Can you pick yourself up? Or, do you need some help?

This actually happened more than a week ago, but I've been slammed at work so this is my first chance to start writing again.

Last night (April 6) we didn't go to church. I figured since David went to the Urgent Treatment Center for a sinus and ear infection on Saturday and I went for my recurring cough, we needed to rest. We took a nap yesterday afternoon and Zach decided his nap would not be the usual 3 hours, so David went to his room and cuddled with him in the recliner and they fell back asleep. So did I...until 4:30. Oh my gosh, don't ever let your child nap that long, it really makes the nighttime SUCK!

We all got up and made our way downstairs to the living room, err play room. We were all on the floor and Zach had all his Little People out, playing with his farm. We keep all the Little People things in a canvas "box" with handles. Zach dumped everything out on the floor and I thought he was going to begin to fill up the barn as usual. Well no, he told me he needed to "get in." So I let him get in the canvas box. He likes to sit inside it sometimes and let us drag him around, and so on. This time he stood up, grabbed the handles and started to pull and strain and say UP UP UP. David and I got a kick out of it and let him stay at it for awhile. He really thought he could pick himself up by lifting the box he was standing inside. Soon he tired of it and said "MOMMY , HELP, UP!" I told him to sit down as it is not safe to lift the box with him standing up. He refused, but finally realized I was not going to lift him up until he did what I said and became a little more submissive.

Even writing that made my AHA moment even more so. How many times do I try to do things myself, even when it's obvious I can't? How many times do I cry out to my heavenly Father to help me, but then refuse to do what He wants me to before He reaches down and picks me up? SO MANY times - countless times. You'd think I'd learn by now that His conditions are just for my wellbeing, but no, that old selfish girl that wants to keep saying "I DID IT!" continues to rear her ugly head. I'm still amazed at how much my child teaches me about my spiritual condition - if I let God use him to do so.