Creating

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 ESV

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good.
Genesis 1:31a ESV

She seeks wool and flax, and works with her hands with delight.
Proverbs 31:13 NASB

A few years ago, I designed and made a quilt with photos of hands doing a variety of things — from kneading bread to laying tile to holding butterflies. A final touch included stitching two phrases from the verses above onto the top and bottom border: “In the beginning, God created” and “she works with her hands with delight.”

Our desire to create and our joy when we do so is a reflection of the image of our Creator.

In my own experience, there is a little extra energy, beauty, and delight in the day when I have the opportunity to create anything — from a complete blog post to a beautiful dinner to a polished and accurate report to a finally-finished (Hooray!) studio space to an attractive dining table centerpiece. It can be big, the result of many hours of effort, or little, like putting a child’s gift of fresh-picked weeds flowers in a small glass jar on the sunny windowsill.

What have you created today? Comment below to share your delight.

Studio Space II

As previously mentioned, a lot of my time and attention this year has been invested in converting a pre-fab garage into a quilting studio in our yard. Today we have the final progress report.

The pictures below show from flooring to finished and unpacked. Now it is ready for use!

Looking back at the photos and standing in the studio itself, gratitude fills my heart. Much work was invested in this, and it is a thing of beauty (if I may say so…). May God use it to bless many in the coming years.

If you are curious about any aspect of this project, please comment below and I’d be happy to respond.