SAYING NO…TO YOURSELF [T, 2-28-23]

CHRIST IN WINTER: Reflections on Faith & Life for the Years of Winter—SAYING NO…TO YOURSELF [T, 2-28-23]

 

It is well with my soul. For in my old age, I am learning to say NO. To myself…as in…

Tomorrow at Crumble Bums, I should end the month on a high note by telling the joke about the termites and the wooden leg…NO! You want to tell that joke just because it’s the only one you have heard in a week, and you want them to think you are funny, but that joke is not funny.

Maybe it would go better if I did a long introduction explaining the different forms of humor…NO! For obvious reasons.

I could call Bob and see if he’s heard any new jokes. NO! This is his writing time. Don’t bother him.

I could email him so that he could reply when… NO! You know his email doesn’t work right and so it frustrates him and he does it only because he has to.

I could tell it to Helen…NO! She’s at her desk, which means she’s trying to avoid your jokes. She’s even willing to do taxes, so that tells you a definite NO!

I could send it to Nina. She does email… NO! She would have to try to say something positive about it, and it’s not nice to tempt her into dishonesty.

I could Google “jokes for people who aren’t allowed to tell jokes…” NO! What is it with you and jokes? Get a life!

I guess I’ll just take out the garbage… YES! Finally! Something to which the whole world can say YES!

It’s very nice when the whole world says YES to you. Unfortunately, that seems to happen only after you’ve heard a lot of NO. But…you’re never to old to learn to say NO… to yourself.

“It is well, it is well, with my soul…”

John Robert McFarland

Horatio Spafford wrote the lyrics to “It Is Well With My Soul,” and Phillip Bliss the music.