My friend, Cordelia

"Cat" by Cordelia

Sitting through a challenging sermon can be excruciating. Note I prefer to use the word challenging rather than boring. It's just that sometimes you aren't in the mood to hear someone talk about what someone else wrote about some other person's experiences. For me, the good part about worship is hearing other people talk about how a specific topic affected their lives.

Bad Example: "Here's what some guy who has been dead for 300 years said about forgiveness." Blah blah blah, etc.

Good Example: "I really struggled with forgiving my friend who betrayed my trust, but here's how I did it, and here are some things that might help you."

That doesn't always happen. The good news is that I had my church bag, which contains a set of the scriptures (natch), but also has a note pad, pencils, and a few Dr. Seuss books. You see, if I'm bored, imagine how the three year-old sharing my pew feels about it.

Fortunately, I was sharing a pew with Cordelia and family. Cordelia is one of my favorite people, despite our age differences. She was in the nursery when I was in the nursery as a teacher, and we both like to read and draw. So as the talk progressed, we caught each other's eye. I was already drawing, so she sneaked around her mom and plopped down next to me.

Her brother suggested I draw a cow. Cordelia nodded. So I produced this Cow/Dachshund cross with a three-teated mutant udder all jacked up on espresso.

"Dachshundmilchkine mit Espresso" by Canoelover

Cordelia was impressed, which is why I love little kids. They're easily impressed. Her brother, of course, noticed that the three-teater wasn't going to fly, but I told him that one was hiding behind one of the others. He didn't believe me, but I was the better entertainment option.

Cordelia mimed for me to give her the notepad (she is a quiet, respectful and reverent child). She worked on the creature below for quite some time, wanting to get the hair just right. Which is ironic. Since it's supposed to be me. And a cow.

Inside she wrote a cryptic message. Her brother translated it for me. "It says 'I love you.'" Cordelia looked at me and smiled.

Okay, so the neck is too long and she gave me a toupée worthy of Robert Goulet. But in my Spongebob Squarepants body Cordelia left me a sweet message.

"I lof u" by Cordelia.

I lof Cordelia too.

Respectfully submitted,

Canoelover