A Yes= A No…...

Each yes decision results in a no decision to something else. When I say yes to my relationship with God, it means that I say no to religion and rules. When I say yes to being intentional with my friendships, I say no to isolation. I will one day say yes to a man to become my husband which will result in my saying no to every other man. I hope to one day say yes to investing in my children and no to taking an easy route. I always want to say yes to being missional for Kingdom and no to selfishness and what I want for life. When I say yes to giving my 100% to school, I say no to giving just enough. Every decision sets us up for greatness….for purpose…. for our journey. Each. Decision. I do not want to do life half in. I want to be wholehearted. I want to make that decision as I proclaim yes.

On my run today, I was thinking about bitterness and how it can so easily creep into the heart. I do not believe it happens "all of a sudden." I think that it is a day by day, decision by decision virus that infects the heart and soul. On my runs I have a chance and decision to fight against bitterness. To choose to not to be bitter at the car that had an entire road with several lanes to drive in and yet gets so close to me running. Or when I'm at work serving and the table that treats me rudely and meanly because I am an easy target. Or the co-worker who degrades me with their words because they are hurting but I'm an easy target right there. Life is messy and it seems as if it sets us up to become bitter, angry, hurt and to let that guide…. but I've decided and I make this decision every day to fight against bitterness. To choose love. To allow the driver who won't move over a bit to embrace the opportunity to test my reflexes and run in the ditch. To allow the rude table to push me to pray for them and what the underlying issue is and to smile and respect them-regardless. To love the co-worker and serve because they are fighting bigger battles than I can probably see. I want to make those decisions… and I don't as much as I would like to, but I'm fighting onwards. Because I've seen the wife who used to embrace and celebrate her husbands quirks, but now they are frustrating and she's bitter. I've worked with the nurse who has dreamed of being a nurse her entire life, but now gets easily angered, frustrated and becomes bitter at her patients. The Dad who dreamed of having a family, but now his kids just being kids frustrates him. I do believe we can call our heart back to joy and to give the middle finger to bitterness with one decision. One. Decision. Saying Yes to Joy and the beauty of life within the messy and love… and saying No to bitterness and anger.

I was running and noticed the honeysuckle trees that have blossomed as spring is awakening. It made me think and wonder…. if maybe their honeysuckle flowers are that beautiful and sweet because they have endured the bitter winter…. maybe the fighting against the bitter cold and everything of winter creates a sweetness and a beauty that cannot come forth in any other way. *smile*