A life changing moment....

Mrs. Lyman - I hope you read this. Today was an awesome day. The kids had their field day outside - talk about HOT - I was playing just as hard as the other kids and with Kids on my back!!! It was loads of fun..... after the field day time we all went back to the classroom - where Chick-fil-A had nuggets and juice ready for the kids. There were parents there all hanging out with their kids - a birthday party happening for one of the girls... so much activity.
As I have said before there has been a girl in this class that I have prayed for every day this year. She was kind of sad and did not participate in much of the activities; I did my best to pay a little extra attention to her and try to pull her out of her mood but I only made it so far with her. She came to me during lunch because she had gotten 2 lunches. Her grandfather was supposed to come and have lunch with her- he paid for the lunches. She was sad because she KNEW he would not come even though he had promised. This was apparent to me why she was sad and not participating in the activities because she was already preparing herself for a letdown. She came over and asked me if I wanted his lunch - I sat her on my knee and said "dear, you can eat the lunch - there is not much there anyways - I know you can eat all those nuggets". So she sat next to me and ate and we talked a little - even with all the other kids talking to me and wanting me to sit with them and tell me their stories. But what a great and kind thing to ask me - if I could eat her grandfathers lunch so that she would have someone to eat with - man that is awesome. So trying to change the subject - I asked her what the best part of the field day was for her - the games, the snow cones - being outside and running around - what was her best part?
She looked at me and said -"Mr. B" - "You are my favorite part".

Dude - talk about heart wrenching stuff..... talk about rip my heart out and give it to this young child who has had a tough life already and needs to feel loved in an appropriate ways, wanted and cared for in every aspect a young girl needs. If she is not loved and paid attention to at this age by someone who respects her and loves her - cares for her and watches out for her then...

~she will find it in other ways in just a few short years. Kids grow up even faster these days than we did when we were this age!

Another lost person that got left behind and forgotten - sucked into society with little hope of overcoming much.
I tell you now - if I could adopt this child - I would. God has opened the door of my eyes and heart - to these children. I don't want any of them to go without lunch or not have money on their lunch card so they can have lunch when I am not there. I want them to have ice cream with all the other kids even though mom or dad or grandpa forgot to give them money or don't have the money to give them. NONE of my kids will do without..... it just burns deep into my soul.

My wife asked me today - Why are you going over there to have lunch again with the kids? You were there yesterday! Because I want to - I need to - they need to.... even if they don't know it. I have even broken into the shy girls - there are no shy boys! But even the girls who I never would have thought would open up to me - speak to me without me speaking first - who ask for piggy back rides now and want me to sit with them at lunch - never did I think that barrier would fall. Its amazing what God is doing.... That's why this summer will be hard - next Friday - the last day of school - it will be the tough.

As I left today - I told each of them I would see them next Wednesday - their end of year party is that day. I need to do something special for them. Maybe a movie or a picture slide show or something. Ideas?
All I know is the girl who tries so hard to hide all the hurt and pain she is living through today - was smiling and happy - excited to have someone to sit and have lunch with her. That makes all the difference in the world. I pray one day she will look back on these days and know someone really - truly- cares and loves her.
Loves her in the way Jesus loved the children - with no agenda - no holding back and with arms wide open - giving His all kind of love. Today was a life changing moment...
With tears in my eyes ... I love you all.

Randy~
1 Chronicles 22:11
11 “Now, my son, may the Lord be with you and give you success as you follow his directions in building the Temple of the Lord your God.

Our children are ours for only a short time. They too belong to God and we should be doing everything in our power to raise them and prepare them for life - to teach them, care for them and love them - to take them to church and for them to learn that God loves them and they have value and purpose for their lives. They are never a failure and God loves them regardless of where life takes them. We as a society need to do a better job of parenting for our children. They are the next generation and they learn everything from us. Our parenting techniques will be passed down to the next generation ~ What are you passing down? Think long and hard about what your examples in life are providing your children...... Scary isn't it?
We need to lead - strong leadership for our families. Our children are worth it......