Discourse on pride/rest

I'm sitting here listening to classical music on itunes, and I think they are playing the Intro to Pomp and Circumstance. Whatever is playing is very familiar in places. We used to play part of the Intro in high school band at good old American Falls High. I played the oboe - and most of the time I was the only one, except my senior year when I had a little freshman nipping at my heels. She was a pretty good oboist - probably better than I was, but I was first chair by virtue of seniority only. One concert we were doing the fanfare from Cosi fan Tutti where the first whole page or something was an oboe solo. I was so dadblamed scared I couldn't even play. It was AWFUL. Then dear little Susan tried to help me, and I got more nervous, because I knew she could probably breeze through this thing while I couldn't hardly get a "blat" out! It was so humiliating! I don't know why I hadn't practiced more and really learned that part so I could play it at least. But I let my "Senior pride" get in the way and totally blew it. The memory is still humiliating and I don't think I have ever shared humbling experience with anyone ever in my life. So why am I now? Don't know. Except I have learned that pride doth go before a fall. Our stupid pride can really cause us pain - mainly because that pride won't let us admit that, 1. We may need a little help, and 2. Needing help is not a handicap! We ALL need help sometimes, and we should admit it and accept it. But then there is the danger of becoming overly dependent on others and perhaps becoming lazy about helping ourselves. Does the Lord only help those who help themselves? I don't think that is scriptural by any stretch of the imagination - I think the Lord would help if we would let him. Ps. 119:173 says "May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts." And in Matthew 11:28, Jesus bids us, "Come unto me all ye who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls." Oh what comfort. What rest! Dump the pretense of being perfect, or even better than a brother or sister, and just become meek and lowly of heart and mind - become more like Jesus! Wow. I learned something today in this blog, blah blah. I knew it earlier, but I just learned it again, with the added dimension of coming to Him and learning of Him creates that same spirit and mind in us as is in our Lord and Saviour! Just rest in Him and let Him take the lead! Thank you Lord that you can speak even through a musing of an old woman. Bless your holy name! Amen P.S. It wasn't Pomp and Circumstance they were playing, but that melody I was hearing surely brought back some worthwhile rememberances, no matter how painful they were! (And now I just heard an oboe solo of some length on itunes. Amazing).