Learning to say No.

Why is it that one of our first words becomes harder for us to say the older we get? As toddlers we say no to everything, even when we don't mean it. When we become adult women we realize that more is expected of us than we can possibly give but guilt and pressure bend us to agree to do the things that we really can't. There are never enough hours in the day and we aren't SuperWoman. And I've decided I'm okay with that.

I wish I could be at every Daisy Girl Scout meeting, helping. I wish I could be at every Tiger Cub meeting. I wish I could be a volunteer in the Tank's classroom. But there's only one me.

This year I have taken on finishing my bachelor's degree, homeschooling my children, and two week cross-country trip and accepted the calling as Primary President. What makes me think I can do all of it on top of my everyday duties as a wife and mother? Something has got to give and I've realized that it has to be the one thing I never prayed about.

Homeschooling? Prayed for months. Primary president? I received a confirmation that I would receive the call before I was asked into the bishop's office and already knew who my counselors were supposed to be. My children? Each one of them is a blessing from the Lord and have been greatly wanted before they arrived in our house. The family trip is already over.

That leaves my schoolwork. I never prayed if now was the right time for me to finish my degree. Why do I think I know better than the Lord? Why do I think that I can do more than what He has asked of me? We are never given more than we can handle with His help, but that only applies to the things that He asks us to take on. Not all the extras that we think we can squeeze in.

So for now I'm slowing down so that I can find more joy in my journey. This stage will not last forever and before I know it I will be searching for projects to fill my time.

I'm also hiring a cleaning lady so my house isn't a complete disaster all the time.