“Mommy, I made this because I wanted to.” Isaac holds up his folded and taped airplane. His eyes focus on the creation before him in seriousness and pride. At the table we’re surrounded by scraps of paper and drawings. Neither kid hesitates to create – notes to their friends, drawings of the family, pictures of ice cream cones – any and all kinds of designs and drawings.
“I made this because I wanted to.”
With his words, I wonder when I last created simply because. When did my heart take joy and pride in putting pen to paper with no end goal? When did I bring forth beauty just because? Two often I think about the algorithms, the timing, the dream publication, or saying just the right words to connect with a reader. Too often I think too much about my creativity, rather than the act of creating.
“I made this because I wanted to.”
God delights in our creativity. God first created the world and created each of us. We are creative beings. Do you create because you want to? Call yourself an artist and see what emerges when you play with pen and paper, crayons, glitter, crafting a meal, or creating a hand-knit piece of clothing.
May the days ahead be full of creating and holding our work and words to others as we proudly say: “I made this because I wanted to.”
Kimberly Knowle-Zeller is an ordained ELCA pastor, mother of two, and spouse of an ELCA pastor. She lives with her family in Cole Camp, MO. You can read more at her website, follow her work on Facebook, or sign up for her monthly newsletter.