"The artist is not a different kind of person, but every person is a different kind of artist."  Eric Gill, Philosopher

Artists make things.  They do things.  They take ideas and change them into something we can hear, or see, or touch or experience.  Every person alive is an artist of some kind.  Art means translating something that is hard to understand or something we take for granted and making it real and useful and meaningful.  If you are going through a midlife divorce or any other life challenge, try to see the struggles of that situation as raw materials for something new and visionary that you are creating.  Artists use what they have ... notes, colors, numbers, heartaches, disappointments, words ... and make them into something worthwhile.  Even though the art process is definitely invigorating and personal and challenging on its own, it's the art we share that is the precious commodity.  It's the art of our lives that can bring insight and pleasure and goodness into the lives of other people.  Here are a few ideas from the Artist chapter of the book A Kick in the Seat of the Pants: "change contexts, ask 'what if?', look at it backwards, join together, make a metaphor, break the rules, fool around, do nothing ..." all descriptive words of how we can change our thinking and can turn even bad circumstances into something new and glorious ... something that would not have even been possible without the experiences we have been through.  Be an artist today.  Let's consciously use our raw materials ...and create something outstanding and worthwhile from it.  God made us for that.  He made us new creations, so that we can be creators ourselves.  Let's pick up our own individual art bag and get started!

"It is God Himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus: and long ages ago He planned that we should spend these lives in helping others." Ephesians 2:10