Don't you wish you could go back to living life as you did as a child, filled with smiles, hugs and a wonderful sense of kinetic energy?

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[a]?

Little children are naturally happy. They love getting hugs from the significant people in their lives-mom, dad, aunts, uncles and grandparents. They are filled with a kinetic energy that energizes the rest of us in whatever room they are in. Their love for life radiates in the smiles on their faces and the gentle embraces they give us as their caregivers. You drive by virtually any elementary school playground during lunch time and you will see children outside laughing with friends. Life is good.

As we grow up, we begin to pattern ourselves after the grownups we see.If we live under the constant barrage of worry such as 'we don't have enough money, we're going broke, I don't know what we're going to do if the plant I work at closes down, our children begin to lose the capacity for living life with joy. Many of these children grow up emulating the adults in their lives, sometimes needing medication to function.

Shortly after 9/11, Peter Jennings, ABC news correspondent took up smoking again just to cope with the worrying he was doing as he reported the devastating aftermath of the trade center's collapse- he died not much after that from cancer.

I believe it is natural because of the sin problem that permeates our world for our 'natural' man to worry. You can see this in all of the scriptures beginning in Genesis. But there is good news.

When Jesus died and rose again from the dead and took his rightful place in Heaven, he sent all those who freely receive him into their lives the gift of the holy spirit. Instead of worry that is a byproduct of natural man, he gave us the power to be happy and filled with optimism all while the rest of the world is drowning in worry and hopelessness.

So, the next time you find yourself dwelling on life's negativity, look to Jesus Christ, the source of your optimism. Before you know it, you will be filled with a wonderful kinetic energy you hadn't known since you were a child! Instead of negativity, your speech is filled with optimism that will be emulated by those around you.

Now, that is a beautiful thought!