Cry Cry Smile

Tonight at church I was sitting in the same row as a Mom who went to the front for prayer after the sermon. She left her daughter, who had been peacefully slumbering against her Mama most of the service, on her chair. As she left the little girl stirred and opened her sleepy big eyes, which I thought nothing of as I glanced over at her. A couple of minutes later I looked over again and the little girl (she must have been 3 or 4) was crushing her shirt into her crying little face! So I edged over to her and patted her arm, telling her that her Mom would be back soon. She kept her face hidden in her shirt and the crying didn't cease. So I put my arm around her and then stroked her hair - didn't help. Finally I took her onto my lap and her crying turned into sobbing. I also gave her one Blaise's whole wheat crackers and she kept it clutched in her hand, not eating it. So I tell her again that her Mom is going to come back; the sobbing only crescendos. I carry her close to where her Mom is and she seems to fall back asleep in my arms so I just stand and hold her. At the end of the service her Mom sees me and is surprised that I am carrying her daughter. I tell her she was sad and crying, so she thanks me and I give the little girl to her Mom. I look down at my shirt, wet with tears and snot, and smile.