Creating Life

One of the great joys as a parent: walking into my daughter's room to see her drawing and to be blown away by the wonder of her creation, the skill and beauty of the art, and especially, to see she was not on the computer.

I worry that the creative spirit of a whole generation is being stunted by technology. The allure of the internet, computer games, and spellcheck is taking over the need to think or to create for ourselves. One young lady told me there was no need to travel because she could just see what it looked like in that distant place on the computer. She seemed to really believe she could live a virtual life and find satisfaction. Thoughts like that frighten me. Is that what living should be?

It is cheaper. This year, instead of a vacation to the beach, perhaps we should all change into our bathing suits and sit around the monitor. We can turn to a youtube ocean video, turn up the sound, watch the waves and listen to the sea gulls screeching. No danger of sunburn, drowning, or being nibbled on by sharks. And if we tire of the ocean, on the next day of our vacation we can find a video of the Grand Canyon. No longer will we fear breaking bones from skiing. We can just watch a virtual run down some highly dangerous mountainside that under normal conditions, (a.k.a. real) we would never dare attempt. Life would be so much safer!

I am typing and editing one hundred poems given to me a few weeks ago by my 93 year old friend Comer. I will publish Volume 2 of his poetry soon. He sits in his room, and dispels the loneliness and ravages of aging by writing poetry. Comer has his host of troubles- a beloved wife crumbling from Alzheimers, his own feet swelling so much that at times he can't walk, blood clots that pop up now and then in his hip and leg such that he can't move without pain. Still, he finds one thing he can do that reminds him that he was created by a creative God, and given a creative spirit that can be unleashed even now, after a near century of life. He inspires me.

Many of his poems are about people he loves, things he is grateful for, and quite often, of God. The poems often start off about mundane subjects like small towns, or shopping...but then end with an exhortation to trust and follow and glorify God. I am not sure his work will endure like Shakespeare or Milton, but the truth of his message is eternal. Live! Live life fully, creatively, exuberantly, to the full limit of your strength and above all, trust that God who created you never stops loving and guiding His creation.

PS- that very same Comer is the star of my new book, Turning Points, and both he and I will be signing copies of the book this Sunday, Veterans Day, 2-3 at Park Road Bookstore in Charlotte. Please stop by and have this remarkable veteran bless your day.

Job 12:12-13 (NIV)
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding? [13] “To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.









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