FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2022 - NO IS NOT A BAD WORD

 FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2022 - NO IS NOT A BAD WORD

The Word "No" Is Important For Your Spiritual Journey

The most important word to remember for your spiritual journey may be a surprising one — no.

Your faith journey is a long one. Too many people start off well in their spiritual journey but putter out before the end. God wants you to go the distance.

You’ve got a marathon ahead of you, and you can’t run the marathon with a barbell in your hands. Often people quit their faith journey early because everything they’re carrying wears them out.

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We need to de-clutter.

A cruise liner can get pretty fast in the middle of the water. If you add a hundred lifeboats to it, it’ll slow down. Plug a battery into one light bulb, and it’ll go a long way. Plug it into 15, and it drains much more quickly. Plug it into 100, and it’ll drain even more quickly.

That’s what happens to us when we try to do too much. Sometimes doing good keeps us from doing the best.

Weights aren’t bad; they’re not sinful. They’re just unnecessary. It could be a job, a relationship, or a hobby. It’s something that slows you down from what God wants from your life. And they’re not worth it.

(From Rick Warren)

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I’ve always liked being busy.  Even now in my retirement, being busy is “good”, and being free is “bad”.  I’m writing this and just took an extra assignment in my working for the retirement independent living facility.  (Ultimately, that assignment will become a contribution to one of my charities.)

In particular, I remember the past days when I had some event every night of the week except Sunday.  I loved to say “YES”.  

They: “Hey, could you help out with this project?”

Me:  “Sure, I’d love to”

But I’m finding that I need some “me” time.  In my retirement, my personal “job” is writing a blog of about 1,000 words every day.  It is something I “demand” of myself.  Yes, I can say “NO”, but … that’s very hard for me.

For example, there is an annual event at one of my churches, and I said “yes”.  It is going to make for a long day to work at this event and work at my retirement facility.  I will probably miss my nap (and, my nap is something that I “demand” of myself, and my body “demands” it as well!!!)

[It still has to be better than last year, when I drove to Norman Oklahoma on Friday night, played Granny Basketball all day on Saturday of the annual event, then drove back through Dallas/Fort Worth when I was tired and cranky, then worked at the event (without my nap!!).

I said “yes” to a friend who wanted to go for coffee on Friday, and ‘yes’ to another friend who wants to walk at the Recreation Center on Friday - and the first one didn’t specify the time, but in the past, we’ve done coffee in the morning - so I might be double booked!!!  (Ouch).

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I’ve been listening to an audiobook by Shauna Niequist, “Present over Perfect” where she retells learning to say “NO” occasionally.  She was raising a young family, speaking all around the country, and writing every day and was exhausted from saying “yes” too frequently.

She suggests that her top priority is her family.  “No, I can’t miss the kid’s birthday party”, “No I can’t miss my husband’s annual Christmas Party”, “No, I can’t miss my mother’s 75th birthday party.”  Then the second priority is her work and closest friends.

She commented that saying “NO” to good things (like speaking at a conference in Seattle when she lives in Chicago) is okay.  It doesn’t impact her family like the travel and speaking.

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So, even with retirement, saying “NO” is okay.  Let it go.  

Will somebody (anybody), say “Poor Karen, she missed the high school reunion of the class of 1972” or will they say “That’s okay. We understand you can’t be all places at the same time.”

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Towards the end of August, I’m planning a vacation - a vacation alone.  A vacation by myself - five (or six) days hiking.  Yes, I already know I will be missing a symphony rehearsal, a Granny Basketball practice, our weekly bridge group, a weekly Bible Study group, and work!!!  

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So, decluttering my life might mean saying “no” to good activities.  Maybe it will be good to get away for a few days!!!

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LOVE WINS

Karen White

July 29, 2022