Festival Follies

Last Wednesday night it was the first night of AWANA for the school year, and this year I was excited to have both little Liz and Emma to come. Both were a delight.

All the kids were a delight. They went out to the playground for game time, and their personalities came out and shone, and we all had fun helping them on the monkey bars. One of the moms had stuck around and when she learned that I was her child's leader she told me about her special concerns for her child's speech ability which has been hampered. She watched her child play as I did, and I could tell she was really worried, and finally she told me everything that was on her mind. I empathized and said I would be extra careful to encourage her. I knew that it could have been Carmen Saunders that I was speaking with, but Carmen is a twin so I just didn't think much about it.

It came time for the parents to come pick up their kids. It was crazy like usual, the kids don't know the protocol and they're naughty and can't hear you because everyone is really loud. All of a sudden Reid Saunders appeared to pick up his child. A a hush fell amongst all the women Cubby leaders, and I tried to contain my inward laugh. I realized that he was here for one of the kids in my group! The women all turned and gave me a secret look of shock, and one leaned in and stammered, "I recognized the last name, but I didn't know that was her dad."

He was wearing a perfectly pressed shirt even though it was approaching 8:30 pm, and a two or three people in the hallway were holding fast his attention trying to talk to him about some detail of Riverfest. I immediately sensed the ego factor, and decided that I wanted nothing to do with it. I decided that all I needed to say to him was that his child did really well tonight. So I looked at him and raised my voice (okay, it's like super duper loud in that room) and said "Your daughter did really well" as she was exiting out the door. He didn't notice me at all. So I said it again. No effect. I then decided that he didn't even need to hear that either. So I got down on my knees and said to the little girl through the baby gate, "I'm glad you came tonight, I'll see you next Wednesday," and blew her a kiss, which made her smile. I think Reid might have noticed me talking to her, but I went on to talking to the other kids still waiting to go.

Of course, I think this is amazing. Okay, humility is taking a backseat! But, he doesn't even go to our church, why was he even there? How is it that I was chosen by grace to be the one who gets to shape the beliefs of the child dear to the man who will do the same for thousands?

Undeserving. I feel special.