One cold winter morning, I had a full load coming home. We always weighed our stuff because we did not have to leave anything behind. As was normal back then, the airstrip our favorite charter service was using at the time was gravel and uncontrolled. There is no such thing as baggage handlers. When I arrived with my truckload of supplies it was still dark, and well below zero. The pilot was chatting with a couple of friends and enjoying a hot cup of coffee. I asked if I could do anything to help get my load ready. Laughing, he said I could load the plane.
Understand, I had handed supplies to the pilot as he loaded the plane for years. I had watched him and others seemingly play a game of Tetris fitting everything in the airplane as if in a jigsaw puzzle. I am a pro at packing boxes to get the most in and wasting the least space but had never loaded an airplane by myself. I reminded the pilot I had not done that alone and asked if there was anything I needed to know. He said to distribute the load evenly and do not put anything on the rudder cables. OK, easy-peasy.
A half-hour later, the sun barely peeking over the horizon, I told the pilot I had loaded the plane and we were ready to go. He came out of the office, took one look at the 206, and asked what had I done! The 206 has a trike configuration in its gear, one ski at the nose and two under the wings. The front ski was still on the ground, but barely, the tail was still off the ground, but the plane was not level. I told him I had loaded the plane, like he said, the weight distributed evenly.
We both learned valuable lessons that morning. He learned to be clearer in his instructions and I learned that in the aviation world, even distribution means only over the wings, not nose to tail. He quickly rearranged a few heavier items and soon we were airborne. The stall buzzer sounding the whole trip.
Sometimes the stress and burdens in our lives can seem like a heavy load, too much to handle. We get wise counsel on how to carry the weight but sometimes the advice can be off, just a little, and everything is out of balance.
Jesus invites us to come to Him, all who are weary and heavy burdened, He will give you rest, His burden is light (Matt. 11:28). Paul tells us in Galatians 6:2 to bear each other's burdens.
So which is it, light burdens or so heavy someone else has to carry the load?
It is both. Sometimes our burdens are too much to bear, we are nearing the breaking point and one more thing will break us in half. When that happens, we are to go to our brothers and sisters and redistribute the load.
The young mom just needs a couple of hours of quiet.....volunteer to babysit
The elder is not sure how they are going to make their SSA stretch this month....take them food
The teen has devastating news to tell their parents.....sit with them as they confess
If we do not know what the burden is, how can we help? Have accountability partners. Trusted mentors and friends who can come alongside you and give wise counsel and practical help. This is what sharing burdens look like.
Lord, help me not to be too proud to seek help when the burden is too great
Help me to see those who you love, as You see them
Show me where I can ease another's burden
I praise You for the gift of Life.
I love you Jesus, Amen
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