My kids...

No, I'm not a mother. No, I don't have any younger siblings that I constantly care for. But, yes, I have kids. My kids are the kids in the Tullahoma First Kids Choir, and they are all such precious children.

Today they performed in "big church" for all the adults. They were all so excited, and they were all so good! They made me so proud, I almost cried.

As I've written before, each one has a unique story. You may remember reading about Ashley and her brother. (Her brother is still quite the handful, but aside from a few small tantrums now and then, Ashley has greatly improved!) Well, I'd like to tell you another story from my family of munchkins.

Michael* (*name changed) has had a rough summer. He is one of the bus kids that the church picks up for service because the parents don't come. Earlier in the summer, Michael lost his grandfather, the man who had taken care of him since he was a very small child. He is now living with his mom, and things aren't going as well as they could be. He has many problems, poor thing, some of which a child should not have to deal with.

Today, Michael had a solo part in one of the songs. When his mom dropped him off at the church early, she promised she'd be back to hear him.

As the kids were lining up, one of the adults asked, "Is your mom here?"

"I don't know."

"Is she coming back to hear you?"

A shrug of the shoulders is all she got in reply.

"Well, is she coming to take you home?"

Again, no definite answer.

"Well, if she doesn't come, we'll be sure that you get home."

Michael and the others headed out on stage. No mom. I have never seen a child go from lighthearted to brokenhearted so fast. He'd never show it; he's a "tough guy." But you could tell that it hurt him that his mom never came.

It's for kids like Michael that I keep working with children. In spite of the hard work, long hours, exasperating tantrums and seemingly endless list of complicated situations that come with it, it's worth it. If I can make one child feel loved, even if it's just once a week, then it's worth it.

And I have faith that Michael and every single one of my children can and will grow up to be beautiful sons and daughters of God, no matter their situations now, no matter how hard a hand life seems to have dealt them.

So, if you think about it, say a little prayer for my kids now and then, will you? For all the children growing up in this world today, I say a prayer.