I love the message shared in those two minutes. ..."one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul."..."You might say, 'I am not the creative type,...think again."..."something that did not exist before"..."You are a masterpiece."..."You will make the world a better place."
With God as our Father, we can do remarkable things. Here is what Joseph B. Wirthlin has to say in a talk entitled “The Abundant Life”.
"The third quality of those who live abundant lives is that they, with the help of their Heavenly Father, create a masterpiece of their lives.
No matter our age, circumstances, or abilities, each one of us can create something remarkable of his life.
David saw himself as a shepherd, but the Lord saw him as a king of Israel. Joseph of Egypt served as a slave, but the Lord saw him as a seer. Mormon wore the armor of a soldier, but the Lord saw him as a prophet.
We are sons and daughters of an immortal, loving, and all-powerful Father in Heaven. We are created as much from the dust of eternity as we are from the dust of the earth. Every one of us has potential we can scarcely imagine.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."
Me? Create a masterpiece? Hmmmmm.
What is a masterpiece by definition?
1. a person's greatest piece of work, as in an art.
2. anything done with masterly skill: a masterpiece of improvisation.
3. a consummate example of skill or excellence of any kind: The chef's cake was a masterpiece.
4. a piece made by a person aspiring to the rank of master in a guild or other craft organization as a proof of competence.
Food for thought--If I have the ability to truly make a masterpiece of my life, as do all those around me, how beautifully would all those masterpieces complement the masterpieces God has already shown to us all. If everyone had this goal, the results would be stunning.
God has given us wonderful blueprints to follow by looking at His masterpieces. Note the attention to detail, the vibrancy, the uniqueness, the design, the functionality, and the depth of every creation. Obviously our Maker poured heart and soul into every creative effort. Below are a few websites on which you can explore these ideas a little further.
Is not the Lord The Master of Masterpiece Makers? {I suggest right clicking on the links and opening in a new tab.}
Here are some beautiful pictures of things in nature.
Read about the creation from the scriptures.
Explore the world with Google Earth.
Oh, but you say--that is just for "amazing people". Let's take a look at some of the people that we think fit that category. How about-Handel, Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Leonardo Da Vinci, C.S. Lewis, etc.
Let’s take a closer look at one masterpiece maker…Michelangelo
This article shows how he picks marble specimens directly from quarry to match the project.
Here you can view his statue Pieta and then click on links on the page to view others of his great works. Look at the hand of the statue of David--you can see the veins, fingernails and lines of the knuckles!
In this article, it shows how Michelangelo just took away what didn't belong to reveal the masterpiece within.
Read about using Michelangelo's methods steps to make your own great design.
As I was reading about Michelangelo, I kept wanting to read more and more and more. It was absolutely fascinating. Michelangelo was definitely a masterpiece maker.
So, we can agree that the Michelangelo and many other well-known people are amazing--they are making (or have made) masterpieces of their lives. But, what about people that are not quite so famous? What about people that are masterpiece makers and yet their names may not be remembered 50 or 100 years from now? Here is one example.
Did that father and son make masterpieces of their lives? Was the masterpiece something we could touch? No. Could we admire it in a museum? No. Could it be performed on a stage? No. Could it still be considered a masterpiece? Yes.
What about you and I? Perhaps you can think of some people who are just regular everyday people you know who are creating masterpieces of their lives? People that are pouring heart and soul into their efforts. People who are using their gifts. Someone rearing a household of foster children? Someone anonymously serving others continually? Someone knitting sweaters by the thousands to give to those who have none? Someone who endures great suffering yet shows us all how to be cheerful? Someone who painstakingly and lovingly attends to a beautiful garden?
There are good examples all around us of people using different gifts to create masterpieces in their lives. Each of us is blessed with at least one wonderful gift that we can expand to the fullest extent possible.
Those who use the gifts that God has given them to the highest capacity are those that are creating masterpieces of their lives, just as the Lord intended for them to do. How do we know what God wants us to do?
Listen.
President Uchtdorf in the movie clip at the beginning counseled, “The more you trust and rely upon the spirit, the greater your capacity to create.”
You will change the world—now get out there and do it! :)
P.S. I turned this idea into a lesson for the whole family. I will be posting the lesson plan on www.fheplanner.blogspot.com soon. In the meantime, I will be posting later today, or tomorrow a post with edible "Make a Masterpiece Dough". This yummy clay is accompanied by many appealing add-ons to help all family members create a tasty little masterpiece! I'll include lots of pictures of our creations! :)
P.P.S. Don't forget to let me know of any Spring Clean for 5 tasks you got done. Time is short! And, of course you realize that there will be a new project coming up for May, so be prepared for that!
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