My four-year-old doesn’t ride in a stroller any longer. It’s been years, actually.
I sold my jogger at a yard sale last summer because it was getting dusty and, well, taking up room in the crazy garage.
So at Disneyland or the county zoo she walks. In the morning toaster waffles and orange juice fuel her so her energy is high. But as it nears lunch time, she wearies from running between the monkey cages and the antelope enclosure.
She wants to be carried.
Naomi is all long legs and arms and she’s grown four inches in the past year. I can’t hold her in my arms for long.
So I give her a landmark. “When we get to that sign just beyond the fence, you can ride on my back,” I tell her. I point and she squints in the sun to see it.
On the way there I hold her hand, sticky and dirty from a morning out. Her feet drag because she’s tired.
A whine. A “why.” Another whine.
Almost there. She’s walking slower and slower and I’m puling her now.
I know her, though. I know that even if she whines and asks me why, she can make it all the way to the landmark. Her legs will keep walking.
We reach the sign and I hoist her up on my back. Her body relaxes into me and her feet swing. She rests her head on my shoulder and I can smell the top of her head if I look around. I’ve guided her as far as she can walk and then I carry her because that is my job. I’ll never leave her, especially if she can’t make it any farther.
We make it to the car, hot from the sun, and she unwraps her legs from my waist and tumbles off my back. “Thanks, Mom” she smiles at me.
And it really is my pleasure. I love having her that close.
I think it’s what God does with us. He guides us, holding our dirty world-worn hands until our legs can’t walk any farther.
He might give us a landmark, “It’s just up there. I’m not going to leave you. We can do this together.”
And then when our feet stumble and our legs give out, He hoists up on His back.
Without thought or exertion He carries us as far as we need to go. And then maybe a little bit farther because I’d like to think He loves having us that close.
Have you been carried lately?
He carries me. everyday.
but sometimes i can be stubborn and choose to not listen and jump off His arms. but HE knows better. He just puts one of those ugly kiddie leashes on me… the kinds that stops and that retracts when you’ve gone too far. HA!
hmmm… maybe flower knows what im talking about.
hi sarah!
thank you so much for this. i completely resonate with Naomi squinting at the faraway landmark and tiredly walking there. Asking “why” constantly I ask why, only to find that the journey there was completely worth it.
that the joy of being held after a long walk with my Dad is a pretty sweet reward in itself.
thank you.
I love this picture! i so need God to carry me right now… sometimes I feel like I am off on my own little ventures, exhausting myself.
Thank you for this reminder Sarah that he is MORE than willing to carry us. Your writing is beautiful.
It is like that story “Footprints” – He carries me through the toughest times in my life but I don’t realize it at the time, only when I look back and see ‘one set of footprints in the sand.”
I needed this today. Beautifully painted picture.
wow…so beautiful today.
I love the story in and of itself with you and Naomi but the application to how God carries us is so powerful.
At first I thought that I am in a place where He is holding my hand and making me still walk. But as I think about it, i think I may actually be more in a place of Him carrying me.
Whichever it is for me, I can be sure He is with me. and I’m so grateful for that, cause I definitely need it!
“We reach the sign and I hoist her up on my back. Her body relaxes into me and her feet swing. She rests her head on my shoulder and I can smell the top of her head if I look around”
I LOVE these lines! They remind me of when my sisters were really little and I would give them piggy back rides all the time….I remember the smell of their hair close to me. I love the way you portrayed it!
This made me cry, Sarah. God’s tenderness is overwhelming. He has carried me everyday since the confession of my husband’s infidelity over a year and a half ago. I can feel him nudging me to get down and walk on my legs a little as He leads me to the next step of this journey in using our story to encourage others. My nervous heart wants to crawl back up and be carried but I know that He is building strength in these legs. Thank you for this wonderful word picture. I just love your heart.
His tenderness IS overwhelming, isn’t it?
This is how I have gotten through two rough days this month….. May is one of the hardest months for me since my son died 2 1/2 years ago. The Lord held my hand as I turned the calendar from April to May. My first landmark was the 8th. Then He carried me on the 9th – Mother’s Day. He let me walk again until the 18th (the day before my son’s 28th birthday) He gently carried and held me close as the memories and missing my Kyle made me weary. Now, as this month is coming to an end I am walking again, but I know Who holds my hand and is near to carry me when I need it.
Dear Debbie, your reply made me cry. I can not imagine loosing a child, what mother can? Yet, I was so deeply touched by your hurting honesty, yet your honest dependence on Him! Thank you so much for sharing your love for your son, and how you experience the tender care of our Father. Blessings to you, Cate
Dear Cate,
Thank you for your kind comment.
In January I started my own blog to share about the next chapter in my life story after the chapter titled “Living with Grief”. This new chapter is titled “Finding Hope & Joy” (same name I gave my blog). I have a deep desire to share with others that there is hope & joy after the pain, there is healing, He is faithful.
Actually, your comment brought tears to my eyes. Being a blogger “newbie” I am unsure if my words and story can be used to encourage others. I hope and pray it will.
I would love it if you came by sometime and visited me at “Finding Hope & Joy”. My address is: debgab.blogspot.com
Thanks again!
~Debbie
Awesome! I love your heart for Him!
Sarah, I have been following your blog for awhile now. Thank you for the beauty of your words and heart written to glorify Him…….I LOVED this post! Blessings to you, Cate
This made my heart smile.
I love when God carries me.
And I love it (after the fact) when He pushes me to keep walking, despite how tired I am.
He is so very loving…
every single day.
Sarah, you are such a gifted writer. You encourage me as a mom. You refresh my frontier of motherhood with reminders of grace and perseverance.
You get a “Woot Woot”
i never get “woot woots.” this might be a first. thanks!!
Oh yes. This past year (exactly one year today, actually) has been the hardest of my life. I lost my sister and best friend one year ago today. He has carried me and walked me through ever since.
Wow. That must be incredibly difficult. Praying for you tonight.
It made me cry to think of God not only wanting to carry me, but wanting to carry me even longer just to stay close. You are precious Sarah. Thank you for bringing us to Him today. . .love, deb
He is carrying me now. everyday. all day. I couldn’t do this without Him. I wouldn’t want to. Thank you for this beautiful post.
Okay, you just brought me to tears. Thank you for a reminder of how God loves.
i think this might be my favorite post of yours.
i can just picture the scene so perfectly.
i see a tired four year old.
a mama who knows what she is capable of.
the closeness.
i also see the roads i’ve walked.
jesus holding my hand telling me i can make it a little further.
and then when i can’t take another step i see him carrying me.
your words are beautiful.
seriously!
loved this post sarah!
I, too, have a 4-year-old who longer ago ceased using a stroller so the image is particularly striking. Yes, I have been carried lately as I walk alongside my sister who just watched her husband of 6 years die. God has been carrying us peacefully.
It made me cry to think of God not only wanting to carry me, but wanting to carry me even longer just to stay close. You are precious Sarah. Thank you for bringing us to Him today. . .love, deb
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