The other day we were at a little dinner celebration honoring my newly-turned-4-year-old.
He had been behaving very well – until the giant bowl of ice cream. Then it was all downhill after that.
The Happy Buddy started complaining and whining and forgetting to be thankful for all his new birthday blessings.
When we were in the car driving home, I looked at my boy in the rearview mirror and said, “Happy Buddy, do you think there were some things you did tonight that were not okay?”
“Yyyyyyyyesssssssss,” was his reluctant response from the back.
“What do you think you could have done differently?” I asked.
Then things took an unexpected turn.
His eyes welled up with big fat tears and he sobbed, “I AM JUST SO TIRED!!”
I blinked – not knowing what to say at first. But a verse came to mind as I thought of all the times I am so tired.
“Baby,” I said, calmly, “When we are the tired-est, God is the strongest.”
He looked at me kind of funny as I went on, “The Bible says that when we are weak, HE is strong. When we are so tired and don’t have the energy to obey, we can go to God for strength. We can ask Him to help us do the right thing – even when we don’t feel like it.”
I thought he was listening all intently to this profound word from the Lord but instead he said, “Mommy, I want to play with my new toys when we get home.”
Dah!
Isn’t that how these great conversations always end?! 🙂
Keeps us from getting The Big Head, I tell yah!
But seriously. I felt like God taught me something super important in that moment with the Happy Buddy.
I was reminded of our time in the hospital with the Happy Baby and people would say to me, “I don’t know how you are doing it.”
And the only thing my tired self could think to respond was, “God.”
Because left to my own strength I would have been in the fetal position with a 30-pound-bag of People Chow.
As I relied on Him in that season (and in all the daily ups and downs of mommyhood), I see how when I recognize my weakness and ask Him for help, I show a little more of His power to the people in my world.
And isn’t that just where God wants us?
Totally and completely relying on Him?
That is where He gets some serious glory, my friends.
So, the next time you’re looking around a house covered with toys and oh-my-goodness-who-got-into-the-Crisco-can and your husband is out late working again and the baby is sick and the neighbor’s cat has decided to make your front porch her new litter box and your Happy Buddies have been fussing all. day. long. and you are just so tired you want to find some Ben and Jerry’s and some Pinterest — stop.
Take a minute and ask God for some grace to move forward in His strength.
I guarantee it will be one of your finest parenting moments. 🙂
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
Amen and Amen! We need this reminder every.day.
<3
Even though I’m Jewish and our religions aren’t exactly the same, your postings touch me. This post had me in tears. Our family is going through some really trying times right now with my daughter. I pray multiple times per day that G-d gives me the strength that I so desperately need for our family. Love your blog!
Tanya, thank you for your sweet words. You are an amazing mama!!! Hang in there… I always cling to Lamentations 3:22-26 in times like this! Because of His great love… we are NOT consumed… His mercies are new every morning… great is His faithfulness. xoxo
Hey Julie! I loved this one! I just read it to my kids…they were a captive audience while sitting and eating dessert! You always inspire me to relate things more to God than I would normally do, Julie! I just can’t thank you enough.
thank you so much for this post! Yesterday I had a big meltdown and felt I just couldn’t carry on for one more minute, then I remembered to turn it over to the Father who is always with us. I love reading your blog!
My little miss who turned 4 last Friday has been just the same as the happy buddy! When praying with her last night I prayed for just what you said! God’s strength to help us both, her to obey and me to be patient and to teach instead of hurt with quick discipline. When I said amen I opened my eyes and her hands were over her ears! ‘I wasn’t listening’ she said….lucky for us both, God was 🙂
This was EXACTLY what I needed to hear right now. THANK YOU!
These words were just what I needed tonight! My husband and I are moving, and I am constantly tired, sore, overwhelmed, etc. His power is made perfect in my weaknesses. All praise and glory to the Lord for your encouraging post!
Thanks, Jackie! Good luck with your move! How exciting!
Love that message, Julie. When we are weakest, He is strongest. And we all need to be reminded of that! Thanks.
Amen! I need this reminder today after a long night with a screaming baby. Thank you Julie!
I thought I knew what it meant to be tired but having a newborn gives the word a whole new meaning. I’m exhausted! I feel like such a zombie. Thanks for your encouraging post.
Ahh I just love your humour, we are so the same. Tiredness? What’s that? I’m too tired to be tired!