Just Say NO!

I have been a "yes" man for as long as I can remember.  I'm by nature a people pleaser and struggle to find balance between wanting people to like me and setting my priorities and boundaries. 

Since the day I was married I started to really struggle with my "yes desease."  8 years ago I married an amazing man who has truly blessed my life...yet I struggled to put him first as I saw so many needs in others around me.

 

This Monday, the 17th, celebrates the day I became a mother. My daughter Abby was born and my life has not been the same from that moment! 3 kiddos later I still struggle to put my family first...

Until 3 weeks ago...

In the midst of all the running, commitments, pressure, and demands I started saying the hardest word in my vocabulary...NO.

I am finally beginning to understand how important it is to make my family my first job, my first priority, my first ministry. And OH WHAT FREEDOM there is in saying NO!

We've had more family game nites playing Candyland and "the Camp Game" as my kids call it. We've had more cookies and milk together.
We've had more reading time together.
We've had more time to sing and pray together.

And do you know what?!!! I can, in these 3 short weeks, see a visible change in my children. Mommy is not as stressed getting out the door to here, there, and everywhere and THEY are reaping all the benefits.

 

THANK YOU LORD for giving me the willpower to say YES to my family and NO to overcommittment!

This happy face make me very happy!

Joy

Joy.  That emotion of great delight that naturally springs from my children.  Thier carefree outlook on life as they sing and dance and play.

I LOVE watching them.  Oh to be ignorant and young!

May we, even in the midst of the knowledge of hurt and sorrow in the world, be a ray of light...of joy that radiates as these precious faces do. 

When I think of happiness of think of circumstances...a winning goal made, a birthday celebration...but joy...can't we be joyful in the midst of difficulty?  May our joy be enough to praise our God even in the midst of sorrow, pain, and failure knowing that HIS love is enough to sustain us and carry us and then produce that beautiful product of joy in our lives.

joyfully yours,

Kristin