Cinderella

…but we were gentle among you,

just as a mother cherishes her own children.

1 Thessalonians 2:7

Cherish vt. [[ME cherischen]]

To hold dear; feel or show love for;

to take good care of; protect.

One of the saddest situations in this world is a child that is not cherished. They have no choice regarding being born into this world.  They have no say as to who their parents are.  Their culture, their lifestyle, their financial standing – all out of their control.  The parent holds every key to the future of their children.  Sometimes, that is a frightening thought.

There is a beautiful little girl in my neighborhood who is not a cherished child.  The mother is a recurring drug addict, the boyfriend seems to be caring but distant, and the father is incarcerated.  The grandmother, who has custody, tries to love and protect, but even she finds it difficult on a day-to-day basis, and often flees out of town.  An older man who rents the garage apartment tries more than anyone, but he can only do so much and it is not his child.  The little girl is strong willed, spoiled from indifferent parenting, and cries out for someone to cherish her.  It is a very difficult scenario to watch.

Casey Anthony is still the subject of continued debate all across our society.  Did she kill her daughter?  I don’t know.  We may never know.  From the details of the trial, however, an appalling picture arose of a child who was not cherished - born to a young mother who was not cherished either.  The results were catastrophic.

Do you have a child within your sphere of influence?  Love them… Hug them… Dance with them… Cherish them.

Day 8 of Prayer for West Africa

Safety and decent living conditions in new country.