This summer I had the chance to lead Arts and Crafts at a middle school camp. I’ve done lots of things at camp, but not arts and crafts. I learned a lot about tie dye and duct tape, that a gallon of Mod Podge goes a long way, and that journals are not that appealing to Middle School Folks.

    I also learned, again, that the creative process is life giving. I didn’t meet a single middle school person who didn’t enjoy creating things. The other thing I noticed was that often the end result was not the source of the joy, just the sheer process of creativity was life giving.

    I think too often we get caught up in the results, rather than the process. We create out of need and expect perfection, rather than the simple joy of making something. When we ignore the creative process that is ingrained in all of  us, we ignore that of God in ourselves.

    Imago Dei, the image of God, is a weighty theological concept and one that I won’t even attempt to unpack all the way here. But, I believe that part of being made in the Image of God, is that we create things. We take joy simply in creation. We’re designed to do it, and when we can embrace this we live fuller lives, we live into who we are meant to be.

    So, what are you going to create this week? How are you going to allow the joy of imagination brought to life to be part of your everyday experience?

 

Thanks to Joel Bock, Steve Thompson, and Derric Macy for their invaluable help with this project.