Sunday, May 24, 2015

Sunday Afternoon Tea - Saying Yes! to life when you feel like No

The front door to my daughter's home

When my daughter suggested we come out to New England to coincide with the week in May that Brimfield is going on, my first thought was a definite "I cannot do it!". Travel is difficult under any circumstances but May is pretty much the worst time to leave home.  (With the probable exception of Mid-Winter in New England.)

I already had too much to do.  The garden is always a priority around Mother's Day.  I don't feel well.  My husband would have to take his food and supplements.  I was in the midst of tweaking insulin as it was.  Just. Too. Hard. To. Travel.

I can handle my challenges best when in my own house and my own routine.  Leave it?  I don't think so.

But the more I thought of spending time with my family, seeing how much the grandchildren have grown in the past year, being there for the annual Mother's Day lobster feast with my son-in-law's parents (whom we care for very much), and not the least... a trip to Brimfield... I ended up saying Yes!

Yes is usually good even if it is not easy.

There are many reasons to resist saying yes to life.  The obvious reasons can include health and finances (or lack thereof), having small children to care for, having an ill or elderly person to care for, work responsibilities, overcommitment with activities that do not make your heart sing, and dozens upon dozens of circumstances which makes coming to yes... difficult.

But at this stage of life I think many of the times I either delay saying Yes! or spout an immediate No! is due to fear.  It is human nature to fear any change but especially if your circumstances are challenging.  You just plain need easy.  You need simple.  You certainly don't need any more complications.

Yes brings with it change and challenges all its' own!

But the best things in life have come as I said Yes!  Accepting Jesus as Savior.  When my (now) husband asked me to marry him.  When the doctor suggested surgery to carry a baby full term. Buying this house and moving to the country.

But not just the big stuff of life, either.  
  1. Deciding to build a raised bed garden many years ago when I already tired easy and then finding my work-rest-work-rest way of gardening resulted in excellent results. 
  2. Saying Yes! to adopting two sister kitties from the same litter and then later agreeing to adopt a Maine Coon from a family at church.
  3. Writing just because I have to write.
  4. Making Art to just enjoy the process.
  5. The last minute Yes! when my son invites me to lunch or a friend to coffee even when it means setting aside my plans for that day.
  6. Saying Yes! to listening to a Podcast or music and no to the television at times... or saying Yes! to opening the window and listening to the birds as their song fills the quiet room.
No can be good.  We never want to do anything significant without prayer and sometimes God tells us the answer is no.  We are not to over commit our time or our resources.  His yoke is easy and His burden is to be light even in the midst of trials and tribulations of life.

However, I often recall when I was praying about a decision to be made and heard, in the depth of that still small Voice, Him tell me to never ever never make a decision based on fear.  And truthfully many times I say no because I am afraid of what Yes! will bring with it.

I think that uncertainty that comes with saying Yes! to life will be with me until I go to my Eternal Home.  Where all is perfect and there is no reason to fear.  It just comes with being human so we have to give ourselves some grace and at the same time think about saying Yes! more often to the good things of life.  Even when they are inconvenient.

Is my garden late this year?  Most definitely.  Are there sections of landscaping that now contain knee high weeds which will be a challenge to clear?  You betcha! 

But was saying Yes! to living worth it?  A million times over.

11 comments:

Terra said...

I completely agree with this post, and how "yes" is often hard and yet the best answer. I like your list of 6 "yeses." Yes to kittens has got to be good.

Anonymous said...

So glad you overcame your fears and hesitations and said "Yes" to such a wonderful opportunity to be with you family. I have, on occasion, said "Yes" to an opportunity, then worried about it and wished I had said "No" only to go ahead and do planned activity and enjoyed it tremendously and was so glad I went ahead and did it. If God doesn't say No", we should give ourselves permission to enjoy life. Like I said a few days ago, "work will still be there" but sometimes opportunities come only once. Blessings, Sharon D.

Jonell w Harrison said...

Thank you...for giving me something to ponder-

'These days' I seem to want to jump at the option with an immediate NO- I 'get it'..

Kathy said...

I'm glad you said yes! I need to more often.

Vee said...

Oh my! I am sitting here misty-eyed. I think that I have become too much of a "no" person. So glad that you said "yes" and had a beautiful time with your daughter and her family. (Love her front door! )

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

My husband always said that we should say yes, as much as we are able, especially with the kids, so that when we had to say No, it would mean something.

Often times when I say yes, when I want to say know, it is because I think it is going to be challenging or difficult. Yet when I actually do the thing or am in the middle of it I realize that it is not too much, and often it is great!

Thanks for this!
Deanna

Anonymous said...

Terrific post - lately my knee-jerk response is no, too hard, too many other things to do. Thanks for reminding us that there is another way.
Nancy

Thickethouse.wordpress said...

We are told, "Fear not!" It's a good thing to remember! This was a beautiful post, Brenda....

Heather said...

I'm so glad you did say yes, even if it was a challenge. Your grandchildren will remember you coming and making time for everyone.

Rachel H said...

I am saying yes to driving with my husband 15 hours to see our son, daughter in law and four grandsons. Not easy when you have fibromyalgia, but I know I will be so happy when I see them!

Mrs.T said...

Such a good post, Brenda! Pinning and saving this to re-read.