This isn't really about crying, it's about witnessing capital "A" Awesomeness

I cry a lot.

Seriously. It's seems to be something that just gets worse the older I get. I cry when I'm happy, when I'm sad, when someone close to me is happy or sad, when something that has nothing to do with me or anyone I know might make someone somewhere sad. I mean, really, it gets ridiculous at times. Which is just really sad (don't worry, this isn't going to make me cry) because I seriously despise crying. It makes your face all blotchy and red and then your nose gets runny and stuffy and you can't breathe. It's frustrating. And wet.

But there are some moments when I don't mind crying. Have you ever felt so lucky, or blessed, that you just want to cry? Not the "I'm so tired and overly emotional" type of tears, but the happy "Life is grand!" (No, I am not Irish, Bradley!) type of tears, know what I mean? I tend to be overwhelmed by the blessings in my life, especially lately. For example, when I think about how close all my siblings and I have become this year, I can get a little teary eyed. Or when I think about how amazing, sweet and caring Brad is to me when I'm a complete mess, or when he kisses the top of my head and tells me he loves me so much, I feel my eyes tingle. Or when my dear friends, who have been so supportive of me the past six crazy months, tell me how much I mean to them, I have to blink a few times to shake it off. Those are beautiful moments, and the tiny or gigantic amount of tears that may pop out of my eyes are okay by me.

But you want to know what moments really overwhelm me? Every Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. I get to be a part of the lives of some of the most amazing students in the world. No, that's not an exaggeration. I work with the 5th through 8th graders at my church. These kids have my heart. I would do anything short of committing a crime for them. And even then, if it came down to rescuing them from peril, I'd consider it! I love these students. These are the humans I pray for and worry about, the ones I try to be my best for and pray that I always encourage them to be Christ-loving-and-following humans.

Now, I don't want you to get the wrong idea that I'm a joyfully weeping mess every weekend. But when I witness students who hated God come to know Christ, or even just see students respect each other and pray for each other, or just get to be near the positive  life changing moments they experience, BAM! Color me overwhelmed, and at times, that makes me teary. It's just so amazing that most of them still see the world without the bitterness of life, and the ones who have experienced the horrors this world has to offer still are willing to find happiness again. They're willing to trust that Christ can heal. I love it! More often then not I learn more from them then they do from me!

I don't know how I got so lucky to be a part of these kids lives, why in the world God would say "I think you'd be great to work here!", but I've been blessed, and continue to be so every weekend, every weekday. This blog post isn't really about crying (which I'm fluent in), it's about witnessing capital "A" Awesomeness in the lives of students. It's about bragging that I get to be a part of something amazing because I spend time with students between the ages of 10 and 14 every weekend and when I'm lucky, the week days too! And I hope that never changes.