My son made a good friend in Kindergarten: John. He’s the sweetest little thing. Always building something with Legos. Always friendly and fun. His floppy blond hair is always falling in his face. They were in the same class last year. This year they are in the same after school program. I always find them playing together when I pick up little Alex. John said something to Alex and Alex passed it on to me one day after school last week and it broke my heart.
John said he wished he had never been born.
Oh sweet, Jesus… my heart breaks. What 6 year old has thoughts like that? What sadness is in his life that he could say such a thing? I had no idea. John and Alex have been asking to have a play date recently… so I sent a note to school to John’s mom. We had met before, but I didn’t even know her name. We got together last Saturday and the boys played together all day. And Kay and I talked over coffee and I found out why John thinks those too sad and too mature thoughts. They have been abandoned by John’s father. After eighteen years of marriage he left his wife.
No…
After 18 years, and 3 children… he left his family.
No…
After 18 years, 3 children, dragging his loving family all over the world and uprooting them every few years and forcing them to start over in new schools, with new friends… he abandoned his family with nothing.
He met his high school sweetheart on a social networking site and left the woman who had been there for him… taken vows of faithfulness to him… torn her body apart to bring his children into this world… sacrificed developing herself professionally to support his career and dreams… and now he’s gone.
Disappeared…
No child support…
No alimony…
No contact…
And now… just after Christmas… they live in a small apartment… John’s mom works her fingers to the bone at the only job she can find… and they have no electricity… in the dead of winter.
Some people think this unseasonably warm winter is evidence of global climate change. I think it’s evidence of God. Right now… little children and families have no electricity… and God has let this winter be warm. Right now… small babies are living in tents less than 20 minutes from my home because their families… EVEN WITH JOBS… cannot afford a place to live… and sometimes food… and God made this winter warm…
My heart breaks for little John… and I feel a love of God for this warm winter… today it was 70 degrees in Washington DC… I thank God for this weather… but, part of me wishes I could find little John’s father… break his legs with a lead pipe and then drop him off, and his awful high school sweetheart, in front of the police station and have them both locked up in prison where they belong.
Lord forgive me…
But, I don’t think this is global climate change. This is God looking out for the weak and the humble in these rough economic times… pray for John and Kay…
If you happen to have a Nintendo DS that you’re not using, I know a little 6 year old with a birthday at the end of March that could use a little happy play time… shoot me an email…
Pray and listen carefully… you can hear the angels singing…
Luv and hugs,
True
P.S. Sorry about the typos… this just got me so upset…
