lightening our load

Why is it that we understand principles of faith better as a kid than we do as adults. When I was 5 if I had a problem, the first thing I thought to do was to pray and ask for help. Now, it's only after I've exhausted all my abilities and realize that I can't do it, that I ask. For example: Yesterday, I spent the day shoveling, pulling, digging, raking, and pruning my yard. We are now officially winterized. But that also meant that the garbage can was FULL of a yard's worth of petunias, bark, rocks, dirt, grass, and weeds. HEAVY. Beyond heavy. I had the slight suspicion that I might have a little bit of trouble moving the garbage can back to the back yard, but I was in no way ready for what was in store. When I finished the yard, I was pretty pleased with my neat and tidy accomplishment. The only thing left to do was move the can to the back of the house. ha. ha. I heaved-ho and heaved-ho, and it wouldn't budge. At all. Well, you know me, I'm not the type of person who lets something like that get me. Especially when it has to do with size or weight or not being able to lift or reach something because I'm so small. Well I tried again, one GIANT mighty pull. And do you know what? I pulled that garbage can right over onto myself. Yeah, dirt clods and all spilling out all over me and the yard, and I am pinned-- PINNED under my 200 pound garbage can. And I can't lift it, at all. Even to get it off my leg. AND IT HURT. I'm so glad no one else was outside... it would have been really embarrassing (although the neighbors could have been watching from the window) So I finally rip my leg out from underneath it. (I've got the massive bruise today to prove it) And I stand up and look at my masterpiece. There's the garbage can, tipped over on the ground, dirt EVERYWHERE, all over my freshly cleaned yard, and I'm seriously almost in tears. Because there is no way to lift it. It won't even budge, and Craig was working late yesterday, and I REALLY didn't want to leave dirt all over my yard, and basically I felt totally helpless, and I really wanted to cry. And in that moment, when I was totally discouraged, and tired, and helpless, a little voice whispered in my ear, "why don't you pray?" "Oh," I thought, so I looked up to the sky, bowed my head and whispered a quiet prayer to myself. "Please Heavenly Father, help me to lift this garbage can, I can't to it myself."

I bent down grabbed the sides again, pulled, and the garbage can lifted right up of the ground. It didn't even feel that heavy. When it was upright and in place, I pulled at it again, and it wouldn't budge. And in that moment these words entered my mind:



"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest... For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. " Matthew 11: 28 & 30



I looked up at the sky, and then I really did cry. Hannah came over to me, and I told her we should say a little prayer to thank Heavenly Father for helping mommy lift the garbage can.

Come unto him, whether your burden is large or small, and he will make it light.