Mom Seriously: Finding Your Balance As A Mom: Just Say No

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My daughter returned home from babysitting for some friends one night with this report: "Emily likes saying, 'No.' She likes it a lot!"

Little ones are great at saying No. So what happens to us big girls--us moms--that we seem to forget how?

Sometimes we say yes with good reason. Someone asks us to do something that we feel led to do, or that we know won't be too difficult, so sure, why not? But then it snowballs, and suddenly, we feel like we are standing at the end of the buffet line with a full plate and wondering, "How did this happen?"

Vision. Priorities. Balance.

How does a mom get her priorities in order? I think it starts with a vision for what you want for your children. In my book, Baby Boot Camp (devotionals for new moms), I shared my vision for my kids. I came before the Lord when they were little bitty and asked Him to show me what my vision for my children should be. Then, whenever I was asked to do something, I went back to my vision to see how it matched up. Try writing your own vision for what you want to accomplish as a mom, and then when you are asked to take on something new, whether in ministry, at work, or in your community, ask yourself:

Will this take time away from what I am trying to do as a mom?
Will this add to the benefits I want for my family?
Are my children at ages where this is do-able, or is this something I need to put off for a few years?
Is my energy best spent in this capacity?
Can someone else do this better? Am I being asked because I am the right person for the job or because I am a warm body for the job?
Is God calling me to this?
Is this really going to be all that difficult and time-consuming?
Am I bringing a spirit of dread to this endeavor if I say "yes"?
What is my motivation if I say "yes"? If I say "no"?

Sometimes, the choice is not necessarily between what is good and what is bad, but what is good and what is best.