Scribbling in the Sand

When I read this book, I loved the ideas more than the excecution of them, in the literary sense. I guess I expected it to be more eloquent, with better excegetics, but I realized that it was not needed. Some times as a painter, I would keep working on a painting too long, and really make it worse than better. What I was looking for was not needed, it would have muddied the colors Michael was trying to communicate to us. Thanks for giving us your thoughts, and being willing to share those of others with us in the persuit of excellence in our gifts.

Why should a doctor who can't carry a tune in a bucket and can't draw a stick figure love a book about the nature of art and creativity written by a musician? But I fell in love with this book from the first chapter, for it beautifully and eloquently puts forth a vision of Christianity that everyone needs to hear and embrace. As Larry Crabb describes the book, "Every Christian needs to meditate on Michael Card's message...the result will be a thrilling release of the Spirit from depths you hadn't before realized were there.." I had the pleasure of hearing Michael discuss the themes of this book in a coffee-house: he is a humble and wise servant of Christ, and his writing reflects it.

Michael Card is well-known for his music, and as a Christian author he reaches down deep into the heart. Scribblng in the Sand will challenge artists of all types to use their gifts as worship to God. This is not a how to book. No advice on getting published or how to write better or how to paint or how to improve your talent.The middle bogged down a bit for me, but the first few chapters and the last few were excellent. Great teaching. Great reading. He includes letters written to artists from other artists. These provide very good advice and were poignant. If you are an artist of any type, get this book and keep in your library.

Yes, okay, Michael's book is great and I had quite an eloquent review in mind. Then I got to the letter by Harold Best at the end of the book and forgot all about it: get this book for those pages alone. And for Calvin Seerveld's letter, and for the letter from the art guy from New York, and from the Dutch guy. Mallowcups will of course be credited to Mike's account because he had the--what? generosity? halacious acumen?--to include them. This book should be a textbook companion in the life of every writer, poet, artist, whatever, who belongs to Jesus and wants a clear slant on the creative responsibility. I haven't read another book of its kind, and didn't know I was wistful for it. There are some books that should never be loaned out, and this has joined those few on my shelf. I'll slobber and rave over it, and will remain cheerfully selfish with my copy. I'll buy it for someone else before I loan it, because it will be taken from my shelf again and again for reference.Having gushed, I will say I'm not sure how I feel about Mike's take on this "getting together" thing, this accountability thing with other artists. I've seen that side, have been there, and the accountability rap can get icky. Stormy solitude is a more compelling place; but I will say, I'm cautiously checking out his ideas and I'll get back to him on it. Oh, and Mike: the appendix, which you wrote "reluctantly" on the advice of some friends, wasn't needed. You should have taken a bullet on that one. If someone didn't get it before then, how could a didactic play-by-play stick 'em in the guts? I loved it when you said "For their sake, here, reluctantly, are a few ideas." What cheering honesty. Mallowcups for Mike, the whole package, points and all.

Here is a beautifully published, inspiring work by a great musician who is a fountain of insight into God's heart and our imagination. Michael Card focuses primarily on Christ in this book on Christ and Creativity, and by doing so, directs our attention to the source and objective of our artist efforts. We, as Christian artists, are Christ's own possession, Card says, living for Him and through Him to accomplish everything by His inspiring strength. With personal, encouraging words, Card writes a wonderfully sound book that should be read by artists around the world. It isn't loaded with practical advice for building or working out creativity (though there are bits here and there), but the chapter of letters to young artists from a diverse group of accomplished, godly artists reads like Proverbs, line after line of memorable advice. That chapter and the bibliography of works on imagination and creativity are worth the price of the book.