HESITATION ISN'T ALWAYS A BAD THING

I admire the artists who can paint holiday decorations on storefront windows. I’ve never done it, but recently I was asked to do something similar for a friend on her sliding glass doors. I jumped at the opportunity. But when she said she wanted a New York skyline, just simple and fast, I should have hesitated and politely said no.

I know how I operate and the first attempt doing a new project with new media and new techniques is never “simple and fast.” I’ve painted murals and portraits and columns and many other things, but never decorations on windows. It’s not really my style of painting so everything would be new.

As I started to do research on the project and thought through how to go about it, I was getting more and more stressed. It wasn’t that I was afraid. I can work through "afraid" pretty well. But this feeling was more of a foreboding. I think we’ve all felt it at times. I was willing to do the project and wanted to do it, but no matter how excited I wanted to be about it, I just had no peace.

I went to the local art stores, checked on materials, found out about techniques and did a lot of thinking about the images I wanted to use. In time alone, I used up more than the job warranted and I basically used up any money I expected to make on the project.

Finally I realized I’d gotten myself into a big mess. I could feel my shoulders hunching and I was overly agitated and way too stressed out about it. I had to tell my friend I just couldn’t do it. She totally understood and I was relieved. I’d still like to do a project like this but not for someone else until I’ve practiced on my own windows first!

Lessons learned:

1. Don’t be too quick to jump into something I’m not qualified for, no matter how fun it looks.

2. If I want to do something well, get some practice first.

3. If I really feel uneasy about something, it’s okay to politely say no.

4. If I don’t have peace about a project, maybe I shouldn’t be doing it.

I think these principles apply to many things in life. Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be careful [overly anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

So if you’re getting overly anxious about a project, it’s time to rethink it and take it to the Lord like it says here in Philippians.

Love, Carolyn                                                                                                                                                          

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