Saying no...

Two little letters,
you wouldn't think one word would be hard to say
 but it is...

Sometimes.

I think especially because Nate and I have teens now, it isn't as

hard as I thought it would be.

I mean sometimes it breaks my heart,
on the other hand
it is our job as parents to set limits,
to keep our children safe...
at times, even from themselves.
I have come to realize that kids will push, they will pull,
they don't know any other way.
Unless
we teach them.
Saying no to things like
 Cameron wearing shorts to school
when it is 20 degrees outside...
a no brainer,
however,
some no's are considerably more difficult.
I want my children to have strong minds,
but I want them to have a soft heart...
for God.
I want them to think about their choices
and how each decison fits with their faith, and
how it shapes the people they are becoming.
Recently Nate and I had to tell Ethan no
about something he wanted to do.
Not because we didn't want him to do it,
in fact,
 I would have loved for him to have done it,
But it was to much.
He was spreading himself to thin.
As much as I want my children to acheive their
goals and dreams,
I want them to understand it is ok to say no when they need to.
They don't have to accomplish everything right
this second.
There is time, time to do all the things they want to do.
I want them to actually enjoy and appreciate the things they are doing
right at this moment.


I