You deserve this, I told myself, as I gripped the steering wheel tightly Sunday morning. 

My husband left his car for me to drive to church, with only five miles of gas left in the tank.

I did deserve this. I’ve done this to him too many times to count. Now to keep things even, he literally ran out of gas with me in the car, a decade ago, in college. Though he’s the more sensible one these days. 

Which is why I knew, if he saw me dangling from the highest rung on the ladder, stringing Christmas lights on our cedar tree last month, I would be in for it. But it looks so romantic when I peer out my kitchen window and see warm, flickering lights. 

As the cord was in my mouth, I swung the lights up toward an unreachable part of the tree, when I heard the weed eater coming from around the corner. 

Well, here it is, I thought. 

I scrambled to complete the task when his eyes met mine. He just shook his head which is code for a thousand silent why’s. But he soon helped me finish my project. 

This went more cordially than the pickleball league we joined last spring. 

After our first night of matches was less than ideal, we solemnly walked to the car, where I tried to graciously lift my husband’s head. 

Honey, you are being way too hard on yourself. 

He must have been so disappointed in himself that he was downright silent. What tender humility! Let’s all be like him in defeat! 

While discussing our results over the phone with one of our parents, it became apparent that my husband was, in fact, not disheartened about his own skill set. 

Wait, what? 

Wait, you think I’M THE REASON WE LOST?

Silence. 

So smack dab in front of the Taco Bell speaker, I gave dead silence right back to him. 

I was so resolute that I declined my beloved chicken quesadilla. 

Yeah, that mad. 

You can surely guess the next Tuesday evenings were a bit rocky until the league concluded.

But we celebrated 12 years married this past summer, with room to grow indefinitely in Christ. 

***

Hi, friend, hi. Thanks for being here and for reading. 

I find my heart singing when I write, whether its biblical encouragement or silly stories about my dear ones. 

This has me thinking—what creative endeavor makes your heart sing? 

That’s something the good Lord has put in you—to create as our Creator God does Himself. 

Whether it’s painting, creatively resolving conflict, deciphering how to best organize a space, composing music, photography, fusing data in palatable ways, baking, woodworking, dream processing with others, cleverly drafting contracts, repurposing household items, harnessing business potential in others—

God’s creativity shines through you, reflects His image in which we’re all created, and leaves room for sweet fellowship with the Spirit as we trot out that creativity. 

We must make space in our life to pour this out in worship to Christ. Are you overwhelmed at the prospect? It overwhelms me. Ask the Lord for guidance on how. I think we’ll be amazed at how much we connect with Christ as we lean into His creativity in us. 

“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.”

‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭90:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬.)

Big hug,

Paige