Stepping Up

So as this semester has gone on, I have tried very hard to be present in the actual lives of certain students. To get into the inner circle of a students life means you have to be present and available. I have adapted to being flexible, some girls call me because they don't have a ride home from school, others are just bored and looking for something to do. By the end of the day it is easy to feel like I've moved wherever the wind has blown. Its exhausting at times, but I am finally seeing the time invested is starting to pay off.
Several of the students have not only grown to rely on me but they are coming to me personally with the issues in their lives. They trust me, and its taken what feels like a very long time to get here but the things these kids are trusting me with is amazing. I have finally gotten to that next level. I of course care about these students and always have otherwise I wouldn't be doing what I do, but I really like these young adults. They are incredible!
What some of them are going through or have to deal with breaks my heart but I have found that journeying with them is so worth it. Being there with them has given me so many opportunities to share what God has done in my life, and its so encouraging to see there reactions to who I used to be, and they are curious as to why I'm not that person anymore. I am breaking through some major walls with many of them, and for some of them I've been the only adult to take the time to listen. I am stepping up not only into these students lives but I'm also slowly being reminded of how much I have stepped up in my own life. God is good, and there's not a better way of being reminded of how good He is than by being reminded of who you used to be.

Funny Story

This will be short and sweet, but I just need to share this because it was by far the funniest thing that has happened in a while :)

So I am in the student council advisor's (Arnone) office at Royal Palm Beach High, we are chatting with the student body president (Karlie) about homecoming! They were preparing for a meeting with the principal to get all there homecoming plans Ok'd. Then I catch Karlie's gaze on the far corner of the office ceiling, she asks "did you hear that??" She looked pretty freaked out, but we all paused long enough to hear a skamper along the ceiling tiles of the office. We all screamed and ran out of the room...not paying attention to the office being connected to the classroom we ran into the scamper followed us! We all held onto each other and did a little creep out dance (very amusing to have seen i'm sure). Then imediately stormed out of the room and into the schools office to address the issue.

As we arrive and describe the horrific occurance to the two secretaries there, and they promptly send us to the secretary in the front office, stating that "she called animal control earlier today, she would know when they are coming." To our surprise we heard a story about a racoon who had been found and killed in the classroom next to his, so animal control had already been notified. Not a very pleasant thought, but it was definately a hiliarious happening while I was on campus this morning.