From May 21, 2012

It is Monday, in case that has in some way escaped your notice.
If you are looking for something comical, I am sorry to disappoint you, but not this week. Maybe next week. :-)
Today I watched my oldest child “graduate” from 5th grade. This marks a special day for our family, as this is the only year that Ty and Wy will walk the halls of the same school. Wy and D never will. And the next time that Wy and Ry do, they will be a senior and freshman in high school. I am really not ready for that!
But Wyatt’s class holds a special place in my heart. They were the first group of kids I got to be a “school mom” with. I have worked in their classes for six years, and I have loved watching them grow.
There is one little girl in the class that I would like to tell you about. When they were in Kdg and just learning how to read, she was falling behind. Her scores were very low; she was shy, withdrawn, and did not engage very often in class discussions. When I asked the teacher about her, she told me that her mom was a nurse who worked second shift. Her only sibling was a sister who was one year older, and as much as she tried to read her books with her, she didn’t have the fluency to make the story flow. Their care giver in the evening was their Grandma, who loved them and took great care, but only spoke Spanish, and therefore was unable to help with homework. My heart broke for her; it seemed to me she wasn’t even being given a chance. So when the teacher asked me if I would be willing to read thru her books before each test, I readily agreed. The change in her test scores was drastic and immediate. The social change in her was not as immediate, but no less significant.
Today, I watched this little girl (along with my son and many others) receive the Presidential Excellence in Education Award. To be completely honest, I was a bit teary eyed. While I am in no way taking credit for her intelligence and hard work, I was wondering if things would be different if I, and several other moms, had said, “no way, she’s not my kid, not my problem” to or about her along the way. If I had decided I had my own kids, in my own yard to focus all of my energy on, and therefore I was unable to pour into any others? I really don’t think that is what God has in mind for us. We are to care for those around us, to see a need and meet if we are at all capable. We are very good at doing this for those in the church. We are great at seeing a need on the other side of the world and holding carwashes and bake sales to fix it. That is all great. But sometimes the need is much simpler, and much, much closer to home. Do you have a neighbor kid that every time your child steps outside they show up? Have you ever wondered what it is like at home that they don’t want to be there? Does that same kid ask for a snack or food every time, or hug you on the playground at school? Ever wonder when they last ate, or last received some affection? I wonder these things all the time. As much as I am aware that I cannot fix every problem, and as talked about before, sometimes I say no, I still look for these opportunities around me on a regular basis.
So I ask you this, who have you hugged today, that is in no way connected to you? Is there someone you should?