The Bully

Yesterday I went to pick Shaylee & Sawyer up from school expecting the same crazy experience. After school at our elementary school-just like every other elementary school-is chaos. Tons of kids, teachers, safety patrol, moms, cars...everyone trying to get home at the same time. It can be nuts. There are 2 lanes in the pick up zone-the inside lane is where you pull next to the curb and your kids jump into your car, the outside lane is obviously to help you get to the curb and get out of there!

As I was sitting in the outside lane waiting to get a "curb spot" I caught a glimpse of something that made my heart completely break. Sawyer was standing next to a bench with a group of kids, a boy that was atleast a head taller than him shoved him. I could see Sawyer say something to him and he shoved him again. Then he shoved him a 3rd time. My Sawyer never fought back but I obviously couldn't hear what was being said. Time sort of stood still as I sat in my car and watched this all unfold. I felt so completely helpless-Jaycee was in the back seat strapped into her booster and I couldn't leave my car until it was parked to go help him. I knew that by the time I could get to him it would be too late, the boy would be gone and the situation would be over. Completely helpless. The thing that made me totally sad is that there had to be atleast 75 people within 25 feet of him and none of them saw anything happening...they were completely distracted...but I saw because Sawyer is my son.

I thought about this all night last night. Sawyer was fine-not a scratch-but I couldn't get over how I felt. The helplessness. Then I realized something that has been so powerful to me. We experience hard things every single day-some days harder than others-these experiences are kind of like bullies. We are surrounded by so many people who love us and care about us but they are usually distracted because life is so busy for all of us, they usually don't notice what we are going thru. BUT someone does notice. It's our Heavenly Father-because we are His sons and His daughters. Our Savior who has felt every single thing we have felt through the miraculous Atonement also notices. I am sure the helplessness I felt yesterday watching Sawyer is a very familiar feeling to them. They watch as each of us struggle to make it thru this life and hope someone will pay attention-to see what is happening to us-to reach out and help. They can't physically be here to stop our "bullies" but they can prompt those around us to be there...the Holy Ghost is such a precious powerful gift.

I've had some awesome experiences with the Spirit. They are precious and powerful. They have molded me into who I am. The most powerful experience of my life was being prompted to ask Chick Fil A to donate a gift card for a family who could use it rather than buying it myself. Long story. Miraculous story. I had NO IDEA why I was supposed to ask but I did. It unfolded into the most amazing experience of my life. The awesome thing is Heavenly Father knew all of the details that I didn't know. He makes miracles happen. It's always through us. What a blessing to be an instrument in His hands. To do things for Him that He just can't do. I'm sure I've missed just as many opportunities if not more than I have taken to follow the promptings of the Spirit-because I am busy and don't pay attention, because I don't understand the "why" so I just don't wanna, or because I feel stupid. I hope you've all heard President Monson's story about rescuing a child from a river when he was only 12ish? Can't remember for sure. He said he hoped the Lord knew that if He needed an errand to be run that Tom Monson would do it. I think we all feel the same way. We want Him to know that He can count on us. (He shared that story during A Brand New Year last New Years...find it if you haven't heard it!)

This week I'm going to pay closer attention to the Spirit. I'm going to reread Elder Scott's talk "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance" again-so awesome. And I think for family night we might just reenact the David & Goliath story just for fun. I won't tell Sawyer to kick the bully but a little sling shot might not be a bad idea. ;)