Dear Sandy and Phil,

My heart aches for you in the grief over your beloved daughter.  And I
understand that it may be tempting to look back and try to figure what you
may have done, or not done, to save her from this hell into which she has
gotten herself.  But I believe that God would have you find peace in the
fact that you were faithful to Him in your decisions concerning her and
your other children, and to look forward to the day when it will be
revealed to you His purposes.
He is still sovereign, He loves you all, individually and as a family, and
would remind you of what the scripture says here:  Phillipians
3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing
I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto
those things which are before,
14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in
Christ Jesus.
I don't believe He would have you condemning yourselves for what is past,
but that you should find strength in Him to go forward trusting Him, and
loving Gretchen and each other with His Love.

In Him,
love and hugs,
Helen



Earlier, Sandy Scovell wrote:
>Kathy,you have not been in our home but I am here to tell you that, if
>anything, we were  not hard enough on Gretchen.  She has chosen the wrong
>path even forging her Uncle's checks when she was nine or ten or so and it
>goes on and on.  We have to take a hard stand now because she has taken so
>many things from our home that we are very nervous and on edge when she is
>here.  I could elaborate but even drug treatment people who are christians
>have advised us to get a lock for Chester's cage that would require a
>special key.  I guess I would have to say that I live with my husband and it
>has just been in the last couple of months that we have really taken a "hard
>stand."  Yes, we didn't let the kids have ungodly music and cigarettes but I
>don't see anything wrong with that.
>Sandy
>-

We cannot make Jesus' parables mean anything today that is different from
what they meant to those who listened as He spoke them.