Worry Worry Worry

Worry is the power of creation turned against your own best interests. The same engine that runs your car in reverse will move it forward if you but reposition the gearshift. To shift from reverse to drive, reframe your experiences to find the blessing rather than the problem. Then you will become the master of your universe, rather than its victim.


http://positive-thoughts.typepad.com/positive-thoughts/2011/06/to-change-your-life-begin-by-changing-your-thoughts.html#tp

DON'T WORRY

The don't worry movement, a wave of spiritual emancipation: A gospel of Christian optimism

Theodore Frelinghuysen Seward,  published 1898

Awakening to possibilites

"AS I AWOKE" 60" x 48",  oil on canvas, 2010 by Debra Clemente

My recent painting "AS I AWOKE" was an exciting discovery for me on several levels. As I have changed the way my life is directed I am as well applying these lessons to my painting process.

When I began the painting, I knew not where the adventure would lead me. I thought it might be a large colorful abstract. As I have as yet to paint a full fledged abstract, I found myself seeing and developing possibilities in the patterns of colors I was laying down upon the canvas, much like how one discovers shapes in the clouds which appear to be more than random puffs of air. My level of energy and enthusiasm to discover the treasure that lay within remains evident in the painting as one can see where I scratched through the paint revealing wondrous hidden color suggesting the grasses and sunlight on the hills.

I have found that when I have something so specific in mind at the start I often struggle and agonize to "get it right" and yet at other times wonderful paintings seem to "fall from the sky" onto my canvas within a relatively short time. Not long ago I believed that blood, sweat and tears was the only valid avenue of art creation. I didn't give full credence to these works that flowed with ease from my imagination which is indeed a gift from God. I am consciously working on painting through a higher level unconsciousness, desiring Spirit to work through me and not fight the flow with my own preconceived ideas.

It's a delight to share with you.

What's Next?



"Our Vacation Villa" by Debra Clemente


I don't know what's next. I'm doing my best to be comfortable with that. How? By praying. By giving up my life to God. Doing my best to play by his rules. Living one moment at a time and breathing deeply. It feels so good to breathe in fresh air. Doing this makes me thankful. Thankful I'm breathing easy. Thankful for the breathe of life.

No one really knows what's next. They may think they do, but they don't. They can't, try as they may. When so much energy is given to thinking about what is next, one misses the opportunity to enjoy the breathe of life they are now experiencing. I believe that most fears arise out of not knowing what is next. Until one learns to let go and let God then one will be constantly battling for a sense of control and playing our possible scenarios of "what's next" in one's mind.

I recently read that the phrase "Worst-case scenario" outnumbers "Best-case" scenario" nearly four to one in modern usage. We have believed that by thinking through all the possible bad things that could happen and the imagining how we would deal with each possible bad situation we are helping ourselves. The ego does not like surprises and is comforted by feeling that it has mentally prepared for anything that could challenge it. I am am now seeing that we have had it all wrong.


It is said that "What one thinks about one brings about." So what would you rather spend your time doing. Thinking about or preparing for the worst or the best? Hmmm. You see, if you think the worst-case it will surely be your case. So just in case, I'm sticking to the best-case. And as one never knows, I'm giving it up to God as to what's next.

We are taught to worry

It’s really a horrible thing. I did it myself. I remember trying to at least. Weren’t we all supposed to? We seem to have programmed ourselves to believe that if we are not currently doing something that we perhaps should or could be doing then it is our responsibility to at least worry about it.

My daughter Amanda had just turned five and few days had past since the whirlwind of her birthday party. As I walked through the family room where she sat intently playing with her new toys, a thought came to me. Actually, the thought came to me again. We needed to write the thank you notes.

Amanda could sign her name and draw a pretty picture but I would be the one writing the actual thank you notes for each of her birthday gifts. I knew it was my responsibility to get this done but as well my responsibility to have her involved in the process. My mother instilled in me the importance of  acknowledging gifts with a hand written thank you note delivered timely manner. So as each day passed the guilt grew. “We need to write the thank you notes for you birthday presents, Amanda.” I said to her as she brushed her new Barbie’s hair. “So we can stop worrying about it.”

Clear as day, I can remember her looking up at me and saying “I’m not worrying about it.” It’s true she wasn’t it and that is the exact moment that I realized that we teach our children to worry. The question still remained. Should I teach her to worry about it?

Eighteen years later, it is obvious that I did indeed instill in my daughter the value of a handwritten thank you, as she regularly and promptly writes and sends gracious notes.  But I don’t think she worries about it. I certainly hope not, but I’m not going to worry about it.