This Work of Our Hands

Inspired by a wooden sculpture in the wilderness, Caitlan Rangel reflects on our ability to create as children of the Creator.

Thanks, Rita 

On a recent trip to Colorado to spend time with family, we went on an adventure that proved more delightful and thought-provoking than I imagined, thanks to a troll named Rita. 

Seven of us packed into the car, drove thirty minutes to the small town of Cripple Creek, and then took a short walk to meet a troll named Rita the Rock Planter. 

I don’t know what I expected, but I did not expect to be tickled and inspired by a wooden sculpture of a troll at the physical intersection of vast natural beauty and man-made mining. 

As I’ve reflected on Rita, I think I’m struck by the raw materials and imagination that came together to make her. Before she was a sculpture and environmental statement, she was just pieces of wood. 

The human ability to create is amazing. 

I think about my mother-in-law who makes a mean loaf of sourdough bread. Even at the high altitude of their cabin, she cares for and crafts loaves for our family to enjoy. Simple water, flour, and salt become crusty and delicious nourishment. 

I think of my grandmother who makes beautiful and thoughtful cards she sends us each holiday. Pieces of colored paper, glued, stamped, and bedazzled, become treasures that rival the best of store-bought cards.  

I think of my children who make hotels and ice cream shops out of cardboard, comical creations out of modeling clay, and sketches of far-off places with paper and pencil. 

The human ability to create is amazing. 

Children of the Creator 

A stream was welling up out of the earth and watering all the surface of the ground—then the Lord God formed the man out of the dust of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:6-7) 

That we can create wonderful things from simple materials should not surprise us. We are children of the Creator, the One who created all things out of nothing through his words and hands. 

As children of the Creator, the way we create can draw us closer to God our Father and can be used at the service of others. 

Creating isn’t only for “creative people” or “artists.” We all have the ability to use our minds, hearts, and bodies to make something new or something of value. 

Bringing It Home 

What do you have the ability to create or steward today and this week? 

Perhaps it is something artistic like writing, music, or drawing. 

Perhaps it is organizational like spreadsheets, lists, or neat and peaceful spaces in your home. 

Perhaps it is through cultivating a craft like gardening, baking, or other work with your hands.  

Whatever the case, consider the impact this creative work has on others.  

A troll in the wilderness, a loaf of bread, a lovely card … all creations that inspire, encourage, and feed the soul in their own way. 

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Copyright 2026 Caitlan Rangel
Images: (top, bottom) Canva; (center) copyright 2026 Caitlan Rangel, all rights reserved.