALL EYES could see it, and, strategically, we'd get the border done first. Often, the search to find a certain piece would get tedious, so we’d have to walk away from it, refresh, and come back with a whole new perspective. When we did that, we'd find that piece that ALL eyes couldn’t see before. It can be quite "puzzling" to complete a puzzle.

In many posts, I've shared about making God the CENTER of our lives, then whatever happens – the ups and downs, the frustrations or the celebrations, the highs and lows, with Him as Center, we will always make it through life's variables.

When God is not only our CENTER, but like in puzzles, He is also our BORDER, then we’ll living as His fully devoted followers, making daily decisions from His vantage point. When He is our border, He holds our lives together and we won’t cross the boundaries that would cause a break in our relationship with Him. I never considered being unfaithful to my husband because I loved him too much and never wanted to damage the sweetness of our relationship. I just wouldn’t, not just because I loved him so much, but also because we had borders (vows & promises) before God that we made to each other on our wedding day. They were clear borders: “I take you as my lawfully wedding husband to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.” The same is true for my relationship with God. Matthew 22:37 says “Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' That much love is a clear border for when we're weak and are tempted to do anything that displeases Him. That border should be so clear that if we carelessly cross it, we'll be quick to ask for forgiveness because we want to right the wrong we made.

When He is our border, and the more intent we are to please Him, the more the picture of who He wants us to become and the purpose and destiny He has for us because evident, just like the total picture emerges when we work puzzles.

At the beginning of this season of Lent, we have the opportunity to welcome this time of pondering, meditating, and seeking God for a clean slate and being transformed to who God desires us to be. When we received ashes on our foreheads yesterday in the form of the cross, we were saying “I welcome transformation. I welcome You, Lord, to cleanse and purify me as I approach Good Friday when your Son paid the ultimate price for the sins I’ve committed. I welcome Resurrection Sunday when I rose with Him into the abundant life He promised to give me as I walk faithfully with Him.

Yes, as with the jigsaw puzzle, life can present "puzzling" challenges and "puzzling" situations, but when we submit to His desires for us to be renewed and transformed, our Master Creator steps in and gives us His wisdom for handling the challenges and He'll be sure to help us finish OUR "life" puzzle with all pieces intact -- and it will be JUST as He planned it to be!

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2

A Lot Can Be Learned From a Jigsaw Puzzle

Day 55 of Photo Inspirations -- What is PUZZLING you?
Putting a jigsaw puzzle together at Christmas is one of our family traditions. We have such fun doing it together. The box top will be in a prominent place where ALL EYES can see it, and, strategically, we'll get the border done first.   Often, it gets tedious to find a piece, and we just have to walk away from it -- refresh -- and come back with a whole new perspective.  When we do, we'll find that piece that ALL eyes, couldn't find before.  It can be quite "puzzling" to complete a puzzle.

There's a lot of life lessons we can learn from a puzzle.....as explained here by Jacquie Sewell:
 
Everything I Needed To Know About Life, I Learned From A Jigsaw Puzzle

1)  Don’t force a fit. If something is meant to be, it will come together naturally.
2)  When things aren’t going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.
3)  Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.
4)  Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit by bit, piece by piece.
5)  When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to come back later
6)  The Creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook. Refer to the Creator’s guidebook often.
7)  Variety is the spice of life. It’s the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.
8)  Working together with friends and family makes any task fun.
9)  Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.
10)  Don’t be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.
11)  Take time often to celebrate your successes—even little ones.
12)  Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can’t be rushed.

Yes, as with the jigsaw puzzle, life can present "puzzling" challenges and "puzzling" situations, but when we keep looking to the Master Creator's plan for our puzzle, get His wisdom for handling the challenges -- He'll be sure to help us finish OUR "life" puzzle with all pieces intact -- and it will be JUST as He planned it to be!  The next time your facing a PUZZLING situation, refer back to these tips.  I'm sure you'll find that MISSING PIECE!

#JigsawPuzzle #Puzzling #HisPlanIsPerfect