Humans and creation

This week, I finished 2 major cross-stitching projects that I started about 10 years ago. Anyone who has ever cross-stitched before should know that most projects take months, if not years, to complete. Needless to say, finishing 2 of these projects in one week makes me feel quite excited and proud that I did it. I gave up on both projects several times because they had so many mistakes: my First Vision one wasn't what I expected it to be (the software that converted Greg Olsen's First Vision painting to a cross-stitch pattern was far from perfect) and my horse/water one was just so complex that it always took me a half hour to figure out where to start and required intense concentration from then on out.

But conference weekend gave me the spark I needed to finish both patterns. I have been doing a lot of sitting this week, putting large amounts of strain on my back, because I was driven to finish these two long-unfinished projects. In truth, I never thought I would finish them. But I did. And it was a great feeling.

I've been thinking a lot about the Creation lately, probably because we talk about it a lot in my temple prep class, and I just got through Moses and Abraham and just started Genesis—all of which outline the Creation story. I've thought a lot about why we would need to have 3 records (actually, more like 4; if I remember correctly, there's another one in the Bible somewhere . . .) of the creation of the world as we know it.

I've also been thinking a lot about how to fill my large amounts of time, and I have found that when I am creating something, even if it is as unimportant as a picture display of horses running through water or a delicious batch of breadsticks, I feel like I am accomplishing something worthwhile. My life doesn't seem as meaningless; I have a goal in mind, and the accomplishment of that goal makes me happy and proud of my accomplishments.

And I know that I am not the only one who finds pleasure and satisfaction out of creation. Tyrel has been almost as bored as I have the past month or so, and about a week ago, he started building an elaborate K-nex contraption that circles the entire living room. He knows that it will only be a matter of time before mom can't take it anymore and he has to take it down, but the joy of building something of his own design and then testing it out is enough to keep him at it.

In short, we are all creators. That is something we get from our Father in Heaven. He created this world for us, and I'm sure he got an immense sense of satisfaction when he stopped on that 7th day and rested. He probably couldn't wait for us to get down here so that we could start trying out his creations. And because God takes pleasure in creation, so do we. It is in our very nature.

So even if what we are creating is not something that will bless generations, the very act of creation is much more important than the final project. By building, sewing, cooking, writing, teaching, raising children, by doing thousands of other things, we come closer to God. He has given us a small amount of his power and it is only natural that when we sit back to rest after finishing a long project, we cannot help but think, "And I saw that it was good."