Most weeks find me in the company of one two-and-a-half year old, three days a week. Yes, my grandson, Brody, and I spend quite a bit of quality time together while his sister, Lilli, is in school, and all the things that I spent years teaching her are now in his repertoire, as well.

Who’s my favorite Brody in the whole wide world? – I AM! (insert copious smooches here)

How much does Mimmie love you? – BIG AS THE SKY! (insert outstretched arms here)

When you eat your dinner what will it make you? – BIG AND STRRRONG! (say with a growl, while shooting arms to the sky on “big” and striking a bicep pose on “strong”)

Emmie and the kids just returned from a visit to Florida on Tuesday night, coming home to an empty fridge and pantry, so she asked if we could take her list to the store yesterday for some groceries.

(If it seems I’ve spent a lot of time at the grocery store lately, it’s because I have.)

The B-man and I loaded up mid-morning and headed to Tom Thumb, list in hand, and enjoyed quite a nice shopping trip, chatting away and saying hello to everyone in our path. My boy is very friendly, and I love it.

Once back at the house, we began to unload our bags and he wanted to help. I’d already carried some to the front door, so they were sitting on the porch while I fumbled for my key to open the door. I reached down to find him a light, unbreakable bag, but before I could, he grabbed one of his own containing a bottle of apple juice.

Whew! This is bery heaby, Mimmie! But don’t worry, I BIG (hand tries to shoot up while struggling with bag) and STRRRONG! (arm tries to pose as the bag hits the ground).

Eyes wide with “oh NO,” he grabs it and says, “Sorry, Mimmie. I drop it. It boken.”

But it wasn’t.

Thankful for the plastic bottle (and that he hadn’t grabbed the eggs), I assured him that the bottle was strong, just like him, and we went on in.

Putting things away, I thought about it, considering how we so often try to handle things on our own, heavy things that we pick up in a rush of false confidence in our own strength, only to find them crashing to the ground. There are things in this world that are beyond us, things we are never meant to carry alone.

Perhaps this is a good reminder that, when those things come – and they always do – we have a another set of Hands at the ready. If we’ll just ask for Their help, we’ll find ourselves filled with a strength that is beyond us, and a true confidence that things will be okay.

After all, those Hands?

They’re BIG and STRRRONG.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:13 NKJV