Too Heavy To Carry!

 

Our great-great nephew celebrating his Halloween birthday at the pumpkin patch!

Fall is an amazing season here in Michigan. We don’t have to go far to enjoy the beautiful fall colors. The trees seem to turn color in waves around the state, so that when one area has already reached its peak, another area is resplendent with orange, red and yellow, while yet another is still green and yet to change. This also occurs on a smaller scale on each block as some varieties of trees turn before others.

Wreaths of orange leaves are hung on many doors and pumpkins are put out on porches with the commencing of the season. Bags of pinecones heavily scented with cinnamon appear in the grocery stores, as do displays of pumpkins of all sizes, shapes and colors.

 Years ago, Al established the tradition of making pumpkin pies from scratch. Although it was laborious, pumpkin pies made from scratch had more pulp and were tasty, often appearing on the table for Thanksgiving dinner—if they lasted that long! He finally decided to switch to canned pumpkin, but the end result was still delicious.  

When we drove into the parking lot of a local market a few days ago, Al had it in mind to buy the ingredients for his pies. He pushed the shopping cart into the store, while I stopped just inside the door to watch one of the employees taking pumpkins out of a huge box and loading them onto shelves. They were big and heavy, no easy assignment.

Being familiar with the employee who was always friendly and willing to talk, I shared a story with him about taking my second-grade class on a walking field trip before Halloween one year. The generous owner of a supermarket about a mile away from our elementary school in Porterville, California, had offered to give pumpkins to local school children.  

 A date was set for our adventure, and I tried to prepare the children beforehand that they would be walking quite a distance and would each have to carry their own pumpkin back to school. I wouldn’t be able to help carry them—the pumpkins or the kids—and neither would the other adults who went along as chaperones. 

The students walked in a single file line along the sidewalk, being reminded to be careful of side mirrors on cars and trucks that were parked near the curb, and to be vigilant as they crossed the streets.

I walked in front of the class carrying a small stop sign, and another parent walked behind the line, also carrying a stop sign. Only after I had determined it was safe and was standing in the intersection with my sign raised high, could they cross. We went slow but steady, and arrived at the store on time.

The kids’ eyes grew wide when they saw the pile of pumpkins just for them. Despite reminders to choose one they could carry, a few of the children insisted on picking a large one. We had only gone about halfway when I started getting pleas for help!

At that point, we all sat down for a rest. I wanted to help; however, I could visualize carrying several pumpkins by the time we got back to school. So, with some encouragement, everyone managed to get up and walk the remaining distance.

The friendly produce man had predicted what would happen, knowing from experience how heavy they were, and had a few chuckles at my story. I said good-bye and headed towards the canned goods section where Al was picking out pumpkin and evaporated milk, still smiling from that memory.

We aren’t so different from those little people, are we? The heavy burdens we carry only discourage and distract us from trusting in the Lord. Jesus invited us to come to Him, to bring all of our burdens and worries to Him, and promised that He would give us rest.

 Jesus, our Shepherd, laid down His life for us. The One who carried the entire weight of the sins of all humans upon His shoulders can carry our burdens, and can also carry us! The only question is…will we let Him?  

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:14-15 NIV)

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NIV)