Kids Aren't the Only Ones...

Sometimes I don't sound very teachery or parenty.

For instance, the other day in a local store, I saw a young mom I knew.  And like most young moms at a store, she had some kids in tow.


After I stupidly asked one of her youngsters if he was ready for school to start, he angrily replied, "No!  I don't want summer to be over yet!"

Before I could stop them, the words, "Hey, you're not the only one, mister!" tumbled out of my oft open mouth.

Fortunately, my boss wasn't around.

Today, I'm kicking off a short series of blogs centering around everyone's "favorite" time...the start of the school year!

I actually put this question out to students and parents alike the other day: WHAT ARE YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES AS YOU GET READY FOR A NEW SCHOOL YEAR? Loved the feedback I've received.  So, based on said feedback, I decided to try to find some good stuff to encourage you with regarding the following:

• Routine & Time Management (Some of you are laughing at the thought of me having tips on these, but maybe you can learn from my mistakes, okay? Man!)
• Peer Pressure (Both the student and the parent...seriously, parenting peer pressure is huge!)
• Finances (Even in public school...it's like a money pit!)
• Where To Go (Deciding where to actually go or where to put your child in school.)
• Anxiety ('Nuff said.)
• How to Prepare (More than just getting school supplies!)
• How to Spiritually Equip Yourself &/or Your Kid (Last here in writing, but first in real life!)

As a former student, as a parent who has now seen children go from preschool through (please, God, spring of '13!) college, and as an educator...seeing this time of year become one that is not only survivable, but THRIVABLE, is near and dear to my heart.

I feel that ALL of us should be involved in supporting those going back to school like ALL of us should be supportive of those who are parenting.  Some of us are not, or may never be parents, but all of us have been children.  Some of us are not currently students, nor do we have children headed off to school this fall.  But, all of us have been students.

Whether or not we're first-hand parents or back-to-schoolers, we should relate enough on some level to support and pray.  So, pray for parents, pray for students, pray for teachers, pray for administrators, pray for school boards, pray for custodians, pray for lunch ladies...see, a lot of people are starting school!  And, they all need prayer.

So I guess I just have one, major take-away for you today.  And you really don't even have to take it...completely your choice.  But, if those of us in the Body of Christ know we are to be a universal family...well, then, I guess we should be making people going back into a school environment a major point of prayer.

And this is where we can have an epiphany of sorts. This is where we all can see it.

Kids aren't the only ones going back to school.

When we pray...we go, too.

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