UNprepared

today my little mentee and i decided to take a break from reading by playing a game. as we were searching thru the "stack" of yahtzees, candylands, chutes and ladders, etc - my eye caught this game called the un-game.

i think the thing that caught my eye was that it said "recommended by Dr. James Dobson" on the cover.

i asked j. if she had ever played it, and she said yes, once before. i asked her if she wanted to try and she said "okay."

turns out the un-game really isn't much of a game. it's a "communication tool" whereby the players roll dice and take turns answering various questions on the cards in a stack. the only rule is that the other person cannot speak while the player is answering the question. it's a listening tool as much as a talking tool, apparently.

and what i heard from j. bears heavy on my heart today. i cannot/will not go into specifics, but just want to say that life is not the same for all kids. life is hard and brutal and unfair for some of them. a couple of the things that have happened to this little girl in her life are MAJOR. and she is taking them in stride. well, not in stride. i think she knows those things are wrong too, but she is still hopeful, and joyful, and ten years old. i want so much for her. i know she has one loving parent, so i guess she is actually twice as lucky as some other little kids. but i know that even that is not going to be enough.

one of the questions was: name 4 people that are most important to you, and her answer was this:

mom and my family
my mentor
my friends
God and stuff

seems like she is putting me in pretty good company, and although i am afraid that i will somehow let this child down, i most certainly have let her in. i pray that the Lord will help me to help her let Him in also.