tornado

Oh. My. A tornado (in the form of two neighbor kids) just visited our apartment. After helping themselves to our outdoor riding toys, they walked right in and made themselves at home. We didn't mind their company; it was good to finally meet them. Carly and Isaac stood staring, open-mouthed as the kids plowed through the apartment like it was a candy factory, wanting to try everything out as quickly as possible. Kade, 5, walked to the fridge and asked, "What's in the fridge?" He opened the pantry and said, "Do you have anything to eat?" I knew they couldn't be hungry because their mom had just brought home Chick-Fil-A. These children come from a split home. The mom told me that the kids spend Mondays and Tuesdays with her, Wednesdays and Thursdays with Dad. And Mom and Dad alternate keeping them on the weekends "to keep it fair." Wow. Kalyn, 7 (big girl), asked me, "Do you have any dessert?" Instead of letting these kids plow ALL of us over, I directed them to an art project at the table. Needy kids needing love or stability or something.

The best thing about loud kids like them is that it gives you the courage to stand up and say whatever you think needs to be said in your house. When Kalyn said that her grandpa died, I said, "Yeah, it's kinda sad when old people die, but it's okay, because if they know and love Jesus, they can go to heaven to be with Him. And that's a lot better than here anyway." She said, "Yeah, my grandpa went to heaven." I replied, "Oh, good! So he knew Jesus?" She said, "Yep! And so do I! But sometimes I hit my brother." We talked a little more about forgiveness, but she changed the subject. Oh, kids are so vulnerable; their hearts are so moldable. I'm not sure when the hard layers start to grow around the heart to make some adults so unwilling to hear and accept the Truth.

After an hour, I told the kids it was time to start picking up. Kade and Kalyn asked why, and I explained, "It's bedtime for Carly and Isaac, and we always pick up before bedtime. So, who's going to pick up the Lincoln Logs?" Kade offered. When all was clean and it was time for them to leave, Kade wanted a hugs from the kids before he left to walk back to his apartment next door. Our clueless kids think hugs automatically go with kisses, so Isaac walked up to him and gave him a hug and a kiss. Kalyn wanted hugs too. Carly gave her a hug and a kiss on her cheek. Isaac gave her a hug and a kiss on her belly. They shouted, "We'll be back tomorro

w!!" as they ran out the door.

We had an interesting talk with Carly and Isaac afterwards.

An afterthought...

After the tornado kids left, I noticed that Carly, in an attempt to regain order and peace in her bedroom, had straightened her room, turned off the big light, turned on her bed lamp and laid her Bible and chapter book out, getting everything ready for bed. This is normal routine for her after a reminder, but she had it done 15 minutes before the tornado kids left. It made me hope hope HOPE that even as a teenager she will never be afraid to lay out her Bible in front of her peers in preparation of reading it.