...And he saw it was Good.

I love a good creative environment.

This last week my family visited Red Velvet Art, an independent art & handmade goods shop on Commercial Street in Springfield. And we were inspired by the environment (and mustaches-on-a-stick) that we found. In their own words: "We are living our dream and keeping a shop full of independent art and super cute handmade goods."

Isn't it great that people can choose to do what they love? Don't we all wish we could live our lives doing what we are passionate about? But too often we feel that is an impossibility. There are too many responsibilities. Too many expectations. Too many economic downturns or naysayers or bills for us to run after those dreams. It wouldn't be sensible. So we live our lives torn: doing what we "have" to do yet longing to throw off the chains.

And then we see somebody doing that...

and living life abundantly...

and our heart jumps to join them.

See I can't help but think that it is possible to live our lives doing what we are passionate about with reckless abandon. I can't help but think these dichotomous feelings I have are a result of being(as Jesus put it) "choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life...

and [our] fruit does not mature." (Luke 8:14 ESV)

C.S. Lewis, the famous author and apologist, often discussed that we, as creations of a creative God, have a desire written within us to be little creators (the principle of sub-creators). And it is in those desires and passions we have - whether it's music or literature or baking cakes or building muscle cars - that we somehow are trying to reflect the image of an amazing Creator God.

So I am challenged. How can we start to live that way? How can we begin to give our passions and desires to God so that they are reflecting and honoring to Him? Then how can we throw off the cares of this world and begin living a life abundantly that produces fruit that multiplies? How do we live our passions to the glory of God in a way that inspires others to join us? Let us pursue this good work!