WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT

Yesterday when we took the kids home from our Tuesday night programs, I walked the kids to their doors to meet and invite their parents to the Easter concert. One family sticks out in my mind and I want to share this with you. I walked 4 children (ages 3, 6, 8, and 11) home and they walked in yelling for their mother to come to the door. Instead, I was "greeted" by a half dressed man that looked like he'd spent too much time on cloud 9. Anyway, as I entered their home, I had to step over piles of clothing, diapers, empty boxes, and toys. In the 2 rooms I had seen, there was a distinct walking path created by the garbage and clutter. These 4 children are the most difficult as far as behavior at our activities, but these were the things that made me see the importance of their "escape" on Tuesday nights. Their mother standing barely dressed in the kitchen was holding a 10 month old baby and looked like she hadn't slept in years. As I handed her the invitation and told her who I was, I could barely keep her attention for 5 seconds (the baby wasn't crying, fussing, or anything). I said goodbye to the kids and went out the door. The kids came to the door and yelled out "Bye Captain, Good night!".
I've been searching for a real ministry that the Lord confirmed last night. We can do all the programming we want, we can be creative in planning parties and services, but what is it all about? It's the practical, life stuff that matters. How can we "do the most good" behind our desks or out of a program guide? How can we fool ourselves into believing that one more program or one more contest is the key? People need real servants coming without hidden agendas or plans (stats, awards, certificates, or plaques). Let's get real!