My Crafty Musing

Time slowed today and it was wonderful.  Andrew took the day off for me to relax a bit after his absence last week and to give me a chance to catch up on all that was so far behind.  It was a cold and rainy day, so it was delightful not to have to go out into the elements.  He ran the kids to their activities while I stayed home.

Craft Lafayette! is approaching much more quickly than my little fingers can create.  Yikes.  I spent my free hours sewing and beading.  I was productive, which is nice, but still a bit behind crafty wise.  None the less, my time spent in the craft room was worth more than the items I produced.

Creating can be so satisfying.  We are currently seeing a resurgence \of hand crafts which is wonderful.  With the internet and specific sites such as etsy and artfire the small, hand crafted business is much more accessible.  I think this is an especially appealing venue for the stay at home mom.  But I believe the appeal goes far beyond the "flexible work hours" or the notion of "working from home".  While I am sure success and pocket money are great benefits, I wonder if the benefitial act of creating actually far outweighs the others. 

So much of a mother's day is spent working on mundane tasks -- extraordinarily important, but mundane none the less.  And a great deal of a mother's work is immediately undone.  That dreaded laundry pile -- does it ever really disappear?  The dishes in the sinks seem to instantly reappear the moment I finished washing.  And I am convinced that it is impossible for all seven of the tummies in my house to be satisfied simultaneously!

When it comes to creating, the end is attainable, visible, and complete.  When your item is finished, it can't be undone in the sense of a dirty dish or a pair of soiled jeans.  (Although, a toddler pulling out my knitting has caused me great strife!).  I would posit that that sense of completion and gratification is, in large part, why so many mothers are drawn to craft.

I would even venure to say that there is a need within us as humans to create.  God made us in His image and likeness and it was He who created all that is good.  In that same nature, creating is a good in which we should indulge.  It brings a sense of joy and beauty into the home and in that vein, it brings God into the home as well.