NO!

So this week we were told to blog on saying NO! It's amazing because I believe there are so many things to say yes to. I live in in a city that has a Bible Study daily. So there are times I find is difficult to say no, so I must admit this is a bit difficult for me. I first think it really comes down to your heart and passion. I believe it is also what you are about and what you believe. This might be wrong but I say no to allot of Bible Studies. I receive most of my food through doing what I am doing now. I simply read a little, listen to some worship music, and spend some time pondering. Our staff meeting I am with a group of people, and to be honest my favorite is Iron (even though my attendance has be low) I love that group of people. After that I am kind of done with it. Man that sounds bad, but I guess you have to understand I listen to 15 podcast in a week from all different places. Some well known others not. But I am just not into sitting and talking about something, I want to take action. That drive can be bad at times because I can start saying yes to all these projects. So there is what I do.

A. I spend a week or so praying and asking God what it is I need to do.
B. Noting can conflict with my church youth group. Wednesdays and Sundays I know I am with them, period. Just today we were having some scheduling conflicts on Wednesday's and I had to say I can not work past 6:00PM. My boss was awesome when he said "I understand that is your calling and we knew that going in. You have to understand I started this job with the understanding that I would need time off to do stuff I thought we were called to do.
C. I Follow my convictions...I have written about it before but when I said no to programs and the norms in youth, it changed everything. Another point is that I have been asked to work with a support group for students who have experienced a loss. It's a great program and I see God doing awesome things in it, but my conviction was to work with IRC.  
D. I TAKE TIME OFF! I never use to take anytime off. This past summer was awesome because I took allot of time off. It was awesome because I didn't feel bad for it and loved it. My Saturday's for the most part are free. I will do some stuff because I enjoy it. I will schedule a service project on a Saturday, because those are fun to me. I might do a guys night out with our youth kids, because they're like family. But I take that time to really enjoy life.
E. I block off time and my get away has to be where I can put my phone away. I went on a cruise and my favorite part. Not a single text answered for six days, email not checked, no blogging, no facebook. It was awesome, in fact I loved it so much I can already tell you when I am going to be gone because a group of us booked another cruise for May 23-31. It's awesome because it's a year in advance, which means it is cheaper. Right before the summer program at work (which is the hardest JOB) and three weeks before camp. I am off that week from work anyways! I love doing those things with people who are close to me. That time is blocked off for me because I like to go and see new things.
F. Enjoy life! I believe if you spend all of your time trying to get ahead in this life and become something your not called to do, then you are going to hate life. But when you simply live your life and spend it trying to find God in everything you see how beautiful life is here. I believe I got that from my aunt, she bought a sleep-master bed. She changes the setting everynight because she doesn't want to be an old woman that can't sleep in other beds. In-fact she told my uncle she would drive a beat up car before she said no to traveling the world. They take mission trips and vacations all the time.

So here is what I got, you can take it or leave it. Stop taking yourself so seriously and simply do life together and enjoy your time here. We all have those things we hate to do, but we have to do so. This is kind of funny, I hate waking up early on Sunday mornings. But I am blessed when I get there, it's just a struggle to role out of bed. I like to stay up late, so going to be early on a Saturday night is not fun to me. So dont say no to everything  that is a drag or struggle. But understand what is important in life and where you are at.