Say No November

Near the middle of September, I was sitting at our dining table when I looked up to check the date on our fridge calendar. This calendar hangs on the fridge all the time and I use it to let KJB know if we have something scheduled for the day or not. If we have something that day, I put a big "X" through it, to let him know to check with me on details before planning something else. When I really looked at it, I was kind of embarrassed to see that their was only one day out of the entire month that didn't have an "X". It was a Tuesday evening, which means we still had work that day, but nothing scheduled for the evening.

It was at that moment, I decided to make a change. I pulled out my planner and wrote on a post-it note the message, "SAY NO NOVEMBER," and stuck it on the monthly calendar. For the month of November, we are being super intentional with our time. We are saying no until we have prayed about it, discussed it, and decided if it's the best thing for us.

There are so many reasons why this is necessary.

... I need a mental break. As an introvert, I need alone time to refresh and clear my mind. Am I going to spend the month alone? No, but I am going to make sure that I have breathing room.

... Our marriage needs it. We've fallen into a pattern of the same kind of everyday schedule. We've become the go-to couple for someone needing something, and sometimes it feels great to be needed. But we've sacrificed time to ourselves, dates, and bonding.

... When I say yes to everything, someone else isn't getting the opportunity to say yes. When I say yes to everything, I could be missing out on what God actually wants me to do.

... With the holidays around the corner, I want the chance to spend it the way I want. I haven't had the chance to bake holiday treats, leisurely shop for gifts, or just slow down in years. This year, I want to stroll instead of rush. I want to savor the season instead of "getting it done".

By saying no to more things, we are saying yes to us more. God has laid this on my heart so heavily, that I know this time is important. He is going to teach us something awesome, and I can't wait.

original image via DeathToStockPhotos.