Thursday, March 7, 2013

Lenten Challenge, Day 23: No

Saying we have a big family is a gross understatement.

My boys have 8 grandparents, 11 great-grandparents, 15 aunts and uncles, a hoard of great aunts and uncles, a bigger hoard of cousins, etc., etc., etc. And that's not counting the friends we count as family. It's why our holidays are crazy, why simple "family-only" birthday celebrations turn into a full house of people.

I'm not complaining here. I know how blessed we are, how blessed my boys are to have SO many people who love them whole-heartedly. I can't imagine our lives any other way. But having that much family also means a lot of time on our calendar, and over the years, I have finally learned it's okay to say "no" to the occasional family or friend invitation.

When our calendars are getting a little full, Ryan and I schedule in a "Day of Nothing." And when I say "schedule in," I mean we actually put it on our calendar, so if we get an invite, we can look on the calendar and say, "Sorry, we're booked." Before kids, a day of nothing meant sleeping in and staying in our jammies all day watching movies. It looks pretty much the same now, minus the sleeping-in part, plus the occasional "we have to get these stir-crazy boys out of the house" excursion. A day of nothing helps us pause, regroup, and find some level of sanity again amidst our busy schedules.

Saying "no" doesn't mean you don't want to spend time with those people, it just means you need some time for yourself. And time for yourself is important. Saying "no" is important.

When can you say "no" and have your next "Day of Nothing"?
Some recent "Day of Nothing" snuggles.

1 comment:

Shawn F. said...

This is wisdom. Schedule a "day of nothing" that is actually quite a bit of something. Brilliant!