Painting A New Day

I read a quote this morning by Barbara Johnson, “Attitude is the mind’s paintbrush; it can color any situation.” It gave me this mental picture of a clean white blank canvas ready to be painted by the events of the day, with each color on your palette representing a different feeling or emotion, what would your painting look like at the end of the day?

Do you remember the artist Bob Ross? He had a TV show called The Joy of Painting and always seemed so calm and happy. When he was asked why he was so happy his response was, “It’s because I can create the kind of world that I want, and I can make this world as happy as I want it. Shoot, if you want bad stuff, watch the news.”

Aside from one of his most popular saying, “let’s put a happy little tree here,” I came across a few others that I wanted to share:

• Trees cover up a multitude of sins
• You need the dark in order to show the light
• In painting, you have unlimited power. You have the ability to move mountains. You can bend rivers
• Look around. Look at what we have. Beauty is everywhere—you only have to look to see it
• I can’t think of anything more rewarding than being able to express yourself to others through painting.

In high school I took an oil painting class. The first thing we did was paint the canvas white giving it a fresh start which made the other colors easier to work with. If the painting wasn’t turning out the way you had hoped you could paint the whole canvas white and start again.

Referencing the quotes mentioned above, each day is a new start and we can paint the day however we choose depending on our attitude. I was surprised at how many of Bob’s quotes made me think of lessons taught by Jesus.

• Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8
• The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. John 1:5
• I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible. Matthew 17:20
• Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart. Ecclesiastes 3:11
• In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

We are that blank canvas that has a new start and will show the world our character and belief in the way we express and live our lives. When we need to start over we have grace and forgiveness. Our lives are a work in progress but God already sees us as His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.

As you begin to paint your day remember, today is a beautiful day simply because God made it. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.

My prayer

Father, thank you for new beginnings and for the opportunity to choose my attitude. I want my life to reflect You. I want to become the masterpiece that You already know I am. Open my eyes to the beauty around me and let me be a light in the darkness. I want my picture to be one of love, joy and relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Where does my help come from?

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”