Skip to main content

Youth Group

 The weather has been unfavorable for farmers. By this time in a typical Iowa year, most farmers in Iowa have planted well over half their crop. This year, there are just a handful of farmer's who have gotten maybe one or two days of planting in at all. We are very fortunate and got two full days in on April 27 & 28th. It has been rainy, cold, and gloomy ever since. We are awaiting spring, warm sunny days, and planters rolling through the fields.    

 Luke has been attending our church youth group for the past 3 years. His small group is 8th grade boys from Ames. There are around 12 boys in his group. All but about 3 boys attend Ames school together. Luke has always felt like the outsider, as did Jayden and Jake when they went through youth group because they are farm kids and don't live in Ames. Luke really enjoyed going and has liked it for the most part. This year was harder, the boys are older and less inclusive. Some of the kids are just plain mean, and some even make remarks about him being a country kid. The boys in his group always dress a certain way in sports pants, high dollar name band tennis shoes, etc. Luke could blend in, wear what they wear, but thankfully he embraces his uniqueness and doesn't feel the need to have to fit in by wearing certain clothes. He is a country boy, wears jeans, and cowboy boots. In our community and school  cowboy boots, western jeans, mullets, baseball caps are all common. Not in Ames. Luke would go to youth group excited and looking forward, but over the past several months, I noticed him getting back in the car sad. Sometimes he would talk and tell me things that irritated him, kids disrespecting the leaders, kids being obnoxious, or kids ignoring him. Sometimes he would just be quiet and not say much, but I could tell he was sad. Some nights nobody would talk to him. Over and over, week after week, he wanted to go and I would drive him all the way to Ames and once it was over he would be sad. He told me he is tired of feeling invisible. It breaks a mama's heart to hear this. I want to fix it and I want kids to see how wonderful Luke is. I just don't understand kids. Conforming to the world is changing who you are to fit the way the world is, that's not right. I am proud of him for not changing to the ways of this world. It makes me sad that at a church youth group, he still isn't fitting in. Kids are mean and thoughtless. I see so many kids that are just plain inconsiderate of others. Compassion doesn't come natural, especially in junior high age kids. The golden rule, treat others the way you want to be treated, I really wish these kids could learn to live it out. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Volleyball

Jake  went with Karen after school and to the field. My mom, Luke and I went to Jayden’s  Volleyball game in Coon Rapids.  They played 4 games all losses. They were not having a good serving night and that really hurt them.  Still enjoy watching them learn.
Post a Comment
Read more

Treasures

 In the morning we took 3 of our 4 cats to the vet for shots. The 4 th cat decided to wander this morning missing his appointment. On our way out, we passed a rummage sale and stopped. We got some major treasures for next to nothing. The church ladies were so fascinated with Jacob's interest in old radios and televisions. They just adored him and marked the prices way down and gave him some for free. We loaded up on kids books, got some board games, and a few other treasures. Jake ended up with a mini  television , an old radio and Polaroid camera. After lunch the boys went straight to the field. My friend Carolyn and her daughter Tabby came to ride horses. What started out to be a chilly day 45, turned out nice and sunny. We had coats on, but it was a great day to ride. We rode through our hay patch and along the waterway near the highway. It was a great way to spend the afternoon.
Post a Comment
Read more

Dayton Fun Show

 It has been cold and windy for the past week, highs of 45. Today the sun was shinning and it got up to 60. There was one final horse show for the season at the Dayton arena. We took Jayden and Jacob while Luke went with Grammer and Po and was supposed to come later. It was a fun show geared for practice and the kids. Jake did really well on Winnie, he rode in walk and trot, barrels, and poles. He did some loping. Jayden did pleasure, milk can, barrels, poles, and a jumping event. Her horse Tex really jumps high for the jump event. Down in the arena, there was'nt any wind and the sun came out. It made for a nice day.
Post a Comment
Read more