How do you do? Welcome to the first edition of Art, Poetry & Inspiration Mondays, where I’ll be sharing my love of poetry, art & anything inspirational with you. I’ll be focusing on one word each session.
I wrote my first poem when I was 15 years old, but became a full blown poet at about 18, after writing a love poem for someone important to me at that time. Then suddenly, I just kept on writing and writing, and getting better and better at it. I love writing poetry, it makes me feel very happy and makes me feel a great sense of achievement. My favorite poet is Helen Steiner Rice.
I have a great appreciation for the arts in all its forms, I am very inspired by the arts and love inspiring others. That’s why this blog series is called Art, Poetry & Inspiration.
Today’s theme for “A, P & I” is the word “worry” and what it means. I confess, I am a worrier, yes you read right, I’m a worrier and not a warrior. These words sound kind of the same, but have two very different meanings. Guess which one I’d rather be.
Truly, in order to be one, you have to not be the other. I can’t be a very good warrior for God, if my shield of faith is broken by the stronghold of worry.
“Nothing to Worry About”
Artist- Peter Terrin (Mexico)
Found here
Worry
Worry can’t change things
Fix things or make things better
It doesn’t add to your life in anyway
Unless it’s to give you an ulcer
So why worry?
Don’t ask me
Why do I do it?
Worry does absolutely nothing for me
Why do I worry and make such a fuss?
When I know God’s got a plan for us
Worry doesn’t add at all to my days
In fact, my blood pressure it raise
Truth is, why worry?
When you know God is working it out
and out of your problems a stronger you will sprout
No matter the problem, God’s got a solution
So don’t fall for the devil’s persecution
Worry is fear’s cousin
And you know how these naughty cousins play
Pulling pranks, telling lies
Twisting the truth everyday
They make things seem so much worst than they really are
Let faith lead your heart
Let it be your guiding star
Don’t fret, don’t worry about a thing
Life will bring what it brings
Written by me (Latisha J Greaves- Barker)
Truth be told, even though I have seen God come through for me time after time, right on time in His perfect timing. I still find myself in a state of worry, to the point of this emotion stealing my joy. History has shown me that nothing is ever as bad as I worry/fear it will be. Like my dad has told many times, it’s best to cross the bridge when you get to it.
Another Bridge Crossed
He was a wise man
With many wise things to say
He had many proverbs, verses and sayings
to help me through the day
One of the things I’d remember him say
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there”
What does that mean I’d ask and he’d say
“Don’t worry about tomorrow or dwell on yesterday”
But I have to admit sometimes I do worry
And wanted tomorrow to hurry, hurry
Then when it came, it turned out that I had what I needed
So experience has taught me and his words I heeded
I learnt not to worry as much as I use to
But I’m only human; worry a little I still do
I’m teaching my children to trust in their Father
That when the time came, He would give them the answer
So today another bridge we crossed
And I learnt once again to trust
In our heavenly Father, it’s a must, it’s a must
Written by me (Latisha J Greaves- Barker)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
“Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”
Corrie ten Boom
“If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.”
Dalai Lama XIV
How would your life be different if…You stopped worrying about things you can’t control and started focusing on the things you can? Let today be the day…You free yourself from fruitless worry, seize the day and take effective action on things you can change.”
Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free
“If you spent your life concentrating on what everyone else thought of you, would you forget who you really were?”
Jodi Picoult, Nineteen Minutes
“How can a person deal with anxiety? You might try what one fellow did. He worried so much that he decided to hire someone to do his worrying for him. He found a man who agreed to be his hired worrier for a salary of $200,000 per year. After the man accepted the job, his first question to his boss was, “Where are you going to get $200,000 per year?” To which the man responded, “That’s your worry.”
Max Lucado
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Worry is truly the thief of joy….
Thanks for sharing your poetry with us at Mommy Monday!
XOXO
I love poetry too. I wouldn’t call myself a poet, but I have written poems, ballads etc. Most times I find that I enjoy reading them more than writing.
I love the piece you shared here. I love how you take time to research and study a word.
Worry makes things seem worse than they really are…
Thank you for sharing at Grace&Truth Linkup.
Love, Grace.
What an uplifting post that I needed today. You are a gifted writer !! It is easy to get burdened down with care and not trust. I want, as a human, to know “the rest of the story” but all God promises is today and that’s enough. Today I’m blessed and I’ll cross tomorrow’s bridge when I get there !! Thanks for sharing – I needed this today.