A slap in the face...

Ok, not literally. But here it goes. Blessing first.  Andrew is 9 and in the throws of all that third grade has to offer.  You can start to see the separation in the kids...the athletes, the "good" kids, the artists, the musicians...even, sigh, the "cool" kids and the "not so cool." It happens quickly as their world starts to evolve. :(
 There is one particular girl in his glass who is a HANDFUL. She is everything that would make you pull your hair out. Emotionally needy, crass, obnoxious and very disruptive in class. But, oh how she adores Andrew.
Andrew admits, he doesn't particularly LIKE her, but he thinks she is lonely. That's the most he has ever said about her. That brings us to last Friday..they do a character assembly at school. Each class has a "bucket" where kids and teachers can leave encouraging notes, from those buckets a child can be elected for his "character".  You guessed, this girl nominated Andrew twice. I looked over his certificate which gets presented in front of the whole school, and it said "Thank you, for always being nice to me".
tears. sigh. love that kid.
Moving on, Tuesday she invited him to lunch with her. She goes to a special room with a teacher because her behavioral problems sometimes cause a problem in the cafeteria. Andrew, agreed.  Doesn't sound like much, but it's lunch time without his friends, including his best friend who isn't in his class this year. It means, one on one time in a small room with a teacher and this girl. tears. sigh. and then... i felt slapped in the face.
Why did he do this? Because he thought her feelings would "feel better" if he went.
Why did I feel like I had been slapped? Because, honestly, I have been putting off a lunch date w/ a friend. Stalling, busy, kids, you name it...I had a reason not to go.  It's not that I don't like love my friend, I do. BUT...in all honesty- it can be draining. I don't agree with a lot of what she does or how she handles situations...it leaves me wanting to bop her over the head with something rather than hug her or pray with her.
tears. sigh. made the call.
I am going to lunch. Why? Because God showed me that if a 9 year old boy can be so selfless, what in heavens name is wrong with me?  So, in Andrews words, lunch will hopefully make her "feelings feel better".
putting an ice pack on my face.