confession time

it is late and i need to go to bed (seeing as i overslept last Sunday and missed our college Sunday school that is held at this cool little statesborian coffee shop called the Daily Grind), but i am compelled to write at least a few short words.

confession: i watch lifetime movies. and i love 'em. sure, the acting is usually not academy award winning and a 3 year old could probably predict what was going to happen about 5 minutes into the movie--but, it is what it is, i love them. i didn't watch any during the summer and have no idea the last one i saw. with that being said...i watched one tonite that almost did me in. i cannot remember the name of it at the moment, but it was about this woman who went into an inner-city high school and established a class called "no more victims" that was a voluntary class for kids who had been victims of abuse, neglect, rape, emotional trauma, and so on. the whole thing was just about how these kids were transformed by the love from this teacher. they started believing in themselves and realizing that what had happened to them in the past did not mean they were not worthy of a bright and wonderful future full of people who would care about them, support them, and love them for who they were, despite their scars. it portrayed the battle these kids faced within themselves of self-worth because of what had been done to them.

before this summer, i would probably have watched this movie and still have been moved. i probably still would have cried some just because there were many moving scenes. but, as i watched this lifetime movie post-Hephzibah, i just hurt so deeply. i had all these pictures of all of our kids' faces popping up in my brain and it brought back memories of their stories, their hurt, pain, bad attitudes, misbehavior, harsh words, and the phasad that they all put up of being so tough when all the while you could just see the pain deep in their eyes. just makes me want to get in good ole ravioli right now and drive back there. just be there and remind them that they are great.

the movie was based on a true-story and real-life teacher that did this. she loved them unconditionally and was determined to provide them with a chance for a future far beyond what they ever imagined for themselves. i am so glad we all have a Teacher like this in our lives. like this lady in the movie, God loves us a million times more unconditionally and in a way that we could never hope to grasp or understand. it is comforting to know that even though it really does break my heart to know what our kids and so many other kids are going through, that God is right there and has His hand gently placed on each of their little hearts. and the same goes for anyone. not everyone has experienced trauma of the magnitude of some of the kids on this movie or as their best friend or some guy in the grocery line, but we all have hurts and God's love is just as strong and true and permanent no matter what we carry.

well i could go on these thoughts forever, but i need to hit the hay. i hope everyone is doing wonderfully, enjoying their weekend, enjoying eachother, and enjoying God's love. sleep well...