Wednesday, 23 March 2011 at 22:42
Today my youngest son mowed the yard for the very first time. I watched as he struggled to push the large mower through the too-tall grass. He struggled and began to sweat. He came to a place where he needed to use more muscle than he was used to and he dug in and powered through it.
As I watched him struggle I felt my heart swell with pride. My little boy learning to do a big boy's job. I could see that his hands were beginning to hurt and I could imagine that his back and legs were probably getting tired too. I also knew that at any moment I could step in and take this burden away but I did not.
You see, my friends, it dawned on me that this might be how God looks at us. HE sees our struggle and instead of feeling bad for us maybe HIS heart swells with pride. Maybe God thinks: Look at my child learning something new. Growing stronger and more capable so that he may teach someone else someday.
Maybe because God knows that he can step in at any moment and take the burden away that gives HIM great peace just like it gave me great peace to know that if my child truly needed me I could and would gladly share his burden.
In that moment I knew that my child had to do this alone, but was never really alone at all. I watched my son continue struggling forward and I saw him getting stronger every step of the way. Praise God.
Glass sounds the same when it breaks...
Saturday, 09 April 2011 at 19:16
Today as we cleaned house I heard a shattering sound coming from the kitchen. I immediately winced and thought "Please don't let that be my glass bowl I just bought." and then I said it out loud.
"It wasn't, Mom." I heard back from the kitchen.
"Ugh." I groaned aloud. More to clean and we are already cleaning!!!! That is no fun. I turned off the steam cleaner and headed to the kitchen to assess the damage.
As I rounded the corner thinking at least it wasn't my new glass bowl I saw the pile of shards on the floor with the dirt everywhere and one now UNplanted ivy.
It wasn't my glass bowl that had broken, and the idea of cleaning up the new mess no longer factored in anymore. You see, friends, it was my favorite planter handmade by my grandmother I was looking at in a million irreparable pieces on the floor.
Instantly, I remembered thinking that I had HOPED my new glass bowl was not the breaking sound I had heard only minutes ago. Now I wish it HAD been my new bowl or ANYTHING else for that matter as those things could easily be replaced and carry very little value in comparison.
As the lump caught in my throat, I saw it as God's reminder to be careful what I wish for as I never know what's around that blind corner. I'm still sad that my planter is gone but I am thankful for the costly reminder that I can't see all things. Only HE can. Praise God.
