As A Little Child

She's cute. It's true! Sometimes she is also exasperating.

Like when she's the only non-adult attendee at a baby shower where I know a total of two people and, upon sipping my cup of hostess-provided lemonade, she calls out (with a volume and clarity only a two year old is capable of), "I want a better dink!"

Or like when she TOTALLY EMPTIES a laundry basket full of clean, mostly folded clothes in order to make a "swimmin'!!'" pool for Kitty.

Sigh. Smile.

And yet...as often as I feel exasperation, I feel complete and utter awe at Lucy's actions, thought processes, and comments. Like the other day when I took her to the bathroom at the cafeteria. After she finished, it was "Mamma's turn!" inside the blue stall. Before I was finished, Lucy was determined to unfasten the lock. When her repeated (exasperating) attempts were met by my stern, "DO NOT open the door"s, she broke into a frustrated, fist-clenched fit, crying, "I just be helpful!!"

I wish that my disobedience and my frequently mis-timed actions were always motivated by a sincere desire to be helpful.

Similarly, the other day we were picnicking on the porch and a bothersome bee started to circle around us. Lucy doesn't like bees, having been stung one memorable afternoon last summer. There was a moment of startled fright when she heard the buzzing sound, but after the initial scare, she looked at the bee with a little empathetic pout and said, "Op! He wants to share!" She proceeded to throw a few crumbs on the sidewalk for him.

Wish I would more consistently assign such pure (and usually accurate) motives to others. Lucy also is constant in her desire for my company. Sometimes even being together in the same room isn't enough. If I'm ever sitting in a chair watching Lucy color on the floor, I inevitably hear: "Mom, can you come to the floor? I will help you!" And I feel her tiny arms reach (try to reach!) around my waist to assist me down.

Likewise, the other day we were at the park. I stood on the cement perimeter as Lucy tromped around on the bark chips that covered the park floor. After a moment, she looked longingly a me, "Mom, can you come to the park??" It doesn't count unless I'm INSIDE.

I wish that I sought my Heavenly Father's presence and craved the company of His Spirit the way Lucy seeks my parental companionship.

Wish I appreciated Heavenly Father's involvement, and was ultra aware of my relationship to Him the way Lucy appreciates attention from and constantly desires so much closeness with me and her dad.

The way Lucy attends to perceived sadness in those around her with small acts of kindness amazes me:

To Scarecrow (who just looks SAD to Lucy): the bequeath of her "special" (favorite) markers.

To Wes (who, the other day, was wearing a tired, been-studying-too-long expression): "Dadda, how you do-in'?" (You can't imagine how those words OOZED with sweet sincerity!)
To Mom (who was sharing a little tearful "moment" with dad at the breakfast table last week; said with arms outstretched and with such 'let-me-take-care-of-you' concern), "Mom, can I have you?"

Pure

Love

The disciples [came] unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18: 1-4

Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. 3 Nephi 9: 22

It's true, Lucy is exasperating! But in a lot of ways, she is also my spiritual superior! I love her for what she teaches me!