Happy weekend, everyone! And welcome to another round of Five Minute Friday!
Can I just say how much I love seeing you all gather here week after week? It’s such a joy to be able to swing wide these doors and watch this community thrive.
In case you missed it, I recently shared 20 websites accepting writing submissions from Christian women.
Check out the list here! I hope it’s helpful!
Given the fact that our region has seen the heat index pushing 100 degrees this week and we don’t have air conditioning in our house, I considered making the prompt, HOT. But I decided to spare you.
Instead, we’ll be writing on:
Ready? GO.
Two summers ago, we tore off all the wallpaper in our kitchen, dining room and entryway and painted the walls. Yes, it was a nightmare. My daughter asked if she could help me paint.
I said no.
This summer, she asked if we could paint the walls in her bedroom.
We said yes.
Again, she asked if she could help paint.
I tested the waters by letting her paint an old wooden train table that we got for free. She did a surprisingly good job.
Since she’s turning 11 next week (11!!), I thought I might as well let her give it a go. I told her I would do the trim and she could use the roller.
She was such a huge help. We had the perfect system. Trim, roll, trim, roll. It was like clockwork. She was such a great help that even when I had the chance to continue painting after she went to bed, I couldn’t bear to think of doing double the work without her.
I needed my sidekick.
It made me wonder:
Why are so many of us resistant to accepting help?
Is it a pride issue? Are we trying to prove to someone that we’ve got everything under control? Do we think we can do it better than they could?
As I thought about how often I turn down offers of help, I realized my own blindness. I am desperately in need of help every minute of every day.
Thank God I have a helper in Jesus who gives me life and breath and every good thing from above. Without Him, I can do nothing.
STOP.
“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” ~Psalm 28:7
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Awww, Kate. What a joy to have your daughter work alongside you as you paint her room together. I imagine there’s laughter and some conversation and lots of bonding in the shared work.
I always love when one of my boys wants to cook with me. I wonder if Jesus likes it that way when we come alongside Him in His work?
Great post this week!
Great post, Kate, and how lucky you were to be able to truly work with your daughter!
I think that sometimes it’s not pride that prevents us from accepting help…it’s the lack of a common paradigm.
I could handle our dogs in a certain way; not necessarily the most efficient use of time, but I could get them in, and out, and sometimes fed (Barbara has taken this over now). When someone else came in to help (as had happened) they wanted to do things differently, according to the way they see the time-and-motion of the situation.
True, it might be better, but it’s writing a check I can’t cash when they’re gone and it’s just me. In that case the help wasn’t really helpful.
I accepted it, but dreaded the days in which the bill, in which the dogs had become accustomed to a new regime, came due.
Think I mixed up past and present tenses here. Sorry. Kind of on my last legs now.
Kate, great minds…or is that “the mind of Christ?” I hit upon the pride thing as well. So glad the painting is almost done and I can relate to no a/c. I lived is South FL for years and years without air – I look back and wonder how in the world? But I was young like you back then. 😉 Now, we live in the mountains and don’t even need the luxury of chilled air. xo
We discussed turning down help in Sunday School a while back. This comment from a friend of mine has stuck with me:
“When I tell someone no, I am taking away a blessing from them.”
I thought about that and took it to heart. We all say, “Let me know if you need anything,” but seldom get a request. But when someone shows up to help without being asked, you know their heart is in it. When my husband was deployed, an older lady from church called and said, “I’m bringing you and the kids food. What do you want?” If I had told her that we were fine and don’t trouble herself, that would have taken away a blessing from her to be able to do what God put on her heart to do.
I struggled with the whole kid helping thing too. I thought the mess they would create would be a burden, but when I let go of that, I was able to see that we made wonderful memories and they learned life long skills.
I’m thankful God helped me with my helping problem!
This is where help touches my heart today. Admitting that I need it! Thanks, Kate!
The ability to trust their ability is a struggle. I allowed my 7 and almost 9 year olds to slice half a cucumber each for dinner last night without hovering. They did their best and were delighted to have the trust!
We do need our sidekicks. And they need to be needed and trusted. You are an excellent mom!!
Love,
Tammy
great post kate:) enjoy the help of your daughter. at 11, her help won’t be around all that many more years. i’m glad you discovered her great ability to help. early on, i learned helping was a fun way to get to know my dad. beside getting to know him, i learned a lot about many things too:) thanks for a great post:)
“Thank God I have a helper in Jesus who gives me life and breath and every good thing from above. Without Him, I can do nothing.”
Amen and amen.