They say yes to the children they love every time they can, even when it requires great effort on their [parents'] part.
They say no when yes would create danger, disorder, disarray of health and/or spirit.Parents create healthy momentum for their children until they are old enough to choose it for themselves.
Parent yourself.
Have you been asked to say yes when your instinct, your gut, told you to say no? Somehow your mind and heart knew that disarray of health or spirit would be part of the outcome.
Yes is often hard. It may require time, sacrifice, resources, giving more than you want to give. But somewhere in the yes, you will discover a match: your ability to give and the need(s) of the other(s).
When no is the best answer, the match will be a deep, inward pulse that says you did the right thing to parent yourself, protect yourself, at a time when your own needs were the next in line.
Tomorrow we will examine what seemingly comes in the next breath after a healthy, well-chosen no: guilt. Interestingly, we may find that guilt is a voice from without, not within, and can be dismantled and sent packing.
Only you and God can be the parents of you. Work with Him to create healthy momentum for yourself.
Photo: keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk.
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