I push back a green leaf to pluck a black-fruited jewel. Another---this one the size of a giant's thumb! Five. Ten. Fifteen. Row after row. Yesterday, the berries were small, red, and unripe. Today they have transformed into plump Natchez blackberries, enough to eat by the handful and still have enough for our family and friends to each adorn a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream.

Somehow the passing cars and the power lines get lost in the color and form, and they matter not. This is gift. God himself beckons.

The tensions and irreconcilable juxtapositions have purpose. Sometimes we receive glimpses of their gifts, but even if you never see their goodnesses this side of eternity, they do exist. Here’s my tribute to a year that could have taken me under, but I choose to see it for what it is on the flip side: blessing.

Creative bursts come, and I believe they can for you too. Many activities labelled self-care double as artistic practice. Check out these five creativity restoring activities and fill up your tank again.