Me. Today. Oh, those kids

I love this song by Owl City. I'm not sure if it's because I'm going through mid life crises, so all of these yippee skippy songs bring me back to my youth? Maybe it's because I have a nine year old and she likes this kind of music. (We sway between Christian music and non- we just like music.) Side note, non Christian music has opened up so many great conversations about life between me and my girls that I don't think we would have had if we listened to Christian music only. That's just me and my family...

 BUT, back to the video...I think the real reason that I love this song and others like it, is because it reminds me of my days volunteering in high school youth ministry. The Lord has given me a heart for high school kids. I don't have to go to South Africa or Watts to find hurting kids, they are right behind the white picket fence.  

Several years ago, I volunteered as a small group leader, ministering to several high school girls. They would come to church aching inside but couldn't tell their parents. How could these kids have problems? Their parents are not in gangs. They have money, annual passes to Disneyland...on and on..so what gives? Life does. These kids need mentors and I was called to it for 10 years. I still stay in touch with many of the kids I had in my youth group.  

Now, I'm called to working with kids and their moms. I'm not sure what that looks like in the bigger picture but this week, I saw a glimpse. One of my nine year olds new best friends lost her Dad at age 4, he was shot and killed and she saw it. Would you know she had this past, this experience if you looked at her? NEVER. She has no apparent issues, sweet as can be. But I understand. I "have her number" and so does my daughter. They are both going through difficult times, emotions are exploding, anger arising and here they sit behind the white picket fence.

Will anyone notice them?

  Yes, I will.

Oh, those kids, praying.....