What is a burden and what is actually a good thing?
Are you someone who craves excitement? Or something new? Or something different?
Personally, I like to have exciting things to look forward to. We got a brand new couch yesterday and I could not contain my excitement all day knowing that when I got home from work, it would be there.
Or I love when I have a vacation planned…counting down to that time makes up 90% of the thrill. Anything out of the ordinary gets my blood pumping like a shopping day, or going to Canada’s Wonderland, or even something as small as going to a restaurant which means I won’t have to cook.
All of these make me excited and I like to always have ONE in the works so I have something to look forward to.
I can tell you that I don’t count down to the usuals…I’m not excited for laundry day nor am I excited to make spaghetti for the umpteenth time. My heart no longer pumps fast when Ted kisses me goodnight because now that is the norm. Routine. Typical.
Five years ago, when I was a single mom, I was so lonely in the evenings when I sat on the couch by myself after work. I would have given anything to have a husband to kiss good night. I hardly cooked real meals because Summer ate like a mouse, so why bother cooking for one?
I ached to have a reason to go all out with cooking or baking. Even the pressure of having a full schedule at work…as a single mom who was the sole provider the pressure was on to fill that schedule no matter how much you needed a break.
I so badly wanted someone to carry the burden with me.
Do you know that the donkey is known as the ‘burden of beast’ because they take the responsibility and burden of others?
I was reading Luke 19 this week where Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. Yep. An ass. Not a white stallion. Or even a regular horse with soldiers to clear the way for him. No police cavalcade. Just a donkey.
But on the donkey was grace, love, mercy and compassion – he WEPT on that donkey. On that donkey there was beauty…there was a gift. Yes, He came on a donkey but what a beautiful burden that beast carried.
How many burdens in my daily life come on a donkey?
What are my donkey moments?
Where does grace, love, beauty and compassion come riding in on something so lowly?
So ordinary?
A few weeks ago Avery and I climbed into my bed and watched a romantic comedy…How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days, to be exact. Blake wanted to stay with us instead of going downstairs but I wasn’t in the mood for her. I told her no and sent her away. I saw her as a burden.
Aves and I had an awesome night. AWESOME. Afterwards when everyone was going to bed, I went to tuck Blake in and she asked me if her and I could do that together the next night. I said, “We’ll see” knowing full well that I had no intention of seeing anything.
The next morning I was having my quiet time and writing out my prayers when it suddenly hit me.
I had been on holy ground with Avery and didn’t know it.
The burden of love and beauty came to us in the most simple of ways.
A beautiful bonding moment between step mom and step daughter…a donkey moment where love and beauty came in on something so simple. I could walk on holy ground again the next night if I let Blake in…if I said yes to a movie night with her, cuddled in my bed.
A simple movie night in bed…a simple donkey moment that could do the same thing with Blake if I would let it.
On Tuesday a donkey moment came when Blake and I tried to teach our puppy, Rafa, how to roll over. We laughed so hard as we forcefully pushed him over and when I told her we would practice more when I got home from work, I actually meant it and really wanted to.
Other donkey moments could occur in the kitchen if I said yes. She likes to help me while I’m making dinner but sometimes I scoot her away and tell her I’m okay…but maybe if I said yes more, I’d hear the donkey hooves carrying grace and beauty burdens into my kitchen if I really listened.
When Summer says, for the millionth time, “Mom! Watch this!” maybe a donkey has entered the room when I actually put my phone down and choose to see her.
At bedtime, I KNOW Ted likes a kiss good night but for some reason, I have the HARDEST time doing this! (Yes, I have issues.) But maybe there could be a donkey in our bedroom carrying the burden of an open heart and letting someone in.
I realize a lot of these examples are trite and simple but you never hear a donkey complaining that his burden is too trite or simple right?
However, they are good for the big burdens too…the heavier loads…the loads of somehow having enough money in my bank account to take care of Summer when it was just me.
I’ve had donkey moments of grace and comfort and compassion by simply having Summer to care for…someone to love and look after when I needed someone more than ever.
I had a donkey moment where he carried the burden of mercy into my life when all 6 clients were understanding and gentle the day I had to cancel their massages because I had just learned that my marriage was over and I couldn’t get out of bed.
If I pay attention, I think I must have a barn full of donkeys always ready to go…always ready to carry grace, love, compassion, and healing burdens on the most simple and ordinary back. I like that God created a donkey.
He created tons of animals but He made sure there was one who would be a ‘burden of beast’.
And who better to create it than
the One who mastered being a burden of beast, right?
Oh the loads He has
carried for me.
Do you have a barn full of donkeys? Where have you had donkey moments? Where has grace and love come to you in the mundane, simple and ordinary moments?
Can you look for donkey moments today? Maybe they will be in the laundry room, or the kitchen, or the van…maybe in the backyard or on the sidewalk. Donkey moments can even be on your phone in a simple text you receive just when you need it.
Don’t overlook the mundane and ordinary today…they may be carrying the most beautiful burdens of your day.