I never thought I’d be a lunch room supervisor. I giggle every time I say it. It seems so foreign to what I thought I’d be doing in my life at 36!

That was before I became a mom. Before we started raising two boys. Before we decided to send them to public school. Before I started hearing the stories of their days. Before I learned of the brokenness that exists even at the youngest of ages.

Before the desire grew and grew and grew to reach out however I could to children of the younger generation.

It started in September 2005 when I dropped off my older son for his first day of school.

I watched and listened and learned about Josiah’s school, his teachers, and his classmates. We started praying on the drive to school, praying for individual classmates at bedtimes, and praying through the halls whenever we could. I volunteered whenever possible in the midst of caring for our younger son who was born 3 months before Josiah started school.

In September 2009 it was time to drop Elijah off for his first day of school.

This past year the desire to reach out grew stronger still, so I knew it was time to take action.

I volunteered to be a Sunday school teacher at church, and that continues to be very rewarding for me, but it didn’t satisfy my desire to reach out beyond church walls; to be a light in the darkness instead of waiting for the darkness to come to the light.

I repeatedly noticed the need for library volunteers and lunch room supervisors in the school newsletters. I started volunteering in the library but came to realize I really wanted to be interacting with the children.

It would have to be the lunch room supervisor position for me.

So here I am. It’s September 2010. It’s only been a few days since classes started, but already I am very glad for my role at the school.

Already I can see why God has me where I am.

Already I am praying for specific students.

I hope that Jesus’ light will shine through me to these children, that they can catch a glimpse of His love for them. I hope I am a good representative of His grace and mercy.

I hope that after a while people will notice something different, something changed about the class and they’ll know somehow that Christ is a part of the good that has come.

I’m also back to volunteer in the school library a little, which is a bonus because I just love books. I hope to be a part of putting great resources into the hands of the children in the school.

The children that have come to hold such a deep place in my heart.