Dear, Dear Evelyn.

We have an elderly woman in our church whose name is Evelyn. I don't know much about her life, but I've enjoyed getting to know her. She is as spunky and as funny as they come. She always has a smart comment to make about the conversation that catches everyone off guard and then we all laugh b/c it is quite humorous, her perspective at life. She adds a lot of experience and perspective to our conversations.
She has attended our "lifegroup" (small midweek community groups) that  Richard is leading. This lifegroup has become such an encouragement to us. We have people of all ages, engaged college couple, single college people, young families with kids or just starting to have kids, widows and divorcees, and older couples. A great balance and as we have met week after week a special bond of community is being built and it is awesome!!!!! Evelyn is one of the widows in our group that attends.
Life group has also been hard to manage with young toddler kids. It is hard a lot of times know what to do. No childcare means we have to figure out how to manage them on our own. It's hard some days to be engaged in bible study while I know my toddler kids are downstairs tearing the room apart and I have to be checking on them every 5 minutes, or watching them grab food off the counter non stop while I'm trying to hold a conversation with a friend. Sure at times I think it would've been easier for me to just not go b/c it was hard to handle the kids there, and I felt like I was expecting too much from them as toddlers.
But at the same time - I knew I wanted my children growing up knowing what "living in community" meant. I want them to see the bonds we have with these people, and I want these people to feel like they know my children, I want my children to feel comfortable with them. This group is a HUGE part of our lives and if I stayed at home with my kids, or left them there with babysitters every week they would not experience it!
I will say - as time goes on, my children are getting more used to the idea of what is expected of them, they are comfortable with the surroundings, and the other people are comfortable with them, and I truly feel like we are becoming a family - that in time can reach our community around us in LOVE b/c we love each other deeply. I have seen the fruit slowly start to show and this is the reason for this post!

Evelyn, dear Evelyn is elderly and doesn't always hear well or understand what is going on in a group setting. But my boys know who she is. They recognize her and that warms my heart. This Sunday a dear friend told me a story. Evelyn's earthly body is starting to fail her and it is becoming more and more evident each week. This particular Sunday she just did not seem herself. As my dear friend was helping her down the hallway Carson rounds the corner and sees her, his face lights up, and he gives her the biggest smile and "hello". I'm told Evelyn perked right up and said "that's my buddy" to my dear friend! And her countenance changed! Even as I type this out I'm teary! How precious that my little boy Carson can be a blessing to dear Evelyn! He has such a way of brightening anyone's day! I love that about him, and I sincerely pray that God will use it his whole life. Carson loves life and loves people and this is a gift! Carson knows Evelyn b/c of life group weekly and I'm so thankful I have stuck with it (even though it's not ideal for toddlers) b/c I see how beneficial it is to my kids and the elderly. I hope I can teach Carson to pray for Evelyn and that he would understand how much joy he can bring to her days in just smiling at her and recognizing her!