{When Blanket Gets Tired}

Lately I've enjoyed re-reading a collection of articles written by Doris Coffin Aldrich who, along with her husband, took part in the development of Multnomah School of the Bible (now Multnomah University). The articles were printed in booklet form in 1958, and my mom ended up with a copy during her Multnomah days. I've borrowed it from time to time . . . and for lengthy periods of time!

I first read through the stories as a young mom, and found them to be a delightful mixture of homey glimpses and gospel truth. Today as I read them I feel the same sense of nostalgia. Today I also have the blogging world as a part of my life, which I didn't have when I was tending to my toddlers. I find myself thinking, "This reads just like a blog!"

This afternoon during lunch, I read through a sweet article called "When Blanket Gets Tired." It resonated with my heart, a heart that has felt tired and weary lately. I know I'm not the only one, so I thought I'd share the article in full. May it bless you, my friend, as it has blessed me.

A Kiss for Baby Anne, Mary Cassatt

When Blanket Gets Tired

Bobbie, Mommie and Blanket climbed the back stairs at nap time. "Blanket to tie-ward," Bobbie explained. Mommie felt tired, too, and almost as limp as Blanket.

Bobbie's chubby legs were pink and delectable. Mommie enjoyed watching her as she puffed along up toward her bedroom. "Blanket too hea-by," she protested, stumbling over the blue satin corner of her beloved wool coverlet.

"Let Mommie help," and so saying, she gathered up Blanket and held him over the two-year-old's head, leaving one corner hanging down for her to "carry." And so they went up, Mommie carrying the weight of the burden, and Bobbie holding to the dangling corner, even being lifted by it.

"Today, dear Lord," said Mommie to herself, "Today I feel just like Bobbie. I'm too tie-ward and my burden is so hea-by."

And then in a flash the answer came, "But my beloved child, I'll carry the weight of it, the overwhelming load of it -- Do you not remember the word, 'cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee'?" (Psalm 55:22)

"I'll lift it high as we climb upward and the dangling corner you have hold of will only serve to keep you close to Me. The weight of it is mine, if you'll let it be."

Bobbie was soon snuggled down in bed with Blanket cuddled close to her, a burden turned to be a comfort.

Mommie went on down to continue her busy day, aware now and again of the dangling end of the burden, but so much more aware of the One carrying the weight of it for her.

Life Out of the Mixing Bowl
by Doris Coffin Aldrich