Recently I surprised my staff team with a day away from emails, phone  calls and endless meetings. This day was simply about being creative artists. Artists who needed a little fun and a whole lot of creative input.  Our surprise day revealed a trip to an art gallery in Golden, a Mexican lunch and an afternoon at the Denver Art Museum. Loaded with colored pens, pencils, sketch books and chocolate, the goal was simply to capture anything...a word, an image, or idea that caught their attention, making them take a second look. Stain-glass windows, textured floors and white walls drew us in to explore, think and wonder. Impressionist paintings, colorful photographs and 3D artwork leaped off the walls and found their way into the blank pages of our sketch books. Later in the day, as we made our way back to reality I took a little time to really look at each artist and thank God for the way he's gifted and wired them. Each could choose to use their talents elsewhere but instead they live out their call in the context of the local church. They're called on to bring forth colorful, creative ideas in a moment's notice.  They pour out so much in the planning of our worship services, ministry events and any other task which calls for creativity. Surprising them with a special day of full on ART was both a privilege and an honor.