Speaking of Children...

This weekend, I had the privilege of speaking to the Mesquite Texas Council of PTA's Annual Founder's Day event. It was a nice dinner event, with over 400 people in attendance, in the Poteet High School cafeteria. (Best meal I've ever had in a school cafeteria I might add...the roast beef just melted in my mouth!) The title of my speech: Children Are Not Our Future. The premise: We must stop thinking about children as "tomorrow" or "someday" and start thinking about them as "today." Today is the time to shape them. Today is the time to encourage them...etc. It was my first time to speak to an audience and not be able to use the Bible as a resource. (Since the PTA is a secular organization, they asked me to refrain from making my speech overtly religious.) The Bible has a lot to say about why children are important. The challenge was conveying that message without quoting Scripture. But as it turns out, the Mesquite PTA is chock full of powerful child advocates. I was preaching to the choir! There was a state senator there who authored Jessica's Law for the state of Texas. There was a volunteer who reads to kids, tutors and assists in school programs--5 days a week! And there were hundreds of parents who were there just because they want the best for their kids. Yeah, these guys already get it. Overall, it was a great event. Thanks to Lois Buford for being a wonderful host. Now, if only someone had told me that I had food in my teeth when I went up to the podium to speak...