One Moment in Time by Sharon Heagy

 

            Recently, the curator of an art gallery in a nearby town took photographs of several paintings and asked people to write a short snapshot of a moment in time to correspond with a photo of their choice. The prose was to be 250 – 300 words. Once the stories are gathered, he plans to put together an exhibit of the actual artwork, each with their story. Just one moment in time.

            As I pondered this ingenious enterprise, I began to appreciate how much writing is like painting. Paper is our canvass, words are our paints and palette, pens and keyboards our brushes. 

            Some painters may sketch what they plan to paint before they apply any colour to canvass and some dip their brush in a colour, put it on a canvass and see where it takes them. Some writers draft an outline before they begin to write and some just put pen to paper or start clacking on a keyboard and see what develops. In the end both the artist and the writer tell a story. It might end up being a moment in time, or a multitude of moments. A single painting, or a collection, a poem, prose or article or an epic poem, novel or series. And all the gifts and inspiration for either work come from the Master, the ultimate Creator, from God. “Every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” James 1:17

AND what absolutely blows me away (as we older folks say) is that you can sit 100 writers or artists in a room, pass around a picture, ask them to tell a story and, though some may have similarities, you will get 100 different results. The gifting comes from the same Source, yet He has created us as such unique individual beings in His image, what results from the same gifting in each person is amazing! Mind blown, as the kids say. Mind blown indeed.

            There are folks that believe you need to venture beyond your own backyard and travel the world to appreciate the vastness and variety of God’s creation, but that is only one amazing facet of our highly multidimensional God. I challenge you to go to a gallery or museum, a bookstore or a library, and stand and look, not at individual titles but at the rows upon rows of creativity with not two exactly alike. (Okay, okay, I know, what if there are copies. Please work with me.) Just imagine if each of those writers and artists realized the true Source of their gifting and used it for His glory – for that is ultimately the gift’s true and pure purpose. Wow.

            Be fearless, fellow writer, knowing you too have a story to tell in a way that only you can. You were created and gifted for this purpose. For His purpose. If you need a little kick start, say a prayer, grab a photo or a painting and start with one moment in time.