Have We Really Come to This?

We've had a good week. If you missed it, I had a birthday, and had lots of birthday fun. I talked to my sweet Daddy. We had a couple of issues with Joshua and social media. I went to Hobby Lobby...for a good cause! Annnd Joshua told us that the devil did not have a wife.

So, basically, a typical week!

As I sit here and write, it's Sunday. We got up and went to Sunday School and church, as usual. Jim typically drops me off at the choir entrance, and then he goes around and parks...and he walks Joshua to his SS class.

There is not a Special Needs class for Joshua at our church, unfortunately. Joshua has been going to a class for 20-something singles. Jim and I do not think this is where he needs to be, but it seems to be the only place for him right now.

Joshua does like the class.

So, I sang in the early service and then went to SS. After class, it's our worship time, so we walked back over to the sanctuary. I typically sing in the choir both services.

After our song in the 2nd service, Holly and I were walking out of the choir room when the worship pastor stopped us. He said, "did they change the meeting place for your son's class?"

My heart started pounding.

I said, "what?"

He said, "your older son...his class meets over in that building?" I said, "yes." He said, "well, I noticed him sitting outside in the gazebo and went up to check on him. He said his class was meeting somewhere else...that he was the only one in there. I asked if he wanted to come sit in the worship service with me, but he said he would just stay there until church time."

I seriously almost burst into tears.

Just then, one of the "singles" from Joshua's class walked by, and our worship pastor stopped to ask him about the class. He said, "yes, we met with the college group today. We talked about it last week. I went over to our class and Joshua was the only one in there. I asked if he wanted to come with us, and he said he would just sit outside and get some fresh air."

And my heart was about to break at the mental image of Joshua sitting outside...in a gazebo...all alone.

Holly says, "breathe, MOM."

Now, Joshua is fine. He was not hurt in any way. He did the right thing. He doesn't really know the music minister well, and so wasn't sure about going anywhere with him. Which, that's what I've always taught him...not to go with people he doesn't know. And he chose to stay close to the building, because I have told him, "DO NOT LEAVE THIS BUILDING." His class is all single-y and they are very mobile. If they decided to, say, go meet at the donut shop...I would have no way of knowing where Joshua was, because he doesn't take his phone to church.

I didn't make a big deal out of it around Joshua...because I didn't want him to know how upset I was. He said, "I had my own lesson."

Plus, I didn't want him to tell my mother-in-law...because if she even THINKS that someone isn't treating Joshua right, she will drive her little dust-buster-lookin' van up here, and have a come-to-Jesus meeting with someone and there will be the smack-down of all smack-downs.

Honestly, no one did anything wrong.

It's just that Joshua is not like them...at all. Oh, he's very wise, spiritually speaking, but he needs some...attention. He doesn't hear well, so I'm sure he misses a lot. He needs someone to kind-of watch out for him.

He needs a friend.

I don't really know what to do. I know what I wish...that there was a place and a class for him at our church. When I asked about it was when I got the, "well, it's hard...finding someone that would want to do that" speech.

Yeah. THAT'S hard.

Really?

We know that God led us to this church for a reason. We love our church and the new people we're meeting. We also know that GOD loves Joshua more than we ever could. Even knowing that, I'm sad tonight. So we are trusting God, and praying for wisdom and discernment. Would you pray with us?

This has been in the news this week...have we really come to this? I know this must hurt the heart of God.

"...whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, You did for me..." And, "...whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for Me, either." Matthew 25: 40, 45