Just like me.

If how frequently I blog is any indication of the crazy which is our family life - know this - it's all kinds of crazy. We have only three children. You people with more than three? I don't know how you do it - truly. You are walking miracles or superheroes or both. Although some days Grace is like an unholy trinity of three persons in one tiny little package. She packs a punch both literally and metaphorically (territorial struggles ahem). This too shall pass, Amen.

The teenagers are busy. Sports and bands and worship teams and school and it's a rare night they are both home and have *nothing to do!* And I love those nights, truly - it's like trying to hold on to sand in cupped hands with them - the time is slipping by and they are growing up even though I made them promise to stay little forever. Brats.

Back to Grace - who is making huge progress in many areas...especially constantly asserting her independence, mastering climbing and escape maneuvers, breaking and entering locked cabentry, taking matters into her own tiny hands if I don't move fast enough, dressing and undressing herself, manufacturing floods of tears, and communicating with many many words at a very fast pace. She's a trip, she's delightful, she's adorable, she's persistent, she's maddening. She is three. God bless it. She would be happy and obedient and pleasant all of the time if no one touched her toys, or the iPad, she had bacon every day, and Mama and Daddy did nothing but focus all of their attention upon her from sun up  when she wakes up until she finally falls asleep. She is also enjoying the experience of many new foods because her eating has greatly improved. She has been doing well with turkey, chicken, lunchmeat, chunkier soups, pasta... we still have some challenges but the improvement is significant and we are so grateful. It's so so much better than it used to be at meal times. Praise.

There are few things Grace loves more than to have purpose. If she can help she will offer insist upon helping even when it's more than she can handle. She loves to shovel snow with her pink shovel. She loves to get the mail and bring in packages. She loves to vacuum and help put dishes away. She looooves to answer the phone - even if it's not ringing! Unpacking groceries is a favorite new way to help, as is pushing the wet clothes into the dryer. She would help do just about anything if we let her, but some things are too much for her. For example, she insisted upon carrying in two bags of heavy groceries. I would guess they weighed all together as much as she does. It didn't matter that I said,

"No thank you, Mama will do it."

Grace: "NO MYYYY do Mama."

Me: "No, it's too heavy for you, baby. Mama will carry it."

Grace: "Peeeeeease Mama I do hep" (*help)

So I let her see for herself and as I suspected she landed atop the bags of groceries on the garage floor face down. It was too heavy for her to bear alone.

Grace: "Mama hep, peas!!!"
Me: "Hmph." *picks up Grace and the groceries and heads inside.

There is nothing like the parent child relationship to teach us about ourselves and about our Father in Heaven. In that moment I was frustrated because I knew better. I knew it was too heavy. I knew she should just, for crying out loud, let me take the load because I am able and I love her more than I need her help. Rarely do I need her help.  But in that moment, in the depths of my soul, as clear as a bell, it was as if God was whispering:

"You're frustrated. I get that. You know, she is just like you."

Gulp.

She is just like me.

God says, "Come to me, all who are weary and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28
I'm like: "I'm ok. I just need more sleep. Maybe some chocolate or some pinterest time. I need to just get through this week and I'll be alright. Thanks though..."

God says, "I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." Jeremiah 31:25
I'm like: "I really need some adult time. Maybe a girls night - that'll recharge me."

God says, "Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31
I'm like: "I"m overwhelmed with all the things. We have no hope of enjoying this season of Christmas."

*shakes my head*

Sometimes you just have to put the heavy things down before they take you down with them.
Sometimes you have to learn it the hard way like Grace did; and look up and say to God,
"Father help please." It's not too heavy for Him. He can take the load and He can handle our outbursts and our emotions and all the feelings of this earth.

And when we face plant into the heavy things we would not surrender because of our pride and our strong will and our just plain having "the dumb", He is an expert picker-upper. He can carry us and our burden and will take us safely home.

"Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am He. I am He who will sustain you. I have made you, and I will rescue you." Isaiah 46:4