About This Blog

The butterfly picture in the upper left corner is a symbol and reminder for me of the spiritual process. Sometimes I am the caterpillar - barely able to see far enough in front of me to put one foot in front of the other. Sometimes I find myself in that dark place of the soul, and I remind myself that it is simply my cocoon. While all may seem dark, and I may feel like everything is totally disintegrating around me (and in me!) a miracle is at work in my life and I will soon be able to fly! I love those days where I experience the butterfly in my life! The ability to fly above all the mundane earthy matters and remember the truth and experience God's power in tangible ways in my life are wonderful times indeed that occur more and more often as I continue this journey! Thank you, God!

If you are so inclined, I invite you to journey with me as we seek the promised land together. While I hope to share some "faithbooking" (scrapbook pages or artistic journaling about my faith journey), much of the time the journey may well be seen in words, rather than pictures. I invite you to create your own pictures. How do these things play out in your life? I'd love to hear from you about your own spiritual journey!

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Creative Process Day 5

Summing up the guide to the creative process as seen in the first chapter of Genesis, so far we have:
  • Day 1 - Thinking (Brooding) and Getting the Basic Idea
  • Day 2 - Dividing the Negative Thoughts and Emotions from the Positive ones and putting a Barrier between them.
  • Day 3 - Dealing with Negative Thoughts and Emotions by Gathering them Up and Examining them in the Light of God's Love so a Firm Foundation for the upcoming Creation can appear.  This day also brings the Promises - Growth, Results, Power, and Delight!
  • Day 4 - Before moving farther, it's time to Create Beacons or Signs that will serve as Reminders to continually separate the negative from the positive and always point out Cheery aspects no matter how discouraging things may appear.  Here we Set a Clear Intent to Focus on the Positive.
Now, it's time for Day 5 and an explosion of active created beings:
Then God said, "Let the water be filled with living things, and let birds fly in the air above the earth."  So God created the large sea animals and every living thing that moves in the sea. The sea is filled with these living things, with each one producing more of its own kind. He also made every bird that flies, and each bird produced more of its own kind. God saw that this was good. God blessed them and said, "Have many young ones so that you may grow in number. Fill the water of the seas, and let the birds grow in number on the earth." Evening passed, and morning came. This was the fifth day.  (Genesis 1:20-23 NCV)
It strikes me that land-based life forms were created last - water and air creatures came first.  What does this signify?  Why create first in the water & air?  Perhaps this symbolizes the proliferation of feelings (water-based) and ideas (air-based).  Previous days have cleared out the negative thoughts and feelings and made way for exciting new things.  The air around us is just teaming with ideas - this time quite concrete! We know exactly what we want to do!  The waters are full of joyful exuberance.  We try out all sorts of ideas and they spark more - "each producing more of its own kind".  One enthusiastic response breeds more - each after it's own kind. NO WONDER we wanted to separate the light from the darkness FIRST! This creative proliferation would be hard to take if it weren't positively focused!!!!  What a wonderful day to be alive!  

Father, thank you for this process!  Thank you that the abundance of creation "after it's own kind" doesn't pour forth until AFTER we've separated the light from the darkness, gleaned what we can from the challenging experiences of our lives, and moved forward with a positive focus.  What a horror would be created if this weren't so!  Father, this gives me greater clarity about the importance of waiting for YOU to determine that the time is right!  Thank you, Father, for doing so! 

It also strikes me that when all this proliferation occurs, there is no need to pick and choose among them.  ALL are created!!!!  I think about what I'm dealing with right now.  Lots of opportunities seem to be opening up and I haven't been sure I could handle them all and thought maybe I would have to pick and choose (which threatened to bring back some of those "worry" thoughts about how to choose the "right" ones).  But I don't have to pick and choose!  Somehow we'll (God in me) be able to create them all!  How amazing is that?????   

Thank you, Father!  How wonderful to be able to just be open to all opportunities coming my way, knowing YOU are in charge!  Father, I ask that my mind be kept focused on you - my thoughts fixed on you.  I think of the promise from Isaiah 26:3, "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!  (Holy Bible, New Living Translation ®, copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.)  Thank you, Father!


3 comments:

Esther said...

I was reading your creation posts very early this morning and afterward I went back to bed to get a few more "winks." I woke up with the thought on my mind: If the waters in your analogy represent negative things--perhaps trials, even--it is very interesting that some of the most beautiful creatures of our planet are found deep in the sea/ocean. Then the thought came to me that they are not on the surface, but hidden away where you have to really search to find them--by making a conscious effort! Isn't this just like the dark parts of our lives? The negative parts? The trials? There are the most beautiful blessings to be found in them but we must search for them.

God bless you as you continue to listen to, and "dance" with Him!

Cheryl said...

I must not have been explaining myself very clearly. I don't see the waters as representing negative things - though I can see where you got that impression from what I said. I see them as representing the fluidity of feelings and emotions - some of which I experience as negative.

And yes, some of the most beautiful creatures are found there - even in the dark depths. A great reminder that we need to be open to seeing God's beauty even in the "dark depths" - and even search for it. Thanks, Esther. Blessings on your journey.

Esther said...

LOL. Obviously, I got Day 5 mixed up with Day 2 somehow during my sleep and when those thoughts came to me, I didn't re-read what you had written. Sorry for the confusion. I think you explained yourself clearly enough. :)

Post a Comment

This blog is simply a sharing of my "daily bread" - my daily walk with God. If something I've said has touched your heart, or sparked a new thought, I'd love to hear from you.

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *