My kids struggle when I start demanding they clean up the living room. It’s almost like I am standing above them telling them what to do. Well, I guess that is exactly what I am doing. Very few people respond well to that. Sometimes my kids just shut down and cannot seem to remember how to put toys away or throw trash away. But, if I stoop down and ask them to join me in cleaning up the living room, something magical happens (let’s be serious though, the magic is not there all the time).
A few days ago, I started Inktober. What is Inktober your ask? Well, according to their website, “Inktober is a month long art challenge created by artist Jake Parker that is focused on improving skill and developing positive drawing habits. Every day for the month of October anyone participating in the Inktober challenge creates an ink drawing and posts it online. Remember to use the hashtags #inktober and #inktober2019 if you want your art to be seen by everyone.”
I have gone through spells of drawing off and on over the years, but never consistently. I love drawing, but it is something that often gets pushed out of my day. However, I am under the impression that it is never too late to learn how to draw. Plus, I have been tinkering around with some picture books and I think it would be neat to illustrate those someday.
So, I laid down the challenge for myself and it has been fun to watch how my kids have wanted to jump in with me. We have shared the last few evenings around our dining room table. Sitting there in a pile of pencils, paper, and elbows, it dawned on me how my kids love being involved in the work I am doing. They love to work beside me. They love to make what I am making and do what I am doing. They have copied a few of my drawings trying to figure out how to make them their own. They have come up with their own drawings, inspiring me to want to make mine even better.
I am reminded that our heavenly Father invites us to participate in the work he is doing in the world. He has commissioned us to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. He has called us to be a part of his kingdom building project on earth. He has tasked us with proclaiming the Gospel. What a privilege to pull up a chair at his table, roll up our sleeves, bump elbows with him, and get busy doing his work.
Dragon Creek 