Tuesday, July 05, 2011

I Wanted to Say NO

...but I said, "Yes."

It was Thursday. My day off from "work". And I've been putting so much time in lately doing things for other people - at work and home - that I just didn't want to do anything for anyone on MY day. So, when my son asked me, "Mom, what's everything you're doing today?" I let out a hefty sigh and told him about my schedule. (One of my appointments was for a massage. *grin*)
Joshua told me he really wanted to go to a nearby lake to fish for several hours. He REALLY wanted to do it. It had been FOREVER since he'd been able to do it. Read that: It's been a couple weeks.
He was asking me to drive him there.

While I could tell Joshua was trying to be sensitive to my 'day off', everything in me wanted to say, NO. I felt like yelling, "This is my day. I have a couple things scheduled outside of the house, but other than that, I don't want to go anywhere. I don't want to do anything else. OK???"

But something Read that: GOD. It was totally HIM. No way this next part came from me! moved me to say, "Yes." "Yes, Joshua. I'll take you to go fishing. Yes. Your friend can come, too. Yes. We can stop at the store on the way so you can get worms and more hooks. Yes."
And the boy lit up. He smiled. He said, "Thanks, Mom!" after every single Yes I uttered.

I still got my things done. He was totally happy to work around my plans. And I was delighted that simply carting him around to a few places in the van could bring him so much joy.
I wanted to say NO, but I'm so glad I said YES!

Karen

3 comments:

Leah Adams said...

Ahh, can you imagine the joy that God takes in saying "yes" to us when He knows it will bring us closer to Him?

TheUnSoccerMom said...

:o)

Love it when God gives us Joy by doing something we don't really want to do. :o)

And it's not lost on me that Joshua was thankful for you and showed it. :o)

Karen Hossink said...

Leah - And I always want to be sure to thank HIM. Want to be the 'one' and not one of the 'nine'!

Jodi - Yes. And it especially thrills me when God moves me to do what I don't want to do. Because selfishness has long been one of my biggest struggles. So when I do an un-selfish thing, I feel like having a party. :o)