Heavy

A bike ride early last week to a nearby cemetery proved telling of the children’s ability nowadays.  With four kids able to ride in unison on back country roads full of hills and potholes and the occasional pickup truck, I’m impressed to say the least.  

A three mile ride with Jude in his seat at my back, a teenager keeping tabs on the rest of the crew and our beloved Mema bringing up the rear, we were like a train of rollercoaster cars cresting hills and whizzing down and around the next bend, hair blowing wildly in the wind, only the sound of clicking gears and bullfrogs calling up from the ditches.  

The apple blossoms are buzzing with bees under the early springtime heat.  The children have jumped into the pool over a dozen times, the lawn is ready to be mowed again and our garden is cracked and thirsty before July.  We’ve been watering much of it by hand, walking back and forth from trough to soil, sprinkling each row with watering cans passing each other by with the same goal; help it grow.  Until our watering system is in place, we’ll continue our bucket brigade for as long as we need to.  

​Life can be heavy work, eh?

Heavy on the heart and heavy in the hands. 

Thankfully...

Jesus is the load lightener, the life example by which to base our every move.  There was nothing imperfect about His walk on earth, nothing amiss or faulty.  He's the perfect pioneer of a walk with God, more perfect than our own opinion of the day that is all too often swayed by our evil hearts.    
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"I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst."   John 6:35

He talked her through a sliver stuck deeply in her foot one night.  I snuck this picture of her confidence in his word to remove it, a beautiful glimpse of a father's love for his child. 

Kneeing beside the couch he explained how he could help her with the edge of a sharp blade, but only if she wanted him to, only if she felt comfortable with a little bit of pain.  She willingly agreed to allow the procedure, fully convinced he had good intentions for her.  Unafraid because of trust.    The kind of trust we have in Jesus, fully expectant of His intentions to help us, not to harm.  Even if it's painful.  Our eyes are fixed, our ears are open, we rest in His plan today. 

"Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord to whom shall we go?  You have words of eternal life.  We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God."
​John 6:68