On the last day of ASP this year I spent the majority of it up a ladder 8 feet off the ground. I was putting up siding on our house as our youth measured, cut, and passed up pieces of siding to me...
This year we worked at an amazing house that had youth of all ages living there. They were such wonderful Christ-filled people. Their kids ranged from 11 years old to 18 and there were at least 11 of them.
I know that our youth were a little hesitant about being at a site with kids their own age because they thought everyone would be shy and awkward. This was not the case by the end of the week. People didn't want to say good bye or leave. Hugs, handshakes, and love was spread to each and every one of us.
I got to witness this first hand from the top of my ladder. I was frustrated, tired, and hot as I was putting up a piece of siding that just would not fit. I stopped for just a moment and that was when I heard the laughter and chatter that was going on below me. All of our youth were sitting with the youth of the family and they were having a great time talking about things that are important to youth. Marvel vs. DC, boys, girls, TV shows, movies, Pokémon Go, the state of the world, God, and so many other things. If I had closed my eyes I would of thought we were all just sitting together in the youth room here at church and I was listening to the youth group hang out and have a good time.
Instead I was on a ladder, against a house, in the middle of July, in Tennessee, with a family that we had just met a week ago. It was amazing, it was wonderful, it was heaven.
People are people, kids are kids, it doesn't matter who they are, where they are in life, or what their background is. They have the same loves, the same passions, the same wants, the same needs. I have always known this but it helps to have it reinforced sometimes.
God is love, love is God, love your neighbor as yourself, love your family because who knows what tomorrow might bring!
