Say Yes to Less!

You ever eat at one of those swanky fondue restaurants?

Mr. 4-Ever and I got to try one recently.
What a treat!

The hostess led us through a labyrinth of cubbies and cozy booths to our own intimate table.

First, a bowl of melted cheese was placed on the hot plate in the center of our table.
A tray with a variety of bread cubes and small pieces of fruit was delivered
along with those long pronged forks.

Yum.

A salad bursting with flavor appeared next.
You have to eat the greens to offset the barrel of cheese you just ate, right?

Next a pot of hot seasoned oil replaced the empty bowl of melted cheese and
a tray of raw meat and seafood was placed on the table.

One tiny bit at a time, we got full, but we didn’t stop
because the bites were so small, 
we could easily fit one more tidbit in.
And it was all SO GOOD!

Both our tummies were at capacity but
there were still five or six tiny pieces of raw meat left.

What could we do?
Couldn’t take them home!
We kept eating.

When I was sure I could not eat one more thing …

THERE WAS DESSERT!

The pot filled with melted chocolate, accompanied by a tray of fruit,
flavored marshmallows and brownie cubes arrived. 

Everything in me wanted to say NO NO!
Maybe just a taste?  

Oh, so GOOD!

Mr. 4-Ever and I dipped every crumb and fruit cube into the
chocolate and poked it into our  groaning bellies.  

We were miserable.

Then, the bill came.

Ouch!

The bill was the equivalent of my grocery budget for 2 weeks!

Misery upon misery!
One good bite at a time.

That’s what happens to our calendars, too.

We add one good thing after another until we are so full we are miserable.

Then the bill comes.

There is a price to pay for all that good activity.
Sleep deprivation
Attitude
Health
Stress
Missed opportunities to do what you really want to do because you’re already booked.
No time to sit at Jesus’ feet.

Gone.

I’ve learned the hard way to push the plate away before I feel full.
I have learned to say,
Thank you for thinking of me for (fill in the blank) but I just can’t take that on.

To take back your schedule and create some margin for emergencies and personal time, you may have to: 

Turn down one coffee date.
Serve on one less ministry.
Take one less trip to shop for shoes, shirts and stuff.
Spend one less hour on FB, Twitter, or Instagram.
Sign a child up for one less extra-curricular activity.
Volunteer for one less duty at work.
Say NO to ONE MORE episode on Netflix

To get control of your schedule, you may have to
Say YES to LESS!

Scripture Refresher: You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.
(1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT)

Prayer: Father, please give me the discernment to know what to take on and what to leave behind.  Give me the courage to carry out those decisions. I want to do it all, and I know I can’t. Help me to be satisfied with what really fits for my life and relationships.  Amen.