Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
Can I just say it out loud? I really miss my mama today.
Sometimes when the stress in my life is off the charts, when nothing seems to be going right, when I feel alone or targeted, I just want my mama.
Like today. Sitting here with my desk piled high, stress to the gills, feeling overwhelmed; I want to tell her all about what’s going on. I want her to wrap her arms around me, pat me on the shoulder, kiss my cheek, and tell me it’s going to be all right. And may even feel a little sorry for me. I must have been born this way because this picture clearly indicates a three-year-old under the influence of stress!
And I want to listen to what my mama says.
As I’m sitting here wondering what she’d say on this particular day of stress, I broke out in laughter. I know exactly what she’d say. “You’re doing too much” That’s what she always said.
Tilting her head, while giving me “the look”, she’d say, “Brenda, you’re trying to do too much!”
Well, duh.
“But mama, it’s required! I have a lot to do. Jesus has assigned me to this ministry and …”
“What does the Lord require of you?,” she’d interrupt. Deuteronomy 10:12 (NLT) says;
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul.”
She is with Jesus now, so I get the feeling mama would continue her “you’re doing too much” lecture by reminding what Jesus himself said…
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
Matthew 11:28-30 NLT
Ok, let’s take a deep breath together…
“Oh, Lord, why do I have to be reminded over and over that your burden is light, that what you expect of me isn’t the same thing that people expect of me. Thank you for the reminder Lord. Now, would you tell my mama that I love her. And I miss her so much? And when you’re through with me here, I’ll see her heaven.”
Until next time,
Your Traveling Partner,
Brenda