Wow! September. Football. Labor Day. Fall.

I want to share a little.

As readers know, Rian is an assistant principal at Dunbar middle school in Lubbock and is also the associate youth minister at Greenlawn. Rian has taken his ministry into his school, and last year would carry a group of young men to Wednesday night service and it gradually escalated to include Sunday service. There have been three or four "faithful" attendees, although at times the group saw large enough numbers that a church van was needed. A few just wanted to go along for the eats and the socializing.

Three of these young men have moved on to Estacado High School. Rian tries to remain involved in their interest.

Rian has cultivated a new group including a brother of one of the Estacado boys. Yesterday, Rian had loaded up the boys from Dunbar and was fixing to leave when his phone rang and it was Tj, the older brother at Estacado. Mr. Freeman, we are ready and waiting to go to church. Rian was not prepared for this and asked who is "we". TJ replied, it was himself and the other two "faithful" from last year. Rian made the detour and picked them up. He had to put three in the bed of the pickup.

They went to Rian and Erica's home and ate barbecue sandwiches prior to going to services. Rian said they went through all the buns and then the boys asked for white bread. He reports that the boys can sure eat!

Luckily, Erica enjoyed having them there. Can you imagine 10 boys from two to 15?

It is not unusual for some of these boys to arrive at church on Sunday morning and spend the day with Rian and his family. If the family takes a nap, they take a nap.

Recently a counselor from Rian's school came to him, after hours, and wanted to share something with him. The younger brother had been in to visit with this counselor. He wanted to visit about Mr. Freeman.

The young man began, I never knew my Dad. He was killed when my mother was pregnant with me. There have been many men, in and out of our lives. A half brother's Dad came and told us he would be all of our Dad. He was around for about six years, but now he is in jail and will be for another eight or nine months.

Mr. Freeman tells all of us boys that he loves us. I want to love him, I think I do love him, but I don't want to because I loved my Dad (the half brother's Dad)and he went away. I don't want Mr. Freeman to go away.

Mr. Freeman is the most perfect role model I have ever had, he continued, and Wednesdays and Sunday's are my most favorite days of the week. When I wake up, I know I am going to get to go with Mr. Freeman, to church and to hang out.

This story brings tears to my eyes and makes my heart proud. Rian did not tell me of this until I told him I had heard the story through a third party.

Rian's school is probably 45% black, 35% hispanic, 15% white, and 5% Asian-Pacific. Probably half of the students come from single parent homes.

I don't think this counselor betrayed a trust sharing with Rian. I think they demonstrated to Rian how great an impact he can have.

This year, Dunbar's test grades went down for the first time since Jimmy became building principal. They were rated as unacceptable, and the media has been relentless about publicizing it. They have hailed the schools that were rated exemplary while berating those that didn't.

Rian had been in a quadrant meeting with their new superintendent and she made the mistake of asking if anyone had any questions or wanted to say something. Rian seized the opportunity. He told her that the ice cream socials they had planned for the exemplary campuses he thought were great because an exemplary rating is cause for celebration. But.......... .., he continued, the teachers at some of the exemplary schools didn't work half as hard as his teachers that struggle with students that come from sub standard socio-economic situations and these are the teachers and administrators who need the encouragement.

The students have to be encouraged and convinced that they too can excel. They have to develop that confidence in their ability.

And it all starts with one.

I think these teachers and administrators need to realize how great an impact they can have on a student.

Of course, rewards often may not show up on paper.

I can't think of a more fulfilling feeling than to know that you've made a difference.

Of course teachers will tell you if their students excel, the next year they will be presented with student that are more challenged. It is a vicious circle.

Have a day!

FATHER, help us to be more selfless.