Rest

No.

One of the smallest words. 

One of the hardest words.

To say. And to do. 

For those who put themselves last. 

For those who give out over and over and over. 

For those who are always helping others.

Always doing something all the time.

Those.

Those are they,

Who cannot say no.

They, who 

Cannot turn someone down without feeling a major wave of guilt after the word dodges their clinched teeth and forcefully makes its way out.

A guilt so heavy it would have been lighter to say yes and carry through yet another task.

Sometimes it's easier to just say yes. 

For those who would feel guilty at watching something go undone when they could have done it and said "yes." 

But 

A wise friend once said, "scheduled rest is not unproductive." 

It's okay to say no. 

Not everything can be done by the same person.

Self-preservation is something that is okay to do and necessary at times. 

Yes, it is okay to stay home one evening a week and rest. 

It is okay to give time to spend with your family.

 To take a walk.

 To read a book. 

To get an early nights sleep.

 To do nothing.

If you have stayed home for more than one evening a week to rest, then maybe this isn't for you. Most of the people I know and love dearly have to schedule in an evening to simply to nothing because all other days are filled with "yes", away from family dinner time, away from home, and yes, away from good sleep and rest. 

Some of the hardest working people I know are within my age group. 

One thing I am proud of is to be a part of a generation who works hard, without the need of affirmation. They are not lazy. You can count on them working in some type of capacity all the time. 

But can I remind my generation that it is okay to say no. It is okay to not carry everything on our shoulders all the time. 

God doesn't except us to never rest. He excepts us to do our best with what he has given us. And he has also given us the perfect amount of energy for those very things. And He will be enough. And yes, we can rest in Him. 

I appreciate and value all of the hard workers I know. You are important to me.