Just Say No

Remember that phrase? Well, this is something I have always struggled with, just saying no, to commitments, that is. I cannot tell you how many times I look at my life and realize it is time to cut back. I enjoy so many different things, and I have a tendency to jump in and do anything and everything I can squeeze in. Just in the next few weeks I will host a baby shower with 50 guests, a cocktail party to celebrate my brother-in-law's engagement, finish painting the mural on the nursery walls (which I started before the baby was born - she is almost 9 months now), receive my Kelly's Kids trunk for shows (yes, I'm a rep), make a poodle birthday cake for my niece, finish sewing beach outfits for my 3 girls (for beach vacation portraits in August), and teach a pillowcase dress class at the local children's fabric shop.


All the while, I am trying to get my home decluttered, my scrapbook room organized (ha, ha), and get ready for school to start. I look back and ask, what happened to summer? August is almost here! I list the above not to show "how much I do" or to make anyone feel like I am some sort of "supermom" (just ask my kids, I most definitely am NOT!). I recognize that my life is no busier than yours, that we are all constantly juggling the everyday events that pop up. I think most people go through life thinking they are so overwhelmed, and that no one else could possibly imagine how hard it is to live their life. But, I know that you have just as many pressing things on your mind, though they may be of a different sort. At the same time, I am immersed in books such as Seven Habits, and that is where the "just say no" comes in. I have been very struck by the time management paradigm that Covey uses. He boils our lives down to four different types of activities. Things are either important or not important, and they are either urgent or non-urgent. Most of us live in the urgent-not important. The ringing phone demands to be answered, it is urgent, but rarely important. The next event is always on the horizon, and life becomes crisis management. I enjoy planning parties. I enjoy teaching, sewing, and scrapbooking (or I used to, before I got 4 years behind!), I enjoy cooking, gardening, and decorating my home. I enjoy being able to have my children participate in activities such as soccer, gymnastics and "bug camp" (that would be for the Crocodile Hunter :). Each of these things is precious to me, they are things I look forward to, things that challenge me. They are not obligations for the most part, they are things I want to do. But most of these things are not that important. I am reminded of the tag passage at the bottom of my blog page, a passage that I have to keep posted in my kitchen to remind me to not become angry with others who in my mind don't seem to do their share when it comes to volunteering for jobs in church and elsewhere. One thing is needful. What a powerful phrase. So, once again, it is time to prune. I will try to focus on that one thing needful.

P.S. Dad, if you are reading this - note I used the word "enjoy" not "love" - see, some of those little pet peeves of yours got through :)