Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Staying consistent in an ever changing world.

I loved this story, because I do believe we need to remember we are living in an ever changing world. The pace is fast and the pressure is unbelievable.  I just went to this Quilt Market last week, I was talking to a young designer. I asked her what it was like to design your own fabric, and was it exciting to see your designs be printed on fabric? Her answer was "Yes, it is really exciting but I have to admit, you almost don't have a chance to admire it, because the pressure is on to hurry and design something for the next season. I thought it was going to be just a small time commitment but it is a 8 -10 hour day, every day" "There is a huge competition in this line of work, if you don't stay on top of creating something amazing and beautiful, there is someone else who will."

It reminded me that even something good, can be a test of your ability to make the right choice and to stay consistent in such a fast pace, ever changing world. I always thought that I would like to design fabric but maybe I will just have to do patterns instead. I love creating and the challenge to create something that has never been done  before but...I don't want to give up the time I spend with family and friends, and that does come first. Each day is a challenge to make the right decisions and to keep a balance in our lives. Balance...now that is a hard one!

The Painter and The Child 

     

Centuries ago a great artist was engaged to paint a mural for the cathedral in a Sicilian town. The subject was the life of Christ. For many years the artist labored diligently, and finally the painting was finished except for the two most important figures: the Christ Child and Judas Iscariot. He searched far and wide for suitable models.
One day while walking in the city he came upon some children playing in the street. Among them was a 12-year-old boy whose face stirred the painter's heart. The artist took the child home with him, and day after day the boy sat patiently until the face of the Christ Child was finished. But the painter still had found no model for the portrait of Judas.
The story of the unfinished masterpiece spread afar, and many men, fancying themselves of wicked countenance, offered to pose for Judas. But in vain the old painter looked for Judas, as he envisioned him-a man warped by life, enfeebled by surrender to greed and lust.
Then one afternoon as he sat in a tavern, a gaunt and tattered figure staggered across the threshold. 'Wine, wine,' he begged. The startled painter looked into a face that seemed to bear the marks of every sin of mankind. "Greatly excited, the old painter said, 'Come with me, and I will give you wine.'
For many days the painter worked feverishly to complete his masterpiece. As the work went on, a change came over the model. A strange tension replaced the stupor languor, and his bloodshot eyes were fixed with horror on the painted likeness of himself.
One day, perceiving his subject's agitation, the painter paused in his work. "My son," he said, "what troubles you so?"
The man buried his face in his hands, sobbing. After a long moment he lifted pleading eyes to the old painter's face. "Do you not then remember me? Years ago I was your model for the Christ Child.'"     ~Hugh B. Brown

"It is possible to be clean in a dirty world."
Sheri L. Dew (God Wants a Powerful People)

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
- Dr Wayne Dyer

"Quite frankly, I don't think "time" is the problem.
The real problem is the number of activities or tasks that we take on.
A sign of our time is that we forget how to say "no", and take on far too many things."
Catherine Pulsifer

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