~ I Can Do All Things (Through Him)

A Brief Interaction at our House

Ellis: Mom, can you pull this guy's head off? (referring to a lego man) It's too hard. It's hurting my thumb.

Mom: Sure, honey.

Ellis (after I flicked his head off): Was that easy?

Mom: Yep.

Ellis: Oh.

Several Hours Later

Ellis: Mom, can you get this flat piece of lego off? I just can't get it.

Mom: Sure

Ellis (after I flicked the piece off - looking rather bewildered): Was that easy?

Mom: Yep.

Ellis: Oh.

Ellis (overheard at the top of the stairs a moment later): Hey Aidan, Mom can do anything!

How my heart melted.

(He apparently forgot about all the times I've had to ask my 12-year-old to open a jar for me.)

Oh, how I wish it were true.

I only wish I could do all the things I want to do. I wish I could make myself stop doing the things I don't want to do.

Somehow, I am unable to conquer this nasty habit of yelling, not to mention staying up too late, spending too much money, giving in to that desire to just be a hermit, or going too long without sinking my roots deep and drinking from the Source of all strength.

Oh, how I wish I could do anything!

It's true, for a while, I can rely on skill and talent and smarts to get things done. But when it comes to the hard stuff, the life-changing, transformational, look-like-Him stuff, my abilities and attempts usually fall way short.

Like my eight-year-old, I find myself saying, "It's too hard; it hurts" or "I just can't get it."

That's when I usually cry out, "God, I can't do this on my own."

And that's usually when He reminds me, "I didn't ask you to."

For now, I think I'll just let Ellis believe I can do anything. He'll figure it out sooner or later.