His Yoke is easy....and mine is way heavy.

So today I have NOT taken "his yoke"

My rants about today...
1. Elijah woke up at 6:10...AM...
2. He interrupted some "mommy-time"
3. Elijah peed on the FLOOR!!!!!!
4. Elijah got in trouble by a mad mama...

And then my peace that passes all understanding slowly got pushed out but a "angry, selfish, my needs matter only, ticked, mad, big ball of ICK"

Then I read this....(The Message - Matt. 11: 20-30)

The Unforced Rhythms of Grace

²⁰Next Jesus let fly on the cities where he had worked the hardest but whose people had responded the least, shrugging their shoulders and going their own way.

^21-24"Doom to you, Chorazin! Doom, Bethsaida! If Tyre and Sidon had seen half of the powerful miracles you have seen, they would have been on their knees in a minute. At Judgment Day they'll get off easy compared to you. And Capernaum! With all your peacock strutting, you are going to end up in the abyss. If the people of Sodom had had your chances, the city would still be around. At Judgment Day they'll get off easy compared to you."

^25-26Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

²⁷Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. "The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.

^28-30"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

In a strange way I way relate to this passage. It says that Jesus let fly on those cities where the worked the hardest and yet they just shrugged their shoulders. In a mommy's life, where do we work the hardest....with our kids. THEN, when they shrug their shoulders, roll their eyes, sigh, don't behave....I FLY OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jesus FLEW OFF at them....I think I have wanted to say, "DOOOOOOOM TO YOU ELIJAH ROBERT! You HAD YOUR CHANCE KYLIE SOPHIA!"

But instead of carrying that anger, watch what Jesus did....

1. "Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer"

2. "Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly"

3. Tells the people to " Learn the unforced rhythms of grace."

I think in a mommy's life they try so hard to be a good mom and when their children don't respond the way that they WANT them to, things blow up sometimes. It is OUR choice whether we BREAK into prayer OR keep winding the anger around and around until it finally snaps.

When I fly off or WANT to fly off the first thing I need to do is PRAY.

THEN, Jesus will help me speak tenderly and I can give GRACE....just like Jesus gave me.

It really does all go back to the cross. Jesus gave me all the grace in the world, and still does. I bet I have done some things that would make an angry mama FLY off. But I don't have an angry mama as my Lord. I have a loving, patient, adoring, sacrificing, caring, slow to get angry, tender, merciful, peaceful and peace-giving FATHER who tells me, "I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly"

Thank you Jesus for grace....the cross....and being patient with me...please teach me how to show my babies those same "unforced rhythms of grace" that you show me every single day.