by James Collins

“My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2

Are you sure you don’t want to come with me?” she asked. I replied, “No. I’ve got some work to do around the house.” I kissed her, and she got in the car. She waved at me as she backed out of the driveway. I smiled and went back in the house. I thought, “She will be so surprised when she gets home.” 

My wife, Amanda, has a collection of windmill shaped cookie jars. She has over seventy windmill cookie jars. She has been collecting for years. Some are valuable. She shows off her collection when company comes over. She is very fond of her windmill cookie jars.  

Most of her cookie jars are kept in a large cabinet with glass doors. The other day, we took a vote for me to clean and dust the cabinet. Actually, Amanda took a vote of one to nothing for me to clean and dust the cabinet…   

Last Saturday afternoon, I decided to do some household chores while Amanda was out running errands. I wanted to surprise her by cleaning her cookie jars and dusting the cabinet.  

She had been gone for a little while when she called me and asked, “What are you doing?” I said, “I am about to clean and dust your cookie jar cabinet.” She said, “Honey, don’t do it now. Wait until I get home. I want to help you move my cookie jars.” I said, “I can do it,” and hung up. She called me four times in the next thirty minutes. She said, “Please wait until I get home. Don’t try to move my cookie jars by yourself.” I said, “I’m a grown man.  I know what I’m doing.” And I hung up. 

Instead of taking them out of the cabinet one at a time, I grabbed two or three in my arms. I was in a hurry, and that was the fastest way. 

Suddenly, the lid fell off a cookie jar. It seemed to fall in slow motion. I watched it fall. It hit the floor and shattered into 8 or 10 pieces.  

Immediately, I thought, “Amanda is going to kill me when she gets home.”  

I got scared and I went straight for the gun – the hot glue gun. After a few minutes, ugly yellow strands of glue ran everywhere. I pieced the lid together, wiped off the excess glue, and put the cookie jar back in the cabinet. 

I didn’t think she would notice. However, when Amanda returned, the first thing she noticed was the broken lid glued together. She said, “Why didn’t you wait for me?  Why did you try to carry all that stuff by yourself? I told you I would help you.” 

Sometimes in life, we try to carry a burden by ourselves when there is no need. Help is waiting. All we must do is ask for it. 

The point is: God looks down at His hard-headed children, and asks, “Why are you trying to carry all that stuff by yourself? Why are you trying to carry all your relationship issues by yourself? Why are you trying to carry all that comes with raising your children by yourself? Why are you trying to carry the stress of your job by yourself? Why are you trying to carry all your problems by yourself?  

The Bible says, “My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth” In other words, God says, “I am your strength.” 

Are you carrying a load that is too much for you? Cast your burden on the Lord and He shall sustain you. 

About the Author:

        James Collins

James Collins is the author of “The Nativity: How The Story Of Christmas Can Change Your Life,” available now on Amazon. He can be reached through the website thepointis.net.