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Increase Your Creativity

12 / 15 / 22

I taught creative writing for several years at a school of the arts and had such fun convincing my students that we’re all creative. That’s right. . .all of us. Even left- brained, technical folks. What sets some people apart from others?

Creative Thinking.

Some tap into it. Others do not. Some are excited to try new things. Others? Not so much. Perhaps they are terrified at what they might discover.

So, how do we tap in? How do we get past the creative block?

Getting Creative About Being Creative

We have to learn to “think” creatively. We have to expect creative ideas to flow.

Imagine this: You have a computer in your home. It has a really large hard drive. Much of that hard drive space will never be touched. Think of the “untapped” creativity inside you the same as you would that “untouched” portion of your hard drive.

It’s time to use that untouched space. It’s time to think outside the box! It’s time to begin looking for the story inside the story. It’s time for new ways to flourish. It’s time for new experiences, divergent thinking, new skills, new perspectives. Let your mind wander, friend.

The Creativity Test

I once did an experiment with my students. I asked them to take their temperature every two hours over a twenty-four hour period. According to one theory, we are at our most creative when our body temperature is the highest. For me, that time is late afternoon/evening. I’m NOT a morning person. Perhaps you’re just the opposite. Maybe you’re the most refreshed/creative in the morning.

There’s another theory that we’re also more creative when we’re relaxed. Perhaps that’s why great ideas come to us while we’re in the shower. Some of us get our best ideas when we’re “nearly” asleep, or just waking up. That’s why it’s important to keep a pad and pen on your bedside table. Might sound crazy, but my laptop goes to bed with me every night. Well, not actually in bed. But it’s at my bedside all night long, just in case. Rumor has it that Mary Shelley conceived the idea for her novel Frankenstein during “twilight sleep.” You just never know when a great idea might hit.

When Are You Most Creative?

Creative people don’t just need to be aware of when they’re creative, they need to know where they’re creative, as well. Sitting in front of your computer is rarely the place for amazing bouts of creativity, (though it does occasionally happen).

In my case, the seashore prompts creativity. Something about the sound of the waves  rippling across the sand just makes me want to write. I also do well in the mountains. Ironically, I also seem to “get creative” at Subway. The restaurant. I’m not sure why, but when I take my laptop into my local Subway, I can almost always count on writing a great scene in my WIP (work in progress). Others swear by their local coffee shop. Perhaps it’s the overpowering scent of coffee that stirs creativity. I’m not sure. But some of their best creative work takes place in their local Starbucks.

Creativity. . .Critical to Survival?

Why do we need to be more creative? If you’re interested in a career in writing, creativity is critical to survival. Anyone can come up with a mediocre story. Bookshelves are filled with them. You want something fresh, original. Something uniquely you!

The chances of selling your work are far greater if you come at it from a creative angle. We also need to be more creative people because it makes life more fun. This is especially true in the workplace environment, where days run together. We must learn to think outside of the box.

Movies and Literature

When you’re creative, you’ll have a blast at the movies. You’ll find stories inside of stories. You’ll look far deeper into the “meaning” than the average Joe and you’ll stretch your imagination in ways it’s never been stretched before. Think of a movie you’ve seen where you discovered a story inside the story—movies like Babe the Gallant Pig, (the story of an unprejudiced heart), for instance.

Fun, right? Of course, literature is filled with creative works with hidden storylines, as well. Take a moment to think of as many examples as you can. As you begin to stretch your imagination, you will grow as a writer.

The Five Part Process

According to one online site: creativity is a five-part process, which occurs in interconnected phases:

STIMULUS: Could be anything from a picture to a song to a person’s face. Could be a perceived need or a story. Anything can stimulate us and cause us to want to act/create. (There are stories all around us. It’s up to us to find them!)

EXPLORATION: Looking at the possibilities, the what if’s. Moving beyond the first ideas, considering the alternatives. (What do you think the author/screenplay writer was really trying to tell us?)

PLANNING: Gathering information/thinking about the task (in writing a story, this is usually the point where I begin to lay out chapters or work off of a plotter or outline). Some people use diagrams.

ACTIVITY: Let the party begin! Create, create, create. It’s one thing to talk about the story you’re going to write or the project you’re going to begin (think home improvement here), it’s another altogether to strategize, to fly into action. Some of us are all about the planning and don’t like to get into the actual work of it.

REVIEW: What have I accomplished? Was it successful? What could be improved next time?

CREATIVITY EXERCISES

Let’s get our creative juices spinning!

#1: EXERCISE

There’s nothing like a little aerobic exercise to get the blood flowing! This is one of the best ways to empty your mind of your worries and allow creativity to flow. Take a short walk. Do five minutes of aerobic activity. Stretch your creative muscles as you give your physical muscles a workout. Getting active will stir your creativity…no doubt about it!

#2: TIMED PICTURE TITLES

Locate a piece of art. Set a timer for two minutes and write down as many titles as you can think of. Allow new ideas to flow.

Once the timer goes off, look at your title choices. Choose the one that speaks to you. Take it a step further. Using the title ONLY (not necessarily the picture) create a plotline for a movie.

#3: FORTUNE COOKIE STORIES

Pop open a fortune cookie and read what’s inside. Talk about a great starting point for a new story! Come up with an idea based on the “saying” you’ve read. Enjoy your creative process. This is a simple activity, but so much fun, one that’s guaranteed to boost creativity.

#4: MUSICAL INSPIRATION

Turn on some classical music and reach for some crayons and a sketch pad. Throw off all inhibitions. Begin to color, stirred by the music. As you move outside your comfort zone, fresh ideas will flow. Creative thoughts will begin to tumble. Innovative ideas will spill forth. The simple process of coloring to music will boost your creativity. Do this on a regular basis and you’ll break through that writer’s block!

Wrapping Things Up

I hope you’ve enjoyed this journey into creativity. Who knows. . .you might have the Great American Novel hiding inside of that creative mind of yours! Perhaps, with some of these great tips it will rise to the surface.

Whatever you take from this lesson remember this one thing: Don’t be afraid to try new things. You can become a creative person, filled with original ideas. I promise. Your creative skills can blossom and grow.

I will leave you with the words of Mark Twain, who spoke words of wisdom when he said: You can’t depend on your judgment when your imagination is out of focus. 

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It’s May Y’all!

5 / 16 / 225 / 16 / 22

Book News

This has been a remarkable month for me, writing-wise. I have some great announcements! 

First, let me start by announcing a new book release! My novella, Puzzle me This, (part of the Missing Pieces Collection from Barbour Publishing) is about to release! The whole collection is jigsaw puzzle-themed. I absolutely love my quirky story. It was so much fun to write in first-person again! (This is how my Bella novels were written, and I love that style!) 

Second announcement: If you’re interested in dog-themed books you’ll definitely want to check out the first book in the Gone to the Dogs series from Barbour Publishing. It’s about to release and I couldn’t be more excited! You can pre-order your copy of Off the Chain and receive it as soon as it releases in a few weeks. Here’s the blurb: Marigold Evans’ first attempt at rescuing an abandoned pooch lands her in a drainage pipe in Brenham Texas. . .and almost in jail, until Parker Jenson comes to her rescue. Then a bad day only gets worse as the Lone Star Vet Clinic, where they both work, is vandalized and the list of suspects starts to climb. With the help of her fellow employees, Marigold sets out to simultaneously solve the crime, rehab the rescued dog, and help more dogs in crisis. But why would anyone continue to work against all their good efforts? 

Announcement #3: I’ve been hard at work on my next book in the dog series. It’s titled Barking up the Wrong Tree and involves a MIA agility course winner named Remington. Stay tuned for more on that story. (Kathleen Y’Barbo wrote the second book in the series titled Dog Days of Summer. . .and it’s amazing! More on that later!) 

Final book-related announcement: Remember that Cut and Shoot novella I mentioned last month? I just completed edits on that book, O Little Town of Cut and Shoot, which will release in a few months from Guideposts. It’s part of a two-book collection titled Love’s a Mystery in Cut and Shoot. The other author in the collection is my good friend Ruth Logan Herne. I’ll be sharing more about that collection as the release date draws near.

In the meantime, thanks for always lifting me up in prayer as I write the books that God places on my heart! I did a count of my books today (which you will find listed on my “All Published Works” page) and I’m currently working on books #157 and 158 simultaneously. Whew!

Baking News

To say this has been a crazy month would be putting it mildly! I’ve baked more new sweet treats than ever, and all in an effort to get my Out of the Box Baking blog up and running. The goal? To draw enough traffic to the blog to eventually get it monetized. That’s more than a pipe dream, friends! I’m on the track to see this happen by fall, and you can help! Please sign up to receive the RSS feed. When you do that, you’ll see the recipes as they post. (You won’t have to go looking for them…you’ll be notified automatically.) This will be of benefit to you, sweet bakers, and to me! It really helps me out because the more time you spend perusing my posts, the quicker I build my views, which is critical at this stage of the game! So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for my RSS feed today. 

Here are some of my latest recipes that I’m particularly proud of: 

Chocolate Mayonnaise cake: I’ve been on a roll, making things with mayonnaise. Yes, you read that right! Mayo adds depth of flavor and it really, really works in this rich chocolate cake! You can learn more about baking with mayo in this comprehensive post titled How to Bake with Mayonnaise: 7 Terrific Recipes. 

Old Fashioned Pound Cake with Whipping Cream: If you’re looking for a classic pound cake to serve at your next get-together, you can stop looking! I’ve got a luscious butter pound cake recipe for you that’s going to thrill and delight your guests and make you proud to serve it!

20 Amazing Recipes that Start with a White Cake Mix: Don’t have the mix you need? Don’t worry! You can make 20 different cakes using a simple white cake mix! 

Easy Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls (made with crescent rolls): This luscious, gooey cinnamon roll has a warm, nutty bananas foster taste and feel. And best of all. . .it’s made with crescent rolls! It comes together so quickly and easily!

Common Baking Substitutions: Out of the ingredient you need? No worries! This comprehensive list of baking substitutions will be a huge help! 

I’ve added some new categories to my blog: 
Recipes Grandma Made
Baking as a Business

I truly hope to grow this blog into a thing of beauty that bakers across the globe can enjoy! (Speaking of which, it’s kind of fun to track the stats on this blog! I can see people from countries all over the world viewing my posts!) 

Mischief Making!

Before Easter, I purchased some melting chocolate and molds to make chocolate covered Oreos with the grandkids. There was no time, sadly, but we made up for it a couple of weeks back.  I met with a couple of my local granddaughters and we pretty much covered everything we could find in chocolate, including their mother’s beautiful wooden table. Oops. it was a great afternoon and we had a lot of fun. They learned some new skills and I learned that not all chocolates are created equal. I also learned that the kids are pretty good at learning by example and have some serious potential as decorators! We had a blast. (Sorry about your table, Megan!)

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Immovable. Strong.

12 / 7 / 2012 / 7 / 20

I feel like God spoke something specific to my heart this morning while in church. Maybe it’s for you, too:


The Lord wants us to shake off self-pity. Yes, we’ve been through a lot. Yes, much of it was unfair..wholly unfair, in fact. But self-pity gets us nowhere. It causes us to cry out, “I’m so weak because of what has happened to me!” instead of acknowledging that (in Him) we are actually much STRONGER and more capable because of what has happened to us. It also hyper-extends our focus on ourselves instead of on God, which is never a good thing. When we’re navel-gazing we can’t see the work that He has accomplished. But when we shift our gaze to Him, everything comes into perspective and we are reminded that He is building us into mighty oaks.


In many ways, we are like the 911 cross planted in the ground at the base of the twin towers. In spite of all it went through, (and BECAUSE of all it went through), that cross ended up deeply rooted, rock solid, immovable.


The same is true with us. He’s building us into people of strength, refined in the fires of suffering, that we might come out on the other side immovable and deeply rooted in Him.


“So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].”

2 Corinthians 12:10 Amplified

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Deep Calls to Deep

11 / 17 / 20

Deep calls to deep. That’s what the Bible says. Until recently I didn’t fully comprehend those mysterious words. The deep, hidden places inside of me—easily covered by bright smiles and cheerful hellos—longed for something deeper in Him, an encounter that would impact me in every hidden corridor of my life, one that would nudge all things into crisp, clean alignment.

  • Worship to God. Element of design.

And so, in the quiet aloneness of a pandemic, I stretched my arms to the sky and asked for more—more of Him, more of me, more of us. I asked with the anticipation that all could be mended, that all could be changed, that hope could be restored. He extended His hand and asked me to dance. I accepted, feeling a bit like a schoolgirl with a crush. 

At His leading, I tip-toed out into the waters, pressing my toes against the gravelly bottom of an unfamiliar pool. First, knee deep—laying down old habits, picking up new ones. Then, hip-deep—pressing into the harder places, soul bared, hands lifted. Then waist-deep—beginning to feel the joy of new beginnings as the water met me in new and fresh ways. Then shoulder-deep, fully giving myself over to intimate times with Him—in worship, in prayer, in praise. . .so much praise. And then, in those glorious moments, pressing my face into the water and soaking in His presence, a secondary baptism, of sorts, but without the usual witnesses. 

The fresh wind of the Spirit began to blow, and my spirit felt like dancing. Truth be told, I did dance—in my living room, up and down the streets as I walked the dogs, along the edge of the lake, where the water rippled under the mid-afternoon sun. And somehow, as my feet took to flight, new ideas began to flow, like water tumbling over the falls. Heavenly downloads began: Thoughts. Dreams. Visions. Plans. Stories. Messages. Prayers. More ideas. Scriptures came alive. Songs became transformative. Relationships became spiritual bonds. Circumstances became stepping stones. 

My precious time with Jesus altered my thinking and gave me new hope, new excitement, new energy, new possibilities. Deep called to deep, and continues to beckon still, though the chaos swirling around me threatens to interfere. I want to stay in the pool, to drown out the noise of the world. But the water-dance begins to shift. He leads me in new steps. The deep inside of me now longs to reach the deep inside of others. Those who are ready. Those who feel called. Those with seeds of faith. Those unafraid to try. Those with arms to link. Those with eyes to see. Those with ears to hear. Those with the tingling of hope. Those excited about tomorrow. Those who would woo the lost and broken into the water, so that they too can experience His depths. Those willing to be the light in the darkness, the city on a hill. 

In short, those who aren’t afraid to dance. 

Deep calls to deep
    in the roar of your waterfalls;
all your waves and breakers
    have swept over me.

By day the Lord directs his love,
    at night his song is with me—
    a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalm 42:7-8 NIV

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Battle Plans

10 / 26 / 20

Lately, the Lord keeps reminding me of the Old Testament kings. They faced a LOT of battles. The Israelites had countless enemies, after all, and someone was always on the attack against God’s people. (Some things never change.) But those Old Testament kings followed a pattern that seems consistent and holds some keys for us today.

This was their battle plan:

When the going gets tough, call in the prophets. Let’s face it, many of these kings weren’t godly men. But when catastrophe would strike, they knew where real answers were found. They wanted to talk to someone who had been talking to God, (and listening for His instruction). Over and over you’ll see the kings calling for a prophetic voice to a). reassure them they had a chance or b). offer a battle plan. Sometimes the prophets would come in with a word the king didn’t like. But sometimes, as in the case of a king named Jehoshaphat, the prophetic word ended up being sage advice useable thousands of years later.

Here’s the backstory to Jehoshaphat’s story:

Many nations had banded together against God’s people and their king (Jehoshaphat) wasn’t having it. He didn’t believe any enemies could stand against God’s people. In 2 Chronicles 20 we read that he called his people to fast and pray. That’s the best jumping off point.

He made a public proclamation:

“Lord, God of our ancestors, you are the God in heaven. You rule over all the kingdoms of the nations. You have power and strength, so no one can stand against you. Our God, you forced out the people who lived in this land as your people Israel moved in. And you gave this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham. They lived in this land and built a Temple for you. They said, ‘If trouble comes upon us, or war, punishment, sickness, or hunger, we will stand before you and before this Temple where you have chosen to be worshiped. We will cry out to you when we are in trouble. Then you will hear and save us.’ (v. 6-9)

Right there, in this middle of this huge prayer rally, something remarkable happened. We read it in vs. 14-15 (paraphrased):

Then the Spirit of the Lord entered Jahaziel. Jahaziel, a Levite and a descendant of Asaph, stood up in the meeting. He said, “Listen to me, King Jehoshaphat and all you people living in Judah and Jerusalem. The Lord says this to you: ‘Don’t be afraid or discouraged because of this large army. The battle is not your battle, it is God’s.

Okay, then. In the middle of the prayer and fasting, while giving public praise to God….God moved. His Spirit filled one of the men in the room and He (God almighty) spoke through him, saying, “Don’t worry. I’ll do the fighting.”

(Can I just pause here to say how much better things go when we take our hands off and give them to God?)

It’s the next part of the story that wows me. Jahaziel says: “You won’t need to fight in this battle. Just stand strong in your places, and you will see the Lord save you. Judah and Jerusalem, don’t be afraid or discouraged, because the Lord is with you. So go out against those people tomorrow.’”

They headed off to battle, filled with energy and joy. As they drew near the enemy, we find the another key strategy, (and this is my favorite part of the story):

Jehoshaphat listened to the people’s advice. Then he chose men to be singers to the Lord, to praise him because he is holy and wonderful. As they marched in front of the army, they said,“Thank the Lord, because his love continues forever.”

He sent the worshippers to the front lines. Why? Because God’s people always go into the battle with a song of praise on their lips. When we proclaim that the battle is won BEFORE it’s won, we’re honoring God and expressing our faith. It worked for Jehoshaphat. According to vs. 22-23, the Lord set ambushes for the enemy. Three groups fell and the rest turned on each other, not the Israelites.

Wow!

Look, I don’t know what you’re up against today. I don’t know if you’re feeling up to the battle or more inclined to climb back in bed and pull the covers over your head. But I do know one thing: God wants to fight this battle for you. But there are plans you need to put into play, a strategy, if you will:

  • Pray.
  • Fast.
  • Seek God.
  • Gather godly people around you and ask them to pray with you.
  • Open yourself up to the Spirit of God. He wants to speak.
  • Listen when He speaks.
  • Do what He says.
  • Begin to worship and praise AHEAD OF the victory.
  • Watch in awe and wonder as He fights on your behalf. Praise Him all over again.
  • Allow your faith to grow so that NEXT TIME you anticipate good things, not bad.

That’s it. That’s God’s battle plan…for anything you (or our country) might be facing. The battle belongs to the Lord, my friends. He wants to show up and show off.

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