Trying Times!

Today I mentored my 2 kids at Otter Creek. My first little guy was shy as always. We "tried" to read together....but he struggles so much! He had big tears in his eyes when I picked him up today. Turns out some kids on the playground were mean to him and he tripped and fell into the fence that was outside. Then he told me his little tooth was hurting....It was all I could do not to give him a BIG old hug and tell him it would be fine. I did my best to encourage and he seemed happier when I left him today.

My other child that I mentor at Otter Creek was very TRYING for me today. I know the Lord has a sense of humor....because this kid has the attitude my brother used to have at one time! I picked him up from his classroom and we went to the library. He slumped down in his chair and refused to do his work the "right" way. I pushed all the work aside and said, "Look, you can sit up in that chair and have a good attitude or I'll just take you back to your classroom. I don't get paid to come and see you every Wednesday, I do it because I want too. Now if you don't want to participate that's fine, but you are not going to waste my time." (I surprised myself!!!). He surprised me too. He looked at me and said, "You don't get paid to come do this?" Almost immediately he sat up in his chair and we did some schoolwork.

I asked him why the attitude today. He said he had a kid hit him today in the classroom. I said, "So what did you do hit him back?" "Yeah" he replied. We talked about what the right thing to do would have been. Let's just say it was the longest 3o minutes I've had in a while!

I got in the car and told the Lord, "I tried today!" It was then I felt his gentle reply, "That's all I asked you to do!" It may not have felt like much to me, but I did today what my Savior asked of me...that's all I can do! He'll do the rest!