For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

It's a beautiful morning. The weather is finally getting its act together and there were no major catastrophes at the Burden house this hump day. Even better, I watched as hundreds of kids gathered around the flag pole this morning at CO Wilson Middle School. 

Today is "See You at the Pole", a student-led event that began in 1990 with a small group of students burdened for their classmates and community. By 1998 over 3 million students were attending nationwide in collective prayer. 

Our youngest, Rylie, usually gets up at 5:00 in the morning. Today she was up at four-something. She lives for the social scene and she's yet to hide her light "under a bushel".  She gets her extroverted nature from me and her exuberance from her dad. I say I'm an awkward extrovert and Jason's a gregarious introvert. Rylie seemed to get the best of that combo. I hope the teenage years don't steal her style.  

There were a few years that my two older wouldn't have gone if I hadn't strongly encouraged them to go. I remember being frustrated. Honestly, I try to think how eager I would have been as a teenager to stand around a pole and sing worship songs. It probably would have depended on the eagerness of my friends.  For those  years that my kids weren't that excited, their obedience (with or without a smile) had to suffice. 

Rylie and I got to the school this morning a few minutes before seven. Fifty, or so, kids had already shown up, some with their parents, some alone. A few of them may have gotten up before the crack of dawn. Still others trickled in closer to 7:30. 

Some sang with their eyes closed. Others, I believe showed up because they saw a friend in the crowd or just to see what was going on. Some didn't sing. A few still looked half asleep. 

But here's the thing I'm still learning. 

Though this event was revealed through a small group of kids twenty six years ago , See You at the Pole was (and is) a God hatched plan. Thankfully there are a lot of faithful students showing up and even leading. There are countless adults behind the scene planning and inspiring (and can I be so bold to say a few are even coercing) their kids to be a part of something so important. But it's truly God that's at work. 

He's at work in the eager. He's at work in the hesitantly obedient. His plan includes the ones who were brought (willing or unwilling) by their parents this morning. His good plan involves the ones who instead slept in, as well as the professed nonbelievers. It extends to the disinterested adults who may have driven by in their cars this morning on their way to work. 

We've much to be excited about. The sun rose this morning with bright rays of hope. 

Regardless of what the news says, or who our choices are for president, regardless of the current lack of spiritual fervor that may exist in your teenager (or the same lack that exists in the general public), God is doing something that's very old. He's doing something new. 

OPEN your eyes. 

And pray.