Saying Yes Because I Can

So I've retitled my blog. Why? Because I've got a new theme playing and replaying itself in my heart. Sometime in December the verse struck home to me - All God's promises are "yes" to me in Christ and it drew from my heart the resounding "amen" the verse speaks of. Then I got to pondering how my life is to be one small yes after another to God. We often "heroize" the folks that have made big "yes"es to God and given their lives as a sacrifice in his service, but did that happen overnight? God said "He that is faithful in little is faithful also in much." and for most people the big yes came after a long string of faithful little yeses. And in my heart I purposed to live a life of yeses to God's will.
From there I began pondering how God says yes to us because he is good. He wouldn't need to give us all things freely. But he does out of the abundant goodness of his heart. And I'm called to follow in his steps.
Suddenly the realization punched me in the gut - my children hear "no" from me a whole lot more frequently than "yes." To be sure, there really are times when I have to say "no" but sadly, sometimes the "no" comes out just because it's like a reflex and is the simplest thing to say to constant questions. Ouch! I hate to admit that weakness, but it's too true.

It made me think of this little quote from a kiddo ^ that must have heard it frequently like mine.
"No-no, don't touch." "No-no, don't do that" "No you can't right now."
I started pondering on this and now I know that I've got to begin to change this. Today I've been purposing to say "yes" simply because I can.  Not when it would be harmful, but really, how often is that?  The "yes"es that I joyfully gave today seemed like grease to the gears of this house. The children seemed to just stop their bickering and begging and played quietly for hours together. I said "yes" to my daughter that she could sleep on the floor and she went off to sleep so quickly that I was really shocked.
Okay, so I'm not promising that this will go on smoothly forever. But really, my heavenly Father gives a thousand yeses to me, and I'm not an angel either. I want to choose to say "yes" because I can.

New blog address

I'm really tired of my super long blog address, so I'm getting ready to switch over to the new and shorter one.  - 1000yeses.blogspot.com  I'll explain that address in a future post for any who don't understand it yet from my last post. But I'm giving you all a heads-up in advance so that you can start following the new one and not be missing my updates. That is, of course, for anybody who reads the stuff n' fluff (hopefully not mostly fluff) that I write here. Thanks! Lisa

A Year of "Yes" - A Year of Rest

"2 Corinthians 1:20
For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory."

I started this post weeks ago, but never got farther than changing the blog title and making a draft of this with the verse.. Actually, I was struck by the verse in the end of December and somewhere deep inside I knew I'd need to write this. I postponed it because I didn't know how to say what was resonating inside(I still don't so pardon my ramblings). But it's stuck with me. Day after day the thought returns.  It was after I had mentioned on Facebook that I wanted this year to be a my year of rest, that it struck me - My year of Rest comes through making it my year of "Yes" A Thousand "yes's" because like the verse I quoted above - all the promises of God find their yes in him - and I am crying out a resounding "Amen" to God for his glory.  I need this. I need the promises of God to find their "yes," and for my children to find their "yes" in me because I follow Christ... Yes. I do follow Christ. A halting, stumbling, failing following - but I follow in his steps. Here on my blog with the crazy long name (ouradventuresinhissteps.blogspot.com) I recount to you bits of this journey. Sometimes with a blush of shame - I realize how halting and faltering it is. And then I remember Abraham - father of many nations when the first child was yet to be. He was called the friend of God because he BELIEVED the promises. I too will believe the promises and find their 'yes' in Christ. Amen!? 
The marvel of it - that God can see past the mess of today and bless with the promise of tomorrow.

The wind here in WY is amazing. There are times it blows so hard that if you lean in, the wind itself will hold you up. But it comes in gusts. I was leaning against the wind the other day as I struggled my way into Walmart, and then it dropped, and I staggered sideways. Sometimes I stagger like this in the circumstances of life because I'm leaning on my own strength....
On Sunday, I took my little girlie out to the playground because she wanted so to swing. But the wind was so fierce that I sought shelter under a large outcropping rock. I found that the wind there was not nearly so daunting.  My God is like that. The gale of the days blows hard. If I lean into him, he is there. Rock solid, sheltering, unchanging, unmovable. I want to lean hard into him and find his strength and shelter enough to carry me through these days.

These days... days when I start at sunup and find at sundown that the place still looks like I've been playing all day. Days when I find my little girlie eating milk chocolate behind closed doors, and have barely gotten through that when the wails of wee one beckon. Days when my son drops his lunch all over the floor and I get up to clean it up, and drop my cup of smoothie and it shatters, splashing the wall and sofa 10 ft away... days when my patience and strength seem gone and I wonder "Can I do this?" "Can I even raise these children for the Lord?"  And then I realize that the answer is both no and "YES" I can't but then again, I can - for he has said "I will never leave you or forsake you" so I can boldly say, "The LORD is my helper." and "I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength." 
I can't say it all today - so look for more of my ponderings on "YES" another time.

 And here's my little man - who is now 6 months old!

The Warm Fuzzies Jar

I found this idea today... The Warm Fuzzies Jar  And I really think I'm going out to get me some pompoms! I've tried something very similar with pennies, but then it's pennies, and I don't want to start paying the children to do well. I love the rewarding aspect this presents, as well as instant affirmation. Great Idea! Maybe somebody else will like it as well.
 Here is a direct quote of part of the article I've linked to above, but you can read the rest by following it:
"I went to the kitchen and found a large pickle jar and filled it with the colorful pom-pom balls. Then I set two smaller jars beside it on the kitchen counter. Within minutes, my children noticed the jars and inquired about them.
“This is The Warm Fuzzy Jar,” I explained. “Whenever you do something helpful or kind, you place a pom-pom ball in your designated jar because kind and helpful acts make people feel good, like a warm fuzzy.” The girls looked at each other with wide eyes and big smiles, so I continued. “And if you are doing something helpful together or just getting along nicely, you can put two pom-poms in your designated jar. And when your jar becomes full, you can choose something special for you and I to do together.”
My children had the same reaction as my former students did to filling The Warm Fuzzy jar—pure enthusiasm. They wasted no time being helpful.
They carried in groceries that I typically brought in by myself.
They put away shoes in the hallway that they used to step over for days.
They made their beds in the morning without being told … dirty clothes actually made it to the hamper without my help … dishes made it to the sink (and even got rinsed) with helpful smiles … musical instruments got played without reminders to practice.
There were even a few shockers like a surprise organization of my spice rack and a super clean toilet bowl. But that wasn’t all. The Warm Fuzzy Jar changed the atmosphere of our home. Cooperation and kindness seems to lighten everyone’s moods—most notably mine.
I noticed that she dressed herself and hung the discarded clothes back on hangers—not that the striped socks didn’t match the plaid skirt.
I noticed that she was helping her sister write sentences—not that the Sharpie she was using was turning her fingers black.
I noticed that she prepared a healthy breakfast of cereal and cantaloupe—not the trail of milk that went all the way from the counter to the kitchen table.
I noticed that she helped her sister do her hair—not the twelve barrettes that were secured haphazardly to the back of her head.
I was Noticing the Good, and it was making a huge difference in our day-to-day interactions and my children’s overall well-being."