Creativity and Individuality (February 24, 2015)

Today I am sitting in my kitchen, baking cookies and keeping an eye on laundry as the sun shines brightly through my window. I love sunny days. They make me... happy. Its a simple part of who I am, and not everyone will be just like me. Some may like snow and cold, others may like rain and grey skies. There is another thing that may make me slightly different from other. The cookies I am baking. Don't get me wrong, I am SO excited about the cookies. My good friend Irna gave me some brown sugar while I was in America to bring home to Albania with me, as it is very hard to find here. However, no matter how excited I am about the brown sugar, it is not what makes my cookies unique. My cookies are special because they are chocolate-chipless cookies. No, you did not read that wrong. Every time I eat a delicious chocolate chip cookie, I DREAM of how amazing it would be without the chocolate chips. I am sure some of you are wondering if this is legal, and knowing it is not sane, but just face the fact. I am a unique individual made by a masterful Creator God and I love my chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips. No, not sugar cookies. They are more like BROWN sugar cookies. Yum yum.

When I think about the last 4 years I have spent in Albania, I realize more and more the importance of recognizing God as a divine creator. It is so easy to get caught up in the things that annoy me or cultural differences that are hard to overcome. When I change my mindset, however, to a one that is curious to discover all the tiny intricacies of this humanity our God has created, I find life is a lot more interesting and fulfilling and a lot less bland, boring and difficult.

When I first started teaching my class of Roma girls, they did not even know how to color in a picture. They wanted me to tell them what color everything should be. They didn't feel the freedom to create something of their own imagination. Today, however, I see how far God has brought us. I am so thankful for the various art projects we are able to throw into our schooling, such as tye-dying T-shirts with my roommate Rose (who was very kind to provide the supplies needed AND come show us how to do it). Every shirt came out completely individual, and 4 years later, that is ok in Roma school.

I love asking God to show me what is special about individual people. There is always something that makes them unique, special and interesting. The other night I was at a dinner with the Christians couples of Elbasan, and I remembered just WHY it is that I love this culture. They love to laugh. It is all about relationships. When you are in a room with someone, you are their priority, and they are yours. There is something deeper here than at home in that way. I appreciate that God is even showing me the lovable differences in cultures. Neither is bad, they are just different. Why?

Our God is the ultimate Creator. Why would he want us all to be the same? Our creativity, our individuality, our passions and our annoyances all bring Him glory because He is a master designer. No two from His production line will ever be the same. So, as you go about your day, just as I have done here in Albania, challenge yourself to ask God to show you the awesome and special things about the people in your life, even the more difficult ones.

(Tye Dying)

Thanks for reading,

Julie