I've Got This

“Everyone, be calm. Be calm. I’ve got this.”

Such was Amelia’s declaration as we stood on the sidewalk outside Anna’s Pizzeria in Fuquay last night after our Father’s Day meal. Mom, the kids, and I had been discussing this summer’s upcoming Nana Camp and how it’d be cool to have Nana Camp t-shirts. After a couple of minutes of brainstorming that ultimately landed on tie-dyed t-shirts, Amelia suddenly and excitedly made her declaration, complete with hand gestures and a very animated voice: “Everyone, be calm. Be calm. I’ve got this.”

Very calmly, Griffin said, “Yep. Amelia has her very own tie-dye kit.”

Amelia’s eyes lit up, a grin formed on her face, and she nodded with pure joy because she had this.

…

When God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses felt totally unprepared. Moses made excuses. He tried his best to convince God that he wasn’t the man. He argued with God that he was going to fail. But God looked at Moses instead and said, in Amelia’s words, “I’ve got this.” God knew what God’s people needed. God knew that God could—and would—provide everything required for freedom. God knew that God was, that God is, and that God will be. I Am knew that I Am had this.

…

I went to dinner with a few friends on Friday night. When I left home a little before 7pm, Bullet was fine. He was in full Bullet form, barking and marking his territory, earning the reputation of being “a sweet mean dog; mean like old man mean, not mean like uni-bomber mean.”

When I returned home at midnight, Bullet was wounded. Sometime over the five hours that I was gone, one of Bullet’s dog friends bit him (or one of Bullet’s human enemies impaled him).

When I realized that Bullet’s head was bleeding due to a big gash on the top, I started crying uncontrollably. I apologized to him through sobs and felt completely powerless to help him. I wrote my mom and consulted with friends and struggled with whether to take him to the emergency vet or whether to wait until the morning to get him checked out. Bullet slept in my lap that night. He didn’t hop up to use the bathroom. He didn’t get up to play. He didn’t even demand his breakfast. He felt horrible. I felt helpless. I didn’t have this. I didn’t have it at all.

After taking Bullet to the vet on Saturday morning, however, getting his wound cleaned, and getting him medicine; after figuring out how to wrap Bullet’s pills in a ham pouch so that he’d take it; after putting out the call for positive thoughts and prayers for the little guy; and after welcoming my dad back home from a short trip to Florida, thus increasing Bullet’s morale tenfold, I did have it.

I had it because I had other people surrounding and helping me.

…

Sometimes,
I’ve got this means
having it on my own.
Sometimes,
I’ve got this means
giving it to I Am.
Sometimes,
I’ve got this means
asking people for help.

“Everyone,
Be calm.
Be calm.
I’ve got this.”