Creativity, continued

Last night, after writing, I went to bed with a book of poetry:

And I found this poem:

The Blue Bowl

Reward

ALL day I did the little things, 

The little things that do not show,

I brought the kindling for the fire

I set the candles in a row,

I filled a bowl with marigolds,

The shallow bowl you love the best--

And made the house a pleasant place

Where weariness might take its rest.

The hours sped on, my eager feet

Could not keep pace with my desire.

So much to do, so little time!

I could not let my body tire;

yet, when the coming of the night

Blotted the garden from my sight,

And on the narrow, graveled walks

Between the guarding flower stalks

I heard your step: I was not through

With services I meant for you.

You came into the quiet room

That glowed enchanted with the bloom

Of yellow flame.  I saw your face,

Illumined by the firelit space,

Slowly grow still and comforted--

"It's good to be at home," you said.

        

                      Blanche Bane Kuder

Wasn't that simply lovely?

And then, this post from Stephanie Nielsen:

"I love when I stay at home all day and cook, clean, organize, garden and other wonderful housewife-work. Which is what I happily did today, and feeling very content about it.
I strongly believe that housework is the most rewarding feeling.

I enjoy the thoughts of my children coming home from school to a clean warm home.
I love thinking that when they use the bathroom, the white tile is clean,
fresh smelling soap and plenty of fluffy toilet paper available.
I love when they drop their backpacks and coats down in the entryway, {sometimes}
and run to the kitchen to see what is cooking, and I love when there is something cooking.
I love seeing rocks and treasures in Ollie's jean pockets when I do the wash.
And I hate to think that my children will be old one day and
I wont do those things for them anymore.
I do those things for my husband and children to show them that I love them so."

And, this from President Uchtdorf in the October 2008 General Conference:

"If you are a mother, you participate with God in His work of creation—not only by providing physical bodies for your children but also by teaching and nurturing them. If you are not a mother now, the creative talents you develop will prepare you for that day, in this life or the next.

You may think you don’t have talents, but that is a false assumption, for we all have talents and gifts, every one of us. ⁵ The bounds of creativity extend far beyond the limits of a canvas or a sheet of paper and do not require a brush, a pen, or the keys of a piano. Creation means bringing into existence something that did not exist before—colorful gardens, harmonious homes, family memories, flowing laughter.

What you create doesn’t have to be perfect. So what if the eggs are greasy or the toast is burned? Don’t let fear of failure discourage you. Don’t let the voice of critics paralyze you—whether that voice comes from the outside or the inside.

If you still feel incapable of creating, start small. Try to see how many smiles you can create, write a letter of appreciation, learn a new skill, identify a space and beautify it.

Nearly a century and a half ago, President Brigham Young spoke to the Saints of his day. “There is a great work for the Saints to do,” he said. “Progress, and improve upon and make beautiful everything around you. Cultivate the earth, and cultivate your minds. Build cities, adorn your habitations, make gardens, orchards, and vineyards, and render the earth so pleasant that when you look upon your labors you may do so with pleasure, and that angels may delight to come and visit your beautiful locations. In the mean time continually seek to adorn your minds with all the graces of the Spirit of Christ.” ⁶

The more you trust and rely upon the Spirit, the greater your capacity to create. That is your opportunity in this life and your destiny in the life to come. Sisters, trust and rely on the Spirit. As you take the normal opportunities of your daily life and create something of beauty and helpfulness, you improve not only the world around you but also the world within you."

And so, this is my repentance moment.  I may not have time to create projects like I want to, but I am creating an environment where eternal beings live, and that is very important.  

And I have been motivated to do it better through the writings of three great individuals.