Chapter 5 – Breathing In – Part 3

But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.
Job 32:8

Exercise 3: Out of the Blue

Where do you get your creative ideas? Is there a certain place or a certain activity that seems to provide the right conditions for ideas to come to you? Does it happen while you sleep? In the car? While walking or showering? Write about a time when you received an inspiration “Out of the blue.” If you can’t think of a specific instance, write about the time, place, and conditions that seem to be most conducive to the “Aha!” experience.

I usually get my ideas when I’m walking and sometimes running. When I walk the dog, it is about a 10 to 12 minute meander around the block. Sometimes I start out by talking to God, but it doesn’t generally stay that way. Sometimes I get frustrated and angry. But I think it is when I’m distracted, that I’m hit with ideas. Most likely because I have cleared my mind. It is like looking at one of those hidden pictures. In order to see the picture, you must unfocus, which seems counterproductive. It might just be that, otherwise, I try too hard.

I also notice that once my mind is wrapped around a creative idea, I tend to forget the task at hand. The next thing I know, I am home. Or I have conquered that hill that always disheartens me.

Once, I had pulled into the parking lot at work, and as I was getting my stuff out of the passenger side, I was hit with an idea. I don’t remember thinking about the problem prior to the moment I was struck. And once I had the idea, it was like a decision had been made and I got to work that evening.

I think I’ve told my aha moment here before. I was walking the dog and I had approached the corner of Forest and Linden. Almost home. I remember it was a Sunday and I was trying to put finishing thoughts on my Sunday School lesson. The Children’s Ministry was supporting the Storybook Program, so books were playing heavily into what I was doing. And clear as day, I “heard” I’ve been gifted with the ability to know books. Read them and remember them so that I can pass them on. But God wants me to know his people in such a way.

Now, it wasn’t a voice, and there weren’t words. I’m just describing the best that I can. I felt uplifted and praised like a child who has done a good job. A job that I sometimes feel guilty about. But I was given a greater view of God’s plan for me. It’s relational. It’s about His people.

This doesn’t seem like a creative idea that turned into something. But it was an answer to something I was thinking about, but hadn’t asked the right question. I believe that day was a good Children’s “sermon”. I hope that I sufficiently got the point across …

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

“I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.”

Daniel 4:13 (ESV)