I come from a family of five kids (two boys and three girls). There was Nathan, the oldest of all of us and the oldest boy, then there was me, Lavel, who was the first girl, then Lara and finally Leah, the baby. We are all very close in age, which proved to be a wonderful thing while playing on our off time from school.Nathan and I would play with the little green army men, GI-Joe action figures, Transformers, Hot Wheel cars and sticks which were really guns, swords and other types of weapons. Lavel and Lara would play with Barbie dolls along with the mansion, cars and other gadgets that come with them, My Little Pony horses, Cabbage Patch baby dolls, Strawberry Shortcake and Care Bear characters and they would also dress up like princesses and fun characters like Pippi Longstocking. And then there was Leah who walked around watching all of us play with our toys while she was holding her one and only cherished teddy koala bear who was named Pound-Cake.
This little trip down reminiscent lane had me chuckling to myself. I don't think I have ever seen anybody cling to a certain toy for as long as Leah did Pound-Cake. It seemed that she loved this koala more than any other single item in all of the world. It was cute, soft, cuddly and flat! I think obsession is a good word to envelop the relationship between Leah and her best friend. There are probably good reasons why she was so affixed to this little stuffed furry animal, but at the time, I definitely did not get it, because there were times, which I am now not proud of, that I would abuse this little fantasy creature.
Leah was adorable, cute, the baby of the family but at times very, very, very disruptive to the world that Nathan and I would sometimes find ourselves in. She would come around and begin to talk to us and ask us a thousand questions (or at least it seemed that way). This wonderful little bucket of joy (Leah), would begin to ask so many questions that the fun, exciting, battlefront would have to come to a halt so that the eldest brother could do what his role called upon him to do and answer these irritating little questions. My patience was nothing in comparison to my brothers, so when I hit tilt, I would grab this stuffed animal from Leah's hands and run from the vicinity. She would chase after me, just as I planned it, and find me taking a fist to Pound-Cakes adorable little face. I would jump on it, punch it, throw it against a wall, throw it at a moving ceiling fan and elbow-drop it until Leah was crying uncontrollably (I think this is where the koala got its name "Pound-cake" from... LOL). Now, before you think I am the worst person in the world, please remember, to me, this was getting her away from the intimate time Nathan and I were sharing. Anyway, this activity would draw out until Nathan would, once again step up as the BIG brother, and begin to pound on me! NOT FUN NOW! Leah would get her precious little friend back and run off to console it.
This little trip down reminiscent lane turned into some deeper thought. I don't think I have ever seen anybody cling to a certain person for as long as Jesus has me. It seems that He loved this human more than any other single thing in all of His creation. I am perfectly crafted, wonderfully made and a sinner! I think obsession is a good word to envelop the relationship between God and His child. There are probably good reasons why He is so affixed to this mess of a person, but at this time, I definitely don't get it, because there are times, which I am not proud of, that I abuse this extraordinary creation I call me.
And after the enemy, the world and even myself "pound" me, He picks me up from the ground and consoles me, because I'm His Pound-Cake.
