I love how toddler stories morph into life lessons that relate to God’s work in my own life. I see the correlation between what my kids’ are facing and what I’m facing. There are parallels that, as a writer, I can see more clearly than some. And maybe the correct word is not just see but describe visually.
The correlations are beautiful. I can look at a picture in the confines of my finger-printed window (remind me to clean that later) and see a scene emerging: falling leaves are suddenly dancing, colors move and become personified as I write. Bare tree limbs become etchings in a brilliant blue sky. All of these visuals create a canvas for which I can paint a word picture about the goodness, love, and faithfulness of God.
I am not one to speak my mind, but writing my mind? I can “talk” endlessly. It’s pinpointing the point that proves the most precarious (alliteration? My love language).
I know there is a gem to extrapolate from the scenes I see played out in the real world. The words of my mind pairing a certain lesson with verses or stories from the Bible to, as they say, bring a truth home. Words become play-doh to build and shape into wisdom from the Divine. Activities are brought to life as I see the holy mystery working in the mundane but magical.
Oh the mediocrity of the mundane. The verbiage so monotonous.
Mundane—an overused word in the motherhood community—used to describe a mother’s daily grind. Mundane supposedly sums up the ins and outs of a stay-at-home mom’s day. As far as I see, there is nothing humdrum about being a mom, nor life in general.
Every moment is miraculous in the eye of the beholder.
And she who has eyes, let her see.
May I see what you want me to see, dear Lord. May I hear what you want me to hear.
Not just what has been dimmed by the world, but allow my eyesight to be 20/20 and my hearing to detect even the faintest sounds in the Heavenly realms. I don’t want to just skim over a day as a whole. I want to pick apart each breath and notice, wonder, and become curious about my surroundings.
But I do think when a mom tries to bury herself in wiping crumbs from the table to her hands, she dies a slow meaningless death. Back and forth and back and forth. She becomes the female Sisyphus: carrying the crumb up and down the proverbial hill. And she continues to see that nothing ever gets clean (ever).
Dear mama, I am writing this to encourage you that the crumbs, the dried grass, and the dust that collects in every crevice of your house can wait. You had your own passions and hobbies before kids and you still have those passions. They don’t just suddenly go away once you have kids. You know what made you smile and sing before you unselfishly began raising kids. You know what feels true to you in your own life.
Emily E. Bennett
As I contemplate the purpose of motherhood and the meaning of life (yeah, I am more comfortable going deep), I am encouraged by a big thought from God’s word. Something that my eyes glazed over before I truly sat with the words. We find in Genesis 1:1—the very first line of the Bible—God creates.
“In the beginning God created…”
God is creating the Heavens and earth, day and night, land animals, sea animals, and he sees that all of these things are good.
But God begins by creating.
A lyric from the well-known movie The Sound of Music pops into my head, “Let’s start from the very beginning, a very good place to start…”
And when God has “finished” creating the world as we know, time as we know, place and space as we know, he creates male and female in his image. And the text says, “Then God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it…’” (Genesis 1:28). Being his image-bearers and his co-creators, we are charged with continuing to create, bearing fruit not only from our wombs but from our hands, our voices, our very beings. We are given the chance to take what has been given to us to reign over and multiply what we’ve been given. Harvest the wheat and create bread. Shear the wool and create blankets. Pick the wildflowers and create jewelry.
Creating not just for the sake of creating, but creating because it glorifies God and creates reflections of light in a fragmented world.
So when motherhood feels meaningless or we are run dry from the paradoxical monotony and chaos, we have lost our sense of the Creator. We are waist-deep in our own cares and need to return to Him who created us. He began creating, and if we have felt like we’ve lost some part of ourselves in the minutia of our day to day tasks, we can begin again by creating.
Creativity becomes the spark that ignites joy into our very well-being. We long to create because God is the master creator. And He instructs us to create.
As moms we create environments, meals, organizational charts, discipline plans, you name it, to bless our families. These things are good, but they can be draining. I don’t know about you, but I sometimes feel like, “Is this all there is for me as a mom? Am I slowly disappearing into the tapestry of the bigger story, merely fading into the background? Or am I leaning in to God’s call in my life to create, and to be fruitful and multiply?”
So then we acknowledge that God created us in his image, and we begin to dream and imagine ourselves through the eyes of our Heavenly Father. Our creativity matters in the lives of the people we love. Our creating brings about a unique perspective of seeing God.
So, how do we dig in to the creative side of our motherhood? How do we uncover that part of ourselves that seems to be buried under a mountain of laundry and other motherly duties?
Even though creativity feels like a luxury in the midst of raising little sinners*, imagination is crucial in our thriving and encountering the way God sees the world. And our children watch us create and become excited about what we create.
*(I love that line from Paul David Tripp in his book “Parenting”. I re-read parts of from time to time. Check it out here.)
5 Ways to Reclaim Your Creative Journey in Motherhood
Reflect on Your Passions: This is your moment to reflect on the activities and hobbies that brought you joy before motherhood. Identify what resonates with your true self and made you smile and sing. And maybe think about what activities and hobbies that have emerged during motherhood. Creativity is an ever-evolving state of mind!
Schedule Creative Time: A specified time and a willingness from your “tribe” to take the kids for a few hours. In order to undertake the creative endeavors that bring you joy, you must know that creating matters. This creative process is important to maintaining who you are as not only a mom but a human being. This very act of creating keeps you securely tethered to the master Creator.
Connect with Fellow Creatives: Maybe your creative journey looks different in each season of motherhood you find yourself. You may find your creative energy with your kids, leading them through a creative endeavor that brings you joy. Your joy is felt when it is shared directly with another. You can also join or create a community of like-minded moms who share similar creative interests. Share your journey, exchange ideas, and support each other in nurturing your individual creative paths.
Explore New Horizons: Don’t be afraid to explore new creative outlets. Challenge yourself to try something different or revisit activities you enjoyed in the past. Embrace the opportunity for self-discovery and growth.
Another wonderful book that originally sparked this thought about God being creator and us being mini-creators is The Creator in You. You can check it out–> here. The book really got me thinking about my depression and how creating really does bring life, meaning, and purpose as I got back to a healthier state of mind. It’s also great because you can read it with your kids and get them excited about creating too! Whatever they are passionate about!
Prioritize Self-Care: Recognize that investing time in your creative pursuits is a form of self-care. It not only enhances your well-being but also contributes positively to your family life. Prioritize yourself, knowing that God cares for you. A fulfilled and inspired you benefits everyone around you.
I can make a list, but there is no script or logical way to go about being creative. Everyone views creativity in different ways. The goal? To keep creating. Just start at the very beginning a very good place to start 🙂
Check out some of the latest posts at M&M!
- Why It’s Important to Have Self-Compassion
- Don’t Let Your Fear Destroy a Peaceful Psalm 23 Perspective
- Self-Sufficiency is Toxic Contrary to Popular Opinion
- Inside the Devastating Mind of Postpartum Depression
- When Your Authentic Motherhood and Creativity Collide
