The seven categories of creative work

Quartz: To be a creativity machine, arrange your time and tasks according to these seven categories

https://qz.com/1059520/to-be-creative-learn-these-seven-stages-of-creativity/

Art is hard. Creative insights are hard to predict, and just when it gets difficult, your mind immediately jumps to a distraction: something easier to…

I've designed a new work shirt for my sweet Jim

Having fun learning Adobe's Spark Post and venting a little with humor something sad that happened recently.

Love God. Love Others. Faithfully.

Forward You don't know the impact you have had. "You just love people well." Serena said, wiping tears streaming down her face. Her strong emotions were unexpected. It was the end of our August visit to Singapore and I was sitting at a coffee shop with three of the Five Stars. Five young actresses started meeting weekly with me nearly 15 years ago. Each week, I used to text them the name of a five star hotel lobby, and they would meet me in that beautiful venue. We would talk about books on faith and pray for one another. We talked about walking with Jesus, and how to do that as an artist. They'd known each other professionally for years. But until God brought K!M into their lives, they'd never talked about their mutual faith in Jesus. This was to be a small reunion. We hadn't had our meetings for ten years. Charlotte had moved away, but she also happened to be visiting Singapore the same time we were. Joni couldn't join us. In 2005 she had emigrated to Perth with her blues musician husband. One of the gals has gone off the radar. Another, not yet a follower of Jesus, is somewhat reclusive. But she showed up! When she admitted that she only meets up with friends once or twice a year, we felt quite privileged. We made the cut! We had been laughing; remembering shows, and weddings, and stupid things we have thought or said. We'd gotten serious about how long eternity is, and what heaven will be like. It will be so great! Thinking about Eden restored is our hope and motivation when this short life is oh so hard. And then Serena started to cry. "You just don't know the difference your care has made in our lives. You really have shown us how to love others and be Jesus to them." I was speechless as she sat across the table and declared this to me. "With you gone, it is now up to us to encourage and mentor others the way you have encouraged us." Nearly everyone we met with wept. Some even sobbed. For both Jim and I, our sweet return to Singapore had been way more emotion than we expected. Here I'd been reluctant about making appointments thinking, "Who will really care to see me?"  Now my heart aches even more with renewed connections stretching across 15 time zones. We've been back in California for two weeks now. I've had some time to process reasons for the overwhelming emotions: 1. The Lord knew we needed to hear it. It is a season when we long to be faithful and fruitful in ministry but are easily discouraged. Wanting to be faithful to our parents in California, we are finding ways to make continued cross cultural service work. But we've had a considerable drop in support, and some painful conversations. The Devil loves to make the most of these opportunities to produce self-doubt and sadness. This outpouring of gratitude from Singaporeans ministered to us at a very deep level of need. 2. Some of the tears were because life in Singpaore is so stressful, and we all need friends who will listen. Being with us, people were free to uncork and unload their burdens. Friends are hard to make and keep. For the fourth year in a row, Singapore is the most expensive city in the world to live, and in 2012 another study indicated they are the most unhappy. Empathy is rare. Trust is low. Duty is high. It's a pressure cooker. We offered a release. 3. Distance and Time has made hearts grow fonder. Almost three years ago we said goodbye. We thought it possible we'd never return. Now we were making a visit. As we got together with the people we have loved, perhaps a subconscious thought prompted them to speak. "This may be my last chance to say it." They shared things they might otherwise have never said. Jim encouraged me to share about this in a newsletter. I was reluctant. It's a bit strange to broadcast about how much love we felt on this trip. But I believe it will encourage you to press on. When you doubt you are making a difference, keep loving. Listen to Jesus and obey. Be real. Be faithful. Care about people. Give lots of grace. What's your purpose in life? It's pretty simple. According to Jesus* Love God. Love others.                    *The greatest commandments. Matthew 22:36-40, Mark 12:30-31 This is Pastor Charles Tan, President of CRM Singapore With gratitude for your partnership, Kimberly & Jim Creasman staff.crmleaders.org/creasman Church Resource Ministries: 1240 Lakeview Ave, Ste. 120, Anaheim, CA 92807 USA. You may sign up for EFT, or designate on a check: "preferenced for Creasman-acct 5651" (800) 777-6658 ext. 122 Our US Address: 1418 Brett Place #124, San Pedro, CA 90732   |   Jim (310) 698-2588   |   Kimberly (310) 658-1500 MORE: Here's a great short video from Brene Brown to help you understand and increase your empathy.  Books the 5 Stars read together: The Heart of the Artist, Rory Noland Changes that Heal, Henry Cloud Sacred Pathways, Gary Thomas Journey of Desire, & Epic, John Edridge...and the Bible!

S'il Suffisait D'aimer

S'il Suffisait D'aimer Celine Dion

I came across this song recently

Been meaning to share it.

I shuffle Celine Dion songs for mom 

while giving her a manicure

It's a new activity we both enjoy on my visits.

She loves Celine, and physical touch is her love language.

The song made us both cry 

even though we didn't know what it meant.
(I looked it up later.)

We made dad listen to it too.

Instantly it became the background

in my prayers for someone dear to me. 

My friend. Her big heart for her family. Her ability to create beauty.  

The sadness I share with her about imperfection and sin.
Brewing hotly in her deep heart begun by the heat and pressure from childhood hurts 
Erupting whena sharp rise in temperature 

proves again we really can't controlourselves or the ones we love. 

Her dream for Eden to be restored…
We are made to livein a world without brokenness.
Someday we will.Lord, you have promised. 

Someday.
But for now we all do our best. 

Which is never enough. 

Until. 

By the grace of God,love from one another,and hope that eternity is real we will make this dream the real world.

French lyrics

Je rêve son visage je décline son corps

Et puis je l'imagine habitant mon décor

J'aurais tant à lui dire si j'avais su parler

Comment lui faire lire au fond de mes pensées?

Mais comment font ces autres à qui tout réussit?

Qu'on me dise mes fautes mes chimères aussi

Moi j'offrirais mon âme, mon c?ur et tout mon temps

Mais j'ai beau tout donner, tout n'est pas suffisant

S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer

Si l'on changeait les choses un peu, rien qu'en aimant donner

S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer

Je ferais de ce monde un rêve, une éternité

J'ai du sang dans mes songes, un pétale séché

Quand des larmes me rongent que d'autres ont versées

La vie n'est pas étanche, mon île est sous le vent

Les portes laissent entrer les cris même en fermant

Dans un jardin l'enfant, sur un balcon des fleurs

Ma vie paisible où j'entends battre tous les coeurs

Quand les nuages foncent, présages des malheurs

Quelles armes répondent aux pays de nos peurs?

S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer

Si l'on changeait les choses un peu, rien qu'en aimant donner

S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer

Je ferais de ce monde un rêve, une éternité

S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer

Si l'on pouvait changer les choses et tout recommencer

S'il suffisait qu'on s'aime, s'il suffisait d'aimer

Nous ferions de ce rêve un monde

S'il suffisait d'aimer

English lyrics

I dream of his face. I decline his body.

And then I imagine him living in my decor

I would have so much to tell him if I had known how to speak

How can I make him read at the bottom of my thoughts?

But how do these others succeed?

Let my faults be figments of my imagination also

I would offer my soul, my heart and all my time

But I give everything, everything is not enough

If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love

If we changed things a little, just by loving to give

If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love

I would make this world a dream, an eternity

I have blood in my dreams, a dried petal

When tears gnaw at me that others have poured

Life is not watertight, my island is downwind

The doors let in the cries even by closing

In a garden the child, on a balcony of flowers

My peaceful life where I hear beating all hearts

When clouds darken, omen of misfortunes

What weapons respond to the countries of our fears?

If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love

If we changed things a little, just by loving to give

If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love

I would make this world a dream, an eternity

If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love

If we could change things and start all over again

If it were enough to love one another, if it were enough to love

We would make this dream a world

If it were enough to love

"Article" app helped me make a storybook for my Godchildren....

A newsletter about our trip back "home"

Pray for the Harvest in Singapore May was a fruitful month of training pastors and church leaders in Vietnam, and I look forward to being with them again in October.  This month, Kimberly joined me for a retun to our longtime home and ministry field of Singapore.  It's been a rewarding visit, and we head back to southern California next week.   Morning, noon, and night, we met with more people than we expected. So many wanted to get together and open their hearts to us. We have felt moved by all the affection and appreciation from people we have loved and mentored over the years. There are pastors, artists, church leaders, and many others faithfully loving God and serving people in their homes, communities and workplaces. We thank God for the faithful service and reproduction of those we invested in. And we are so proud of how they are continuing to serve the Lord, live out the Gospel, and reproduce their lives. Through your financial and prayer support for us, you have invested in them. You have birthed a leadership development ministry in Singapore; one that is building the Church in this country and around the region! Please pray for continued fruitfulness for those we have invested in since 2000: Jim's first pastors' mentoring network (who are still meeting), started in 2001 Many pastors and Christians leaders who have become mentors for others The board, president, and staff of CRM Singapore (the ministry Jim founded here) Christian leaders we have trained who are developing churches and ministries to reach their country and the region Friends who became our surrogate family while living in Asia and raising Tyler and Cameron Our godchildren: Kate, Eliot, Morna, Monica, Berkhamp, and Yi Hui With gratitude for your partnership, Jim & Kimberly Creasman Link for those who partner with us in ministry through CRM: staff.crmleaders.org/creasman Church Resource Ministries:  1240 Lakeview Ave, Ste. 120, Anaheim, CA 92807 USA. You may sign up for EFT, or designate checks by adding: "preferenced for Creasman-acct 5651" Our US Address: 1418 Brett Place #124, San Pedro, CA 90732   |   Jim (310) 698-2588   |   Kimberly (310) 658-1500 As Kimberly shared with our Singaporean friends, her theme verse for them was: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.Galatians 6:9, 10

Jesus taught us to pray:

Our Father in heaven,

Hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come

Your will be done

On earth as it is

in heaven.

(Matthew 6:10, Luke 11:2)

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking and reading about this part of the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come.”* 

What is God's kingdom anyway? 

What is our part in partnering with him to bring it? 

What is our part both as individuals and as a church? 

I found six broad biblically based categories of goals that could indicate that the kingdom of God is thriving in a community.

For which of these categories has God given you a passion? 

Let's join with him in work that brings his kingdom. In God's timing this kingdom will come in fullness, but until then, we are here to live it out, share it and invite others into it.

In Church - A Community of Believers

Witness

Where the kingdom of God thrives, non-believers in communities learn about God.

Corporate Worship

Where the kingdom of God thrives, Christ followers gather to worship in ways that promote deep communication with God and with each other.

Studying and Remembering Scripture

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities understand and remember Scripture

Christian Rites

Where the kingdom of God thrives, Christ followers mark crucial events with ceremonies.

In Personal Spiritual Life

Prayer and Meditation

Where the kingdom of God thrives, individuals have vibrant prayer lives

Spiritual Formation

Where the kingdom of God thrives, Christ followers experience spiritual growth

Personal Bible Study

Where the kingdom of God thrives, individuals examine Scripture accurately and faithfully

Applying Scripture

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities apply the Bible to their lives

Through Justice

Social Justice

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities love and strengthen the poor and others in their margins.

Education

Where the kingdom of God thrives, community members learn what they need to succeed in and contribute to their societies

Literacy

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities read and listen to the Bible and other literature

Economic Opportunity

Where the kingdom of God thrives, all community members can work to contribute to their material well being.

Bringing Shalom (Peace) 

Healing

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities respond to social, emotional, and physical challenges in healthy ways

Reconciliation

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities reconcile with each other and with outside communities

Rest and Play

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities balance productivity with rest and play

Knowing Scripture

Translating Scripture

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities translate Scripture (so that they can know what God has communicated)

Oral Scripture

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities access Scripture through familiar forms (non-literate peoples)

Valuing Individual Cultures - Identity and Sustainability

Valuing Identity

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities value their culture.

Teaching Children

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities teach their traditions to their children.

Using Media

Where the kingdom of God thrives, communities contribute to local, regional, and global recording industries.

slightly adapted from Creating Local Arts Together, A Manual to Help Communities Reach Their Kingdom Goals, Brian Schrag & James R. Krabil, International Council of Ethnodoxologists. William Carey Library, 2013.

Here's another resource, a link to a good sermon I read this week that challenged me on this topic.