all by myself

I went grocery shopping tonight, all by myself...It was quite the change and actually was rather relaxing. It was nice to just listen to the quiet in the car and go my own pace up and down the aisles. It is a rare thing indeed for me do something all alone, without holding Ellie on one arm and listening to the happy birthday song echoing throughout the house, compliments of Madelyn. Speaking of the girl, she is becoming more independent, with the cry, "I do it myself!" being heard many times a day. She wants to dress herself, feed herself, climb up ladders and toys herself, buckle herself in the carseat, brush her teeth...everything is "I can do it all by myself". But the simple problem is she can't - She can't get her arms in the correct holes and she doesn't know how to reach the back teeth while brushing. She thinks she is master of everything but she really can't do it all by herself. The same is true for each of us...we think we can do anything - we can have the perfect marriage, we can have obedient children, we can have an impact on our neighbors and we can do these things all by ourselves...but the reality is we can't. Without the grace and power of God we are helpless to do anything good and pleasing to Him. We are lost sheep without a shepherd. Christ alone can give us the power to bear fruit in our lives. So, the next time my child insists, "I do it myself", I will tell her, "no, but with His help you can do all things through Christ who gives us strength."