NO!

NO!  It can be an easy word to say and a tough one.  I seem to have no problems telling my son NO!  No, don't touch that.  No, don't do that.  No, don't push your brother.  No, we can go there.  On the other hand, I can't seem to tell myself no.  Sure, eat that last cookie.  That's fine if you don't run today.  It's fine to buy that.  The laundry and dishes can wait.

I wonder why that is?

We are trying some new things in this house.  One is a listening chart for the Boppers.  We're trying to reward the good behavior.  He kind of gets it.  He gets a sticker for his chart every time one of us catches him listening well.  After 4 stickers he gets a small prize and after he fills the sheet he gets a small car from Cars!  The hard part is not making it negative.  We're trying hard not to say "do you want a sticker" or "You're not going to get a sticker if you don't start listening."  We just want to catch the good and if he doesn't listen we just discipline and move on.

On the other side I can't seem to tell myself no!  I'm terrible at it.  I want to eat better.  I want to spend less time on the computer.  I want to say no to myself and have the discipline to follow through.  Yesterday didn't go very well.  We need to get rid of the junk food in the house.

That's why each day is new.  I can try again.  And again. And again.  Changes will happen slowly.  Just like the leaves changing on my tree.  Each day I can try again and be different.

God changes us!  I'm blessed in my life that I've been able to see those changes and I hope in a few weeks I can look at my pretty red tree and see that I have also been changed!