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.