It could be an age thing, but Nora has taken to adamantly saying “I can do it myself!” when she wants to do something. And depending on what it is I let her do it herself.
Last week we were bagging groceries and she kept telling me “I can do it myself!” as she took items off the belt and put them in the bag that she put on the floor. I let her go about doing it — all while doing my best to also bag groceries as well as keep the glass containers out of her reach.
I went about my business and let her do her own thing. But she kept yelling at me “I can do it myself!” even though I was not trying to help her.
A few moments later, when her bag was full, she gently asked me “Can you please get me a bag, Mommy?” And I got her a new bag. The new bag was not even out of my hands and into hers when she yelled at me again “I can do this myself!”
After about 3 more times of her telling me this and my not having interfered I put my hands up in frustration and turned to her and yelled “Does it look like I’m trying to help you?!” Then I turned around and went back to bagging the groceries.
There have been a few times like this one — Nora says she can do it herself and then in the next breath realizes that “Can you help me?” And I help her with whatever the thing is and sometimes she says “Thank you, Mommy” or she goes right back into shouting “I can do this myself!”
While humorous on one hand and patience-testing on another I laughed to myself when I finally realized: “Wow. this is exactly what I do with God.”
So much of my life I go along acting like “I can do this myself” and then something happens and I realize “Oh, I can’t do this myself. God, can you help me?” And sure enough God helps me. Then what do I do? I promptly turn around and act like I don’t need His help.
Now, we are all blessed that God is patient and He gives us numerous times to turn to Him then turn away from Him and then when we turn back He is still there ready to help us — He doesn’t act like I do and get frustrated so quickly. I doubt He likes it when I forget that I need Him. But instead of throwing His arms up in the air in frustration He reaches His arms out and offers me a hug or to pick me up or to encourage me along.
Dear God, please help me to be ever mindful that I need your help in all things. There is nothing that I can do on my own. But I can do all things thru “God who strengthens me“. Amen.
“I can do all things in him who strengthens me. ” Phil 4:13
Give God Your Yes 