Neglect Not the Gift...

Here's something that really tickled me when I was visiting the grandkids and their illustrious parents back in So Cal last weekend. Take a look at this close-up shot of the lovely (though crooked by virtue of photographer incapacity) plaque that hangs on the wall above my granddaughter's bed.

My daughter-in-law, Heather, created this cute wall hanging from a poem I wrote for one of my books (©2004 Susan Noyes Anderson, His Children, Vantage Point Press). I love knowing that she wanted these words of mine in plain sight for Carli to view and perhaps draw inspiration from through the years, as she goes from crafty young girl to artsy teenager. What a neat compliment! Maybe, one day, Carli will even want to read the entire book!! (She's already putting a pretty good dent in the Magic Tree House series...)

The idea of creation is especially meaningful for me. When President Uchtdorf gave an inspired talk to the women of the LDS Church on the topic, I was several degrees beyond thrilled. Years ago, I had taught a Relief Society lesson about every woman's amazing power and gift to make something from nothing...or (at least) relatively little. The notes from that presentation later became a chapter called "Respecting and Directing Your Personal Power" in my book, "Awaken Your Spiritual Power: The Fairy Godmother Isn't Coming" (©1999 Susan Noyes Anderson).

Anyway, the backbone of this lesson was an acronym I created for the occasion. (There's that amazing verb again!) Here's how it goes...

Catch the vision

Request the Spirit

Experiment with ideas (prepare)

Accept inspiration

Take courage (trust your gift)

Express your divinity

© All Rights Reserved

Of course, there was a poem to go along...

Neglect Not the Gift That Is in Thee... (1 Timothy 4:14)

©1999 Susan Noyes Anderson

The gift is given. Will we make a space

within the cluttered circles of our lives?

As mothers, daughters, sisters, friends and wives,

will we lay hold or run an endless race?

Will we lay hold, or run an endless race...

and, running, lose our vision of the prize?

"Be still," God said. The cup goes to the wise,

for every gift must have its time and place.

For every gift must have its time and place

or be forgotten...and the Giver, too.

Come, let us dedicate ourselves anew.

Receive and magnify each gift with grace.

Receive and magnify each gift with grace.

Create a fertile ground; make room for growing.

We have the seeds, and they are ripe for sowing.

The gift is given. Will we make a space?

One of the things I love so much about blogging is that the gift of creativity is constantly being expressed in language and photos that mirror the use of that gift in each blogger's life. An empty "New Post" page is simply another space where beauty can find a home.

...Which is a perfect segue to this reminder that the giveaway for my 500th post anniversary doesn't end until Saturday night, and you still have time to comment here and win one (or several) chances to take home a few examples of beauty in the form of three special editions of Jane Austen's work or a lovely tote by Ronna. What better way to embrace and celebrate the creativity of others than to accept these tangible manifestations of their considerable gifts?

CREATE. Yep, I love that word.

;)

PS. Don't you ♥ the way Joni Mitchell uses notes and silence to create the haunting rhythm of this song? Perfect.