Yes and No...

"Will you play games with me?"  

"Can I have another snack?"

 "Can I play with my friends?" 

"Can i help you?"  

"Will you help me"

I am amazed at the amount of times every day in which I have to say these two words:  YES and NO.

Sometimes the sheer volume of questions and the impending deductive reasoning exercises I must force myself to engage in to come up with an answer is quite overwhelming.  Most of the time, the answer is easy, "No, you may not jump off the top bunk."  or  "Yes, I heard you ask if you can skip doing your homework and watch one more episode of Jonas... but I'm positive that you already know what the answer to that question will be, my sweet child."

But other times, I am forced to weigh the options, look at the big picture, think ahead, and try to stick to my guns even in the times when I would rather let them all fend for themselves and just leave me be.

I'm not a big decision maker.  Some people revel in taking charge and making choices.  Me, I'd rather have somebody else do it for me.  I'm fairly laid back at home, and so for most things I have to muster up the energy to establish and enforce my answers.

This indecision (and a nagging people pleaser problem that I'm ruthlessly trying to rid myself of) make those two little words weightier.  I am realizing that I'm too quick with my "yes" and "no".  I am convicted that I do not spend enough time asking the Holy Spirit to guide my "yeah's" and "nay's."  I want to be more purposeful in how I spend my time and energy.

God has really been challenging me in this area.  What am I saying "yes" to, that instead, I should be saying "no?"  What am I saying "no" to, that should be warranting an enthusiastic "yes?"  He is calling me to make some big changes in my life and I am struggling in walking out those decisions in obedience.  But I learned a long time ago, that I made Jesus LORD of my life, and that means that HE gets to tell me what to do, and my job is simply to do what He says.

SO, for me, God is challenging me to say more "yes's" to... "Mom, will you sit down and read this book to me?" More "no's" to wasting time on Facebook.   More "yes's" to studying and writing.  More "no's" to putting my husband's needs behind everyone else.  "Yes's" to patience, perseverance, and advocating for my children.  "No's" to feeling like I have to do everything for everybody.

But that's MY stuff.  What's YOUR stuff?  Maybe for you, you need to say more "yes's" to serving outside your home and more "no's" to too many kids activities.  Maybe you need to say "no" to that boss who is asking too much of you and say "yes" to something you feel you should be doing to make your marriage stronger?  Maybe you need to clean less and play more. (This is definitely not me!!!  But I know you girls are out there!!!)

All I'm saying, my friends, is that we have to continually seek God for direction for our Y's and N's - and then have the courage to walk it out.  We cannot just keep walking through our lives blindly saying "yes" and "no" without regard to God's sovereign plan and leading in our lives.  We'll get messed up doing the wrong things at the wrong time for the wrong reasons.  And that's no good for anyone.

So here's to you... may your "yes's" be full of excitement and adventure, and your "no's" full of strength and grace.

Colossions 1:9-12 - Be assured that from the first day we heard of you, we haven't stopped praying for you, asking God to give you wise minds and spirits attuned to his will, and so acquire a thorough understanding of the ways in which God works. We pray that you'll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you'll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us.

I love you.

Kristie 

Benefit for Leslie McClain

Good morning friends! Wanted to pass along the information for Leslie's fundraiser.

It's being held at Grizzly's Grill 'N Saloon, 15020 Glazier Avenue, Apple Valley, on the morning of Saturday, September 26th from 8:00 to 10:30 am (last seating at 10:00). The cost is $6.00 per ticket. Tickets are available for purchase at the reception desk of Apple Valley Ford Lincoln Mercury from Wednesday, September 16th through Wednesday, September 23rd. Tickets may also be reserved for purchase at the door by emailing
mclainbenefit@hotmail.com with your requested quantity. Checks can be made payable to the "Leslie McLain Donation Fund".

Grizzly's will donate the food and beverages and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans® will be matching the proceeds for this event (up to $3,200). A special thank you to both for their generosity.

On behalf of the people planning the benefit, thank you for your time.

How Do I Love Thee?

Oh, Target. Sweet Target. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I recognize that there are times that I take you for granted. Your shiny red circles. Your long kid friendly stroller carts. Your Starbucks lovingly placed for my shopping enjoyment.

Sometimes you have to stray away, before you realize what you had all along.

Yesterday, I went to Walmart.

I was in need of a few last minute school supplies (which my lovely Target was inexplicably sold out of!) so I headed off to my local Walmart. First of all, the cars in the parking lot were strangely parked wildly askew. Are their lines crooked? Is the Walmart shopper unable to line up their car with the painted lines? I was perplexed.

Then I tried to get a cart. For ALL my kids. You know, a multi-seater where I can strap in 2, throw one in the front, and let one hang off the back like the responsible mother I am. No big carts in sight. My children were forced to run around unrestrained which inevitably leads to a cart full of secretly hidden items which I have no idea where they came from. Did I really pick up 5 boxes of Fruit Gushers and not remember it?

Then I tried to push my teeny tiny cart through an aisle where some "associates" were stocking a shelf. Between their carts and the 3 other people standing there watching them, I couldn't get through. So I stood there. And I stood there. I kind of cleared my throat a little. Finally, I said, "Pardon me, can I sneak through, please?" No kidding... with the S -L-O-W-E-S-T movement possible, they painstakingly moved like 2 feet so I could inch by with my brood of children.

But the kicker...we decided to hit the restrooms on the way out. 3 of the 5 stalls have half taped on handwritten signs that say, "out of order." I'm waiting for my kids to come out of the stalls when an associate from the customer service desk comes in with a gallon of milk that has been returned because its gone bad. She opens it up and starts pouring it down the drain, filling the room with the fine aroma of spoiled milk! In the customer's bathroom!!!

So, Target, I know I strayed. I got sucked into the promise of cheaper diapers and Miley Cyrus clothing lines. But I've learned my lesson. I'm yours... eternally.