Thankful for creativity

It was a few days ago.

I had a stack of stockings in one hand and a question in my mind.

“Lord, where should I put these?”

At our previous residence there was a large staircase which easily displayed all our stockings.

The house before that had a wood stove and mantle, so the stockings hung over the stove.

This house has neither a staircase nor a mantle.

At first, I thought about not putting them out till next year, but my heart couldn’t find peace with that.

Our family’s tradition is the stockings are filled with fruit and candy, so even the adults enjoy their stockings.

The Lord didn’t answer my question right away.

But, He did answer.

He reminded me of the reason I’ve always liked ladder-back chairs, they can be decorated.

It was perfect.

Not only does it solve my dilemma of where to hang the stockings, it’s a fun and easy Christmas decoration.

I thanked God immediately.

As I have been enjoying these and other Christmas decorations, I’ve been rejoicing in the gift of creativity.

Creation all around us testifies to our Creator and it is only through Him we too have the gift of creativity.

This holiday seems especially fitting for gratitude.

Whether it be a lovely centerpiece, a handmade Christmas card, a house draped in lights or the beautiful music of talented people, God’s creative gifts are easy to see.

It’s especially appropriate that those gifts are used to celebrate His birth as our Savior.

I’m inspired by it all to draw attention to His greatness and hopefully to use His gifts of creativity for others.

To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever; To Him who by wisdom made the heavens, For His mercy endures forever; To Him who laid out the earth above the waters, For His mercy endures forever; To Him who made great lights, For His mercy endures forever—
Psalms 136:4‭-‬7 NKJV

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your gifts. What blessings You pour out daily! Lord, thank You for those things You have blessed others with, which I benefit from. Lord, please help each one of us to use our gifts for others and not to horde them unto ourselves. Lord, thank You for answering me in such a small thing and using it to remind me to praise You. Lord, please continue to teach me how to be focused on the blessings and the opportunities around me. Please help me to look outside myself or our family, that I might not miss any opening to love another for You. Lord, thank You for the holiday season, please help us to remain focused on the reason we celebrate, it’s all because of You! Thank You, Jesus for coming to earth as a babe, dieing for my sins as the Son of Man and rising again as the Son of God. I praise Your holy name, Jesus! Amen.