A Thank You

One of my girls had her graduation party today. Everyone had a great time. We all got a chance to dunk the grad in the dunking booth. I missed but dunked her anyway. :-) I walked up to the booth and said the question is am I nice. She said yes and I smiled and pushed the button.

Her cousin brought a karaoke machine and we heard some really baaad singing. Even people who can sing sounded not so great through that thing, but it did make a great sound system for the grads mom when it came time for announcements. Like food was ready. Before that announcement Mom thanked everyone for coming. She thanked everyone for their part in the grads life. Then she look right at me she said there are a few who are very special like Chris and a one or two who could not be here today. Then she said thank you Chris for being a part of her daughters life. I admit I teared up. Often in youth work you are dealing with scars. I have run into jealous parents who hate that their kids will talk to me and not them and made difficulties for me because of it. One of them was there today. It was hard to see her after the Sr. Pastor told me what she had said. I had not seen her since. I learned what she said after I was out of that church for nearly a year. It has been a year and a month since I learned it. I put that aside and was pleasant to her. I didn't ask her anything about her life but when she started talking to me and peppering me with questions I answered them. I told her how great my church is and I have been enjoying my life since I quit my job. I had nothing negative to say so she left me alone after that.

This was the interesting part for a moment there I had in my line of vision two women, both mother who's children would talk to me about the deepest questions in their hearts. One mother thanked me, the other had tried to hurt me. Even now all this time later when her child and I have not talked in years she was looking at me at that moment with a look of displeasure. My best guess is she can't under stand why the other mother thanked me. I had very mixed feelings as I watch both women watching me. Sort of a thank you God for the small rewards that mean so much and a sadness for a mother that has not yet figured out that her children must grow up and that means breaking away from her.

I am ever so thankful of the thank yous. They are few and far between and memory of them reminds me of how important what I do is. Makes the thankless, knee deep in mess times so much easier to bear.