Creating Excitement

I learned something new about myself today. I am an easily excited person. I came upon this discovery while smelling a jar of homemade cocoa powder that a family friend gave us, and going giddy at the amazing scent. It was pretty astonishing, mint flavored cocoa! Beautiful scent. My eyes bulged out and my sister laughed at me as I made her smell it. Downey wrinkle release spray is another one of those things that just amazes me. Pull a shirt or a pair of pants out of the hamper, give it the sniff test, spray it with the spray, smooth it out, and you have a wrinkle free piece of clothing completely suitable for wearing. And then there was the time that I learned you could fabreeze your hair instead of showering! Talk about excitement. So many of these amazing things I guess lots of people wouldn't deem worthy of my amazement, but there is one thing that lately, I've just found incredibly amazing, something truly worthy of amazement. That is the ability of people to create things of beauty. It blows me away. We, the created, long to mirror our creator. I believe their is a deep desire in each persons heart to make things of beauty; to reflect a beautiful God. I got a CD today, and it is beautiful art. The CD is Illinois, by Sufjan Stevens. The whole thing is brilliant, but a song that caught me off guard is the very last,titled, "Out of Egypt, into the Great Laugh of Mankind, and I shake the dirt from my sandals as I run." The song is an instrumental piece, yet it knocked the wind out of me. As I listened I tried to imagine the Israelites leaving Egypt. The song is filled with excitement and a happy fear (if that at all makes sense). You could hear the freedom in it, see the little kids running loops around their parents legs, as they made the trek into an unknown future. You could see the dust rising as the people marched on, boys running ahead of the group, gazing at the horizon. My heart began pounding harder and harder as I listened. I felt that fear in my chest, that feeling of an uncertain future, but at the same time I felt that feeling of excitement and hope. I felt all of this from a song, and a song without words no less! It kind of made me feel a bit ashamed. I haven't strived to create during this Christmas break, infact, really, I've done quite a bit of nothing, I have been so incredibly lazy. I have enjoyed my times of nothing when for so long I have been tied up in so much somethings, but really, doing nothing is so incredibly selfish. I really should have spent time with my youth group this Christmas break...I should have got stuff done, should have read more, created. Laziness is a cruel enemy, and yet, so enticing. I can only imagine what this world would be like if God was lazy. Mothers woud give birth to half babies, and God would finish creating them when he was good and ready. You would see Fields of daisy's with no buds, because God would be in the middle of a television show,...he'll get around to the flowers during the next commercial break. I am glad we don't serve a lazy God, but a God of beautiful art. I am also glad that there are those out their who seek to worship God with their art; beautiful creations pleasing to the King. So, go forth, create. Be excited with beauty.