Something Olivia said

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?" — Psalm 8:3-4

Olivia was here yesterday afternoon. Dan dropped her off after lunch and she stayed until supper and we did not do anything special, which is the kind of visit I like best.

She sat at the kitchen table and drew pictures while I shelled the last of the butter beans, and at some point she looked up and said, Grandma, do you think God gets tired?

I said I did not think so, but I wanted to know why she was asking.

She said because He has to listen to everybody all at the same time and that seems like a lot.

I have been teaching Sunday school for most of my adult life and I have heard children say things about God that would put most sermons to shame, but this one stayed with me because it was not really a question about God. It was a question about listening. Olivia is the kind of child who listens with her whole body, the way her father does, and I think she was wondering whether the thing she does naturally, the paying attention, the pointing herself at whoever is talking, is something that has a cost, and whether God pays it too.

I told her I thought maybe God does not get tired the way we do, but I think He pays attention the way she does, and that is a kind of love.

She went back to her drawing and did not say anything else about it.

Ruby keeps a collection of prayers at her kitchen table. You can find them here.