Friday, I told you that I had a hole in the bucket of my life. The hole is that I am frequently overwhelmed by what I think needs to be done. So many things seem to be slipping through the crack. Time with my husband, fun with my kids, details at work, laundry … need I say more. I had that song about the hole in the bucket running through my head all day. I decided to follow Liza's advice in the song and go and fix my bucket. My strategy was to go on our church's women's retreat and fix my poor little bucket.
There is only one problem with following the advice of this children's song. Do you remember the rest of the lyrics to the song? Well after Liza tells Henry to go fix his bucket, he asks her how to do it. She tells him to fix it with straw. The song follows in the same pattern with the following verses.
Henry: But the straw is too long.
Liza: Then cut it.
Henry: With what shall I cut it?
Liza: With a knife
Henry: But the knife is too dull.
Liza: Well sharpen it
Henry: With what shall I sharpen it?
Liza: With a stone
Henry: But the stone is too dry
Liza: Then wet it
Henry: With what shall I wet it?
Liza: With the water
Henry: But where shall I get it?
Liza: In the well
Henry: With what shall I fetch it?
Liza: With the bucket
Then the song starts all over again, because the darn bucket still has a hole in it! It is truly an annoying song. But, it is also a wonderfully insightful song about human nature. I know I am not the only one out there with a hole in my bucket. 60+ women from my church shared with me this weekend, that they too have holes in their buckets. We all do. Just like Liza and Henry, we try to fix them on our own. We try to fill holes like loneliness, stress, heartache, and worry with shopping, television, new organizational plans and yoga classes. In the end, all these worldly patches get us about as far as Henry got with his bucket. The holes are still there.
After a lot of prayer and walks with the Lord this weekend, I realized He likes the holes, because He can use them. It is often because of those very holes, that we fall on our knees and turn our face to His.
"I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber. The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore." Psalm 121 1-3, 7-8.
When we do look to the Lord, He is not only ready to be our help, but also to reveal His amazing never-ending, never-changing love for us - and that is an incredibly powerful thing. So, I am actually happy to report this week that there is still a hole in my bucket. I am going to stop trying to fix it. Instead, I am going to wake in the morning and say;
"Lord, there is a hole in my bucket. I know today I will not get everything done that I need to. I know things will fall through the cracks. Lord, be my help. Be my guide. Help me to do what should be done today and let go of things that really don't matter. Lord, walk with me today."
And praise the Lord, I know He will.
