Life's a Piece of Cake

Row, row, row your boat

Gently down the stream

Merrily, merrily, merrily

Life's a...... piece of cake!

Cole, our one-of-a-kind, full of life nephew/cousin was overheard singing his own version to "Row, Row, Row Your Boat one day. Isn't it hilarious? And so descriptive of his personality. Whenever I happen to think of him singing it, I still have to chuckle, although we all know life is far from a piece of cake! Or......

Cole

.... is it, really?

One day I took my camera out to the pool. I wanted to get some shots of the kids, maybe to convince myself that we aren't spending the whole summer in the garden after all. When I came back inside, satisfied I had gotten some good shots, this is what my camera showed:

I had to smile just looking at her image on the screen. She hadn't really been playing with the others; she didn't even seem too aware that I was taking pictures of her. She had been in her own little world of pure, all-out joy. A kid's way of grabbing onto all that life has to offer. As I stared at her picture, I suddenly thought of Cole's little song. Looking at her, life seemed like a piece of cake. I was kind of envious of that kind of child-like delight. And then I felt sorry for her, knowing all too soon, she'll be grown up and then...well, she'll certainly discover life isn't a dream,  piece of cake, or anything else like that. Life is just plain BIG and usually hard, too. 

All of a sudden, my mind shifted to the devotional message and scripture I had read earlier in the week. From John 15 (a favorite chapter of mine), I had read Jesus' words: 

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (vs. 4-5)

The Spirit gently nudged me- as if to say, you know its really you that takes away from the rest I offer in purely trusting what I am doing in you. You can have full joy, too, remember, even though you aren't a child anymore. 

I was convicted. All too often, I am not abiding (which means to stay, rest, remain, still) but striving to achieve, accomplish, acquire- and all in my own strength, too! There is such freedom in living attached to the vine, fully knowing that without Jesus, we can do nothing. But with Him, we can be all we need to be. And He teaches us to live like this so our joy might be full. (vs 11)

While life isn't really a piece of cake- our best growth comes in the hard, as much as we don't like that- the truth is Jesus offers His rest and calm and joy and best of all- His peace. Not just a piece of peace either- peace that passes all understanding. -Kara

Ps- here are some more pictures I got that day :)