Realizations

After a great vacation full of relaxation I am so glad to be back at home!  The beach was beautiful but there really is no place like home.  Today I got a call and it really sunk in that in less than one week Raya will be a perminent member of our Mitchell clan.  She has changed so much in the past year, I am so excited to see who she will be when she graduates in 2 years!  While at the beach she called and told me that she got her grades for the first 3 weeks and we could not have been more PROUD of her accomplishment of GREAT grades in every class....I am so excited for her and I could tell she was proud of herself too.  She has been so on top of her classes thus far and we could not be more ecstatic for her.  It is strange how we quickly have become such a unified family and it doesn't even seem right anymore when it is just Me, Michael, and Bryce.  We felt strange at the beach without Raya (she decided to stay here so she wouldn't get behind) it was as if we were missing that other 25% of the family.   As corny as this sounds, in alot of ways we didn't realize exactly how much we needed her and what a difference she would make in our lives when she moved in.   We thought we were doing something to help her...but really she was the one that changed us.

She has taught us how the trivial things in life don't matter AT ALL, how time, commitment, and unconditional love mean more and witness to people much more than all the words in the world.!

Through her I have been introduced to some great teens and some teens that are seriously troubled.  It has been alarming to me to really see how many of her friends live with someone other than their parents, who live in families (single or not) that have absolutely NO idea what their teen is doing, and just how sad some of these kids are.  Children are 14-16 trying to have babies...and succeeding...then not being able to take care of the precious gift they have received.   We as a community and culture are raising children that have no idea that people love them and cherish them.  These parents are teaching these kids to grow up alone, be selfish, and unfortunately most will copy this behavior with their own children.  This has been especially sad for me to see that parents don't even remember birthdays or barely even see their child on Christmas much less other times through the year. It has made me much more mindful of what is happening to our youth.

If you know a teen that needs help, know that although you may not reap the harvest...the love you sew will not go without changing them. (my good friend Katie told me this one day...and it stayed with me)

   "I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him"  1 Sam. 1:27