The promise of longer days with fewer things to do starts calling my name months before summer’s actually started. All the things I haven’t been able to get to for months on end quickly fills up my to-do list of summer goals.
I’m not opposed to busy summers. Lord knows I’ve had a lifetime full of them to prove it. I’m a doer by nature, so I get an incredible amount of satisfaction from crossing off those to-do’s the moment they’re done.
Maybe it’s the natural slowing down that tends to accompany aging. Maybe it’s the realization that tightly packed days overflowing with things to do isn’t quite as appealing as it used to be. I’m not sure it was ever as appealing as I’d convinced myself that it had to be.
Sometimes not showing up
is the best way you can show up
fully and authentically.We can easily convince ourselves that saying yes to serving God in a specific way is ALWAYS the best way to show up, no matter what it costs us.
The faith it takes to step away or say no isn’t usually celebrated. I’ve found that honor and esteem are mostly bestowed on those that say yes to opportunities to serve in particular ways.
It takes faith to say yes, and it should be honored.
It takes faith to say no, too.
I’ve stepped away from my fair share of things over the years. I’m learning that no isn’t a bad word. It really isn’t, friend.
When productivity unclenches its grip on value and worth, doing takes a backseat to being. Being who I was created to be includes all the ways I’ve been fearfully and wonderfully made to press in and step back.
What it means for me to let rest take the lead:
It means no more frantically trying to fit in everything I’m convinced must be done in order to be worthy of rest. Which means it’s time to set rhythms and routines based on the blessed boundaries that have landed in pleasant places for me. Who God is and who I am in him - the most pleasant place of all.
It means refusing to let where my rest is truly found to be nothing more than an afterthought. Rest is not what (or who) I turn to only after the shit’s hit the fan and deep breaths are the only thing standing between me and some sort of breakdown.
Who I am and all that I’m meant to be in God isn’t solely fulfilled by saying yes.
It takes faith to say no. So I guess I’m also learning that not only is it not a bad word…no can be a living sacrifice offered up in spirit and in truth, transforming no into worship. Amen.
Also, no not being a bad word appearing three sentences after an actual “bad” word did not escape me :-)
Never fear, the doer is still here. Summertime or any other time, I won’t stop setting goals anytime soon.
I just think a few nos should have a turn at the top of the list.
Until next time,
Becky
speaking of saying no and until next time…
Focusing for the next month-ish on some writing projects that aren’t in my usual wordsmith wheelhouse - scriptwriting and rewriting song lyrics :-)
Click here for a small hint of what that looked like in the summer of 2021.
That means I’ll be back in your inbox mid to late August, just in time for our love leaves anniversary and glimpses of love challenge.
a few more words…
about summer and rest:
It does take SO MUCH faith to say no. Trusting God is going to show up in the gaps where we need to step back. Beautiful -- hoping your "no's" bring you the best yeses this Summer!
Oh Becky - so true!! “When productivity unclenches its grip on value and worth, doing takes a backseat to being.” Love and prayers for your fun and exciting new writing projects/adventures- may they feel like the latter and all you do bless others as your words do here! Looking forward to seeing you here again at the end of summer or whenever you’re ready to start the next chapter in this space. 💖💖💖💖🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰