Hi Kathy,
    I really think you and Greg are on the right track with Chris and that
you will eventually be rewarded in seeing Chris really give himself to the
Lord.  There is that scripture in 1 Cor 15 which says thaqt we shall reap if
we faint not.
Vinny
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 11:25 AM
Subject: Re: Kathy and Chris


> HI Phil,
> Interesting response to our situation. You had mentioned that your
> approach would be different to Chris. I'm interested in how you would
> handle this situation differently. We're open to any and all suggestions.
> Of course, if Chris were to submit himself to Christ, which is the only
> real solution, everything would be so different. We take advantage of the
> spiritual opportunities as they come to us, but in fairness to the rest
> of the family, we do have to respond to his behavior. If external control
> is all that we can have, for the sake of his siblings, we will use it. Of
> course, we recognize that this isn't the ideal. Greg and I were talking
> about your post. We commented that things would be so different if Chris
> were all out for Christ and wanted to submit to Him as Lord of his life.
> Then his frustration would be different because he would be dealing with
> facing his fallen nature and the reality of how far short he and we all
> fall of the glory of God. That's not what frustrates Chris though. What
> frustrates him is the fact that he can't have life his way. He can't
> force all of us to conform to his will and he can't just do what he wants
> when he wants. The whole situation is just so complicated! He's battling
> the sinful nature that we all struggle with. Brad is right too when he
> mentions self-esteem. That's a part of it as well. Yes, there are times
> when Chris would like to be alone, but even when he is working on his
> shed, he prefers to have someone else with him. He will ask his younger
> brother or sister to keep him company. Sometimes I will go out and sit
> with him and talk to him while he is working. Every day when Greg comes
> home lately, he can't wait to share his progress on the shed with Him.
> He's even getting to a point at which he will ask Greg for advice. This
> didn't happen in the beginning. Greg also tries to take every opportunity
> that he can to talk to all the kids when they are alone in the car with
> him. That is probably the one good thing about having to take the kids in
> so many different directions.
> Chris is the first one out the door in the morning so he often sees Greg
> and I hving our devotions together. He has commented on this and I think
> that it really impresses him. He knows that he can come to us with
> anything and that we will take the time to talk things through with him.
> As you said, however, he is still moldable, but that means that there are
> a lot of forces wanting to have a say in the molding process.
> I hope that this message isn't sounding defensive. It isn't meant to be.
> I do understand that the real issue with Chris is spiritual, but that is
> the one thing that cannot be forced so we have to do what we can with
> what we can and just keep praying.
> Kathy
>
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