just thinking out loud...

This morning I was driving out to the store in a neighboring town.  I passed over a bridge with a thicket of trees to my right.  There was just enough mist in the air and just enough sunshine to where I could see hundreds of spider webs clinging to the trees.  They were everywhere.  It was like having my eyes open to a whole world.  Every day new webs appearing.  Every day old webs being eaten to start anew.  I thought of how we all have this innate need in us to create.  With crochet hook in hand, or drop spindle in lap, we set out to create.  Or maybe it's through spinning tales or nourishing our families.  The need is there.

There have been several times lately that I've read or heard people talking about the burden of creating. How Pinterest, blogs or Instagram has put pressure on them to make more, do more.  Every time I hear that it makes me so sad.  Creativity should be life giving.  If we are opening ourselves up to something that is causing stress, then I would say that is life draining.  We need to be able to walk away from those things that make something like gifting or creative release a chore.  Don't we already have enough that we have to do?  If the tools we have before us are not serving us, then is it fair to say that there are times when we are serving them?

There is so much beauty to behold in this world.  And I am thankful for tools that help in the documenting and sharing of all that is glorious and fun.  We were all created in the image of our Creator God.  What an honor it is to be created to create.  My hope for myself, and for you too, is that when anything creeps in and makes us feel like our efforts are not worthwhile, that we can turn away from them.  That we can choose to look within ourselves and let the work of our hands be an outpouring of our own hearts.