Hi Cathy,
Thanks for sharing about Chris.  I'll believe with you that all of you are
going to get through this time perfectly whole, and Christ is going to come
through knowing the Lord more than ever before.
Vinny
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 11:36 AM
Subject: My son Chris.


> Thank you Vinny for asking.  God has been gracious to our family by
> helping us to keep Chris busy this summer and that has reduced the strain
> on our family a great deal.  In June, he landed a job at a convenience
> store, doing odd jobs for the owner and that takes up about 25 hours a
> week.  He took one summer school class in July, that he had to pay for
> and that kept him busy in the mornings for a time as well.  He started
> out doing really well, but as soon as he was pretty sure that he would
> pass the class he started lapsing into old patterns of laziness and ended
> up passing with a D.  Of course, we, his parents, were disappointed since
> Chris had demonstrated that he was capable of doing much better, but
> we're learning the hard way that you can't make a child care, no matter
> how wise that would be.  He continues to have angry outbursts, but they
> are much less frequent and much more controlled so I guess that that is a
> big step forward.  I still seem to be the main person that he flares up
> at, but then, we can also hug and I've told him that as long as we can do
> that, we'll get through the rest.  Chris agrees.
>         Chris has earned enough money to pay for drivers Ed. and he will
> begin that this Wednesday.  He wants to keep his job.  Money is more
> important than academics right now and we're considering just letting him
> roll with it rather than fight him on it.  He knows what is more
> important really, but he doesn't want to do the right thing so we're
> thinking of taking Dr. Kevin Leman's advice and let Chris learn through
> natural consequences of his choices.  It might sound kind of wimpy on our
> part, but some day, he's going to wake up and regret chasing the wrong
> things.  We all do eventually, especially if God's hand is upon our
> lives, and I believe firmly that, whether Chris knows it or not, he is
> firmly held in God's grasp.  I trust that God knows what He is doing.
>         Perhaps the hardest time for me this summer with Chris is when my
> oldest son, Matt, left for college.  Matt left Maine for Michigan the
> first of August to look for work before school starts.  I had a real hard
> time with his leaving, but harder still was chris's attitude of being
> thrilled to finally have a room to himself and he just started pitching
> out Matt's stuff and I had to go through it and try to salvage it before
> it got lost or damaged.  Chris was in the type of mood where, if I cried
> he would have blown up and I really had to hold it together to make it
> through.  Of course, knowing that Matt still hasn't found work has been
> real agony for me because I know how hard he's trying and Chris seems to
> be totally oblivious to his older brother's struggles.  Chris could be
> bluffing.  He does try to be the tough guy, but I just find the bluster
> hard to handle at times.
>         Well Vinny, I guess that that catches you up on chris.  Again,
> thanks for asking, and for praying.  I really appreciate it very much!
> Kathy
>
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