Quotes from Edith Schaeffer

It is not necessary to have an extravagant food budget in order to serve things with variety and tastefully cooked. It is not necessary to have expensive food on the plates before they can enter the dining room as things of beauty in colour and texture. Food should be served with real care as to the colour and texture on the plates, as well as with imaginative taste. This is where artistic talent and aesthetic expression and fulfillment come in.

I often advise young brides who are traveling during their first weeks or months of marriage to start "homemaking" in a hotel, even if they are there for only a night, rather than groaning about having to "wait so long to have a home". How? ...Your own cloth, your own candlestick, just one rose or daffodil is enough to make a difference... You will be surprised how much difference it makes to have done something to make a room your home, even for one night.

Writing for enjoyment of expression- like music and painting,(and photography)- does not NEED an audience of more than one.

Because man was created in the image of a creator. Man was created that he might create. It is not a waste of mans time to be creative. It is not a waste to pursue artistic or scientific pursuits in creativity, because this is what man was made to be able to do. He was made in he image of a creator, and given the capacity to create.

Everyone who has any talent at all in sketching, painting, sculpturing or carving, should have the opportunity to use that talent. The expression is important for the person, and can tremendously enrich the lives of other people. What can you do?

If you have two loves of bread, sell one and buy a lily. The bread becomes a different thing when eaten at a table with the lily in the center.

Whether in music, or other things, one never knows what surprisingly satisfying things God has in His plan for the developed talent with is literally 'given' to Him to use or to lay aside.

Be satisfied with the fact that although your art or talent may never be accepted by the world as anything 'great', and may never be your career, it can be used to enrich your day by day life:enrich it for you, and for the people with whom you live.... and come to the recognition of the fact that it is important for you to BE creative in this area to the extent of your talent: important for you as a person who IS a creative creature.

And so- what can we get get done in those few hours and days and weeks and years? We are limited by time and by areas of talent and ability. So our creativity is not on God's level at all. His creativity is unlimited and infinite. Nevertheless we have been created in His image, so we can be, and are made to be, creative.

Writing for enjoyment of expression does not need an audience of more than one.

whether we choose to be an environment or not, we are. We produce an environment other people have to live in. We should be conscious of the fact that this environment which we produce by our very "being" can affect the people who live with us or work with us. The effect on them is something they cannot avoid. We should have thoughtfulness concerning our responsibility in this area.

People so often look with longing into a daydream future, while ignoring the importance of the present. We are all in danger of thinking, "Some day I shall be fulfilled. Some day I shall have the courage to start another life which will develop my talent," without ever considering the very practical use of that talent today in a way which will enrich other people's lives, develop the talent, and express the fact of being a creative creature.

Human beings were made to interact with growing things, not to be born, live, and die in the midst of concrete set in the middle of polluted air!

One active artist gives courage and incentive, and germinates ideas in others for producing more art.

Ideas carried out stimulate more ideas.

I feel very strongly that this modern fear of the home becoming non-existent can be countered only if those of us who want to be sure our little spot is really a home take very practical measures to be sure that it is just that, and not a collection of furniture sitting in some sort of enclosure being protected from wind and storm.

Even if (musical) talent is "just" used within a family, someone is appreciating what is being produced, or is sharing in the enjoyment.... for relaxation; for just plain fun and sharing: for the experience of doing something creative together.

There is a God who is there, and who is personal, and who accepts art (music) as a praise to Himself, as worship, when given to Him in this sincere way- without being strained through the 'strainer' of human acceptance. If we follow the urging of God, we would not be embarrassed to fulfill our urge to create(make music) for God's ears alone. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth.

Even if you can not sculpt great foundations, because you have not got that sort of talent, at least carve a child's toy... Start SOMEWHERE. Do not let this desire be simply a frustration that turns into bitterness when it could grow and develop, given some small outlet..

If children haven't been read to, they don't love books. They need to love books, for books are the basis of literature, composition, history, world events, vocabulary, and everything else.