Do you have a favorite Pooh quote?

But God merits our confidence

Hebrews 10:21-22, 35 Since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. … Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord.

Saturday our family gathered in the Hundred Acre Wood to celebrate our granddaughter Liliana’s second birthday. Lili loves Winnie-the-Pooh, especially Owl.

My sister Linda told us a story I hadn’t heard before. When she was five or six (before I was born), Mom suffered anaphylactic shock while the family was in Mexico. The doctor declared her dead. Dad informed the Lord in no uncertain terms that this was unacceptable because he couldn’t take care of his three children adequately without her. And she started breathing again. A woman who helped the family while Mom convalesced read Winnie the Pooh to Linda. And that’s how Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, and the others came to be part of our family.

While the adults lingered at the table after lunch, Liliana decided it was time for cake. Her parents had commented that she was tall enough to reach things on the kitchen counter. The first we knew about Lili taking things into her own hands was when she emerged from the kitchen clutching three Pooh cake decorations in her chocolate-covered hands. We had a merry time cleaning up chocolate tracked through the house and on living room furniture. And of course, Lili herself.

Fortunately, we have pre-collapse photos of the cake:

What makes me smile in telling this story is that it truly was a merry experience, with lots of laughter. Not a single person expressed irritation. Doubtless, Liliana will hear about what she did many times in the coming years. But without a hint of frustration at what she did to her mom’s beautiful cake.

I am so very grateful that our daughters and their families can take potential stressors in stride so much better than I was always able to manage when our kids were growing up.

Experiences like this birthday party show me, better than any number of words, what confident trust looks like. Pure grace.

Here are a couple of my favorite Pooh quotes:

“A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference.” – Eeyore

“A friend is someone who helps you up when you’re down, and if they can’t, they lay down beside you.” – Winnie-the-Pooh