She's quick, as a two year old generally is, physically and mentally.
She follows older brothers and sisters everywhere. She repeats what they say and do, and asks lots of questions.
Evie has her favorites of the group. She picks the siblings that are most attentive to her, and that genuinely want to help her or play with her, rather than using her as a toy.
She has chosen her eldest sister (16 yrs), and her eldest brother (11 rs), and her youngest brother (3 yrs).
Watching Evie can cause deep reflection regarding relationships with people, and how we view and react to the world around us.
For instance. She was enamored with a rather friendly cat that belongs next door. The cat is a beautiful marmalade that the children have dubbed 'Macaroni'.
Evie moved toward the cat, her hands and arms poised to pet Macaroni. But. The cat came toward her. She stopped, with a shocked look on her face, and backed up a few paces. Then, she sat on the ground near Macaroni, leaning forward to pet, and the the cat jumped up and got in Evie's lap, then proceeded to lean in to her walking all the way around her. Evie didn't know what to do with herself. She cringed, and a look of terror was on her face. She didn't cry, or scream, but she simply did not know what to do with this creature that she had been longing for, and running toward. Macaroni didn't make her give chase. This cat wanted to be loved, and came toward Evie, expressing affection and hoping for some in return.
You just had your own parallel running through your mind, didn't you?
Mine was with God. I look for Him, I want his grace, his love, his blessings. But when He doesn't make me chase him in futility, when God makes himself present and clear, I become terrified. He might want something from me that I don't want to give.
I don't know what to do with the love he freely shares. How can The Creator of the Universe care about *me*? And the only requirement from Him is my love.
Guess what happened next? One of Evie's brothers saw the whole scene with the cat. He came over and squatted next to Evie, and began petting the cat. "See?" He said, "Be gentle with the kitty. The kitty likes to be petted. Go ahead, pet gentle." She saw that the cat was turning to jelly under her brother's gentle hand, and she reach out to pet, also.
In fact, when she got up to walk again, she called "C'mon, Macaroni! C'mere! Come w'me!"
The cat got up and followed her around.
I am more than blessed to have church leaders that model a relationship with God. That show me that God may ask something from us that's scary, but that all it really is, is our love.
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