I think I can...

Last night at bedtime, Kayla Joy asked me to read her our cherished little book called “The Little Engine that Could.”  Many of you know it, I would imagine.  It is especially precious to me because this particular copy belonged to my best friend’s beautiful mother, Sandy Perches, who is now with Jesus.

Honestly, I was tired.  After two weeks of the kids being home, I was longing for some time alone.  I had already spent quite a bit of time reading and singing to little man in the other room about an hour before, and Kayla and I had already read from another book.  But she looked up at me, lying on her tummy, feet kicked up behind her, with all her blue-eyed cuteness, and asked me for just one more book.  Turns out this book was for me more than her! 

In the story, there is a little train that can’t make it over the hill and she needs help.  For varying reasons, no one can help her.  After being asked for his help and refusing, one particular train chugs off, muttering, “I can not. I can not. I can not.” And so of course, he doesn’t. 

I forgot about that part of the book.

Finally the little engine that could comes along and talks herself into it by whispering the words to herself, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…”

As I approach this new year, I have some things that I want to accomplish.  There are some areas of my life that need tweaking.  I am on a journey toward transformation. Some of the areas in which I need a metamorphosis are areas that I have attempted to deal with in the past, but I have not finished or maintained or lived into the changes.  They haven’t lasted.  Because of this, it is easy to remember the “tower of failure” behind me  and catch myself saying, “I can not. I can not. I can not.”

But as is so clear in this story, the only difference in these trains is their attitudes, their choices and their words.  Their strength and ability were intrinsically the same. One believed and spoke her belief.  One didn’t.

I am inspired to be like that little engine who could.

I think I can.  I think I can.  I think I can.

So can you.

At the end of this little book of wisdom, the little victorious engine repeats over and over to herself, “I knew I could. I knew I could. I knew I could.”  And that is my hope for the end of 2015.  That I would be able to look back and see how far I have come.  From “I can not” to “I think I can” to “I knew I could!

Believe it.  Speak it.  Do it.

Happy New Year!

Christy