Kathy,
I have also seen where when God has his hand on someone, he'll just let the
go for so long, until they come to themself.  God has a much longer range of
vision than we have.  I'm sure Phil and Sandi would have liked to have given
up on Gretchen along time ago, but look at her now.
No, it doesn't make what you are going through any easier, I know that, but
then, (and I say this in humility) did The Lord ever say it would be easy?
Oh, yes, the prosperity preachers and other false prophets have conditioned
north American Christians to believe that all you had to do is to say yes to
Jesus and there would be no suffering and then one day we would all be
whisked off to heaven.  Wrong.

Much love and prayers for you all,

        Vinny
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy Du Bois" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 12:07 PM
Subject: Re: how it went.


> Thanks Vinny,
> It is just so heart breaking to watch all this.  I can't imagine how God
> does it so much with all of us:  watch us use our free will to be stupid!
> Kathy
>
>
> At 02:53 PM 6/23/2005, you wrote:
> >Hi Kathy,
> >Well, I'm not a parent, and never have been, but frankly, I have to say
that
> >I would continue to monitor and not say a word.
> >Kind of like what the Lord does with those he is trying to catch.  He
> >watches, and watches, and gives people more rope than they need to hang
> >themselves.  You know the Scripture in Peter where it says that God is
not
> >slack, as some men count slackness etc.
> >There is another scripture somewhere which begins "with the pure, thou
wilt
> >show thyself pure. it ends that witht eh froward, God will show himself
> >Froward etc.
> >People only think they are getting away with stuff, but it will catch up
> >with them, for sure.
> >Keep diligent until he is 18, or till he gets in more trouble than he can
> >wiggle out of.
> > From a non-parent.
> >Vinny
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Kathy Du Bois" <
> >[log in to unmask]
> > >
> >To: <
> >[log in to unmask]
> > >
> >Sent: Thursday, June 23, 2005 5:02 AM
> >Subject: How it went.
> > > Hi guys,
> > >         Well, I told you that there would be twists and turns.  Chris
> >passed the
> > > drug test.  That really shocked us until we got home and monitered his
> > > calls to his girlfriend and his druggy friend and learned that he
cheated
> > > and put water in the cup.  His girlfriends had told him to make sure
that
> > > it was warm, not cold.  Chris followed her advice and got another
clean
> > > report.  Now he thinks that he's in the clear until his court date
July
> > > 12th.  Last night, I overheard him trying to meet up with another
dealer
> >to
> > > get some weed.  Chris is getting money because he is doing some odd
jobs
> > > for our neighbor, who doesn't have the greatest reputation either.
this
> > > guy pays Chris in cash so we never see it.  chris doesn't tell us how
much
> > > he is getting, so we can't put a finger on how much he has so he can
keep
> > > trying to get weed, but pretend to be innocent with us.  It's crazy
> >making.
> > >         I have to admit that, for me, yesterday was a real cricess
moment
> >in my
> > > faith.  I believe that we did all the right things.  We tried to have
> > > him  hold Chris accountable and face the consequences of his actions.
> >Now,
> > > I wrestle with the question of, "why?"  It's that same old question
that
> > > God doesn't usually answer, but I'm puzzling over why God let Chris
get
> > > away with this?  I'm feeling let down by Him!
> > >         Another issue that Greg and I are wrestling with is whether or
not
> >we
> > > should let Chris know that he is being monitered so closely by us.  We
> > > began monitering when Chris started sneaking out in the middle of the
> >night
> > > and not telling us where he had been or where he was going  and
refusing
> >to
> > > give us the names of his friends.  He never seemed to have any money a
nd
> > > this was odd since he was earning more than $100 a week.     He
wouldn't
> > > talk to us so we started investigating on our own to try to get a
handle
> >on
> > > things.  We've managed to get a couple of people busted and we have
been
> > > able to continue to be very aware of Chris's activities:  something we
> >feel
> > > is justified since he is still under our roof and we are still
completely
> > > responsible for him.  But, I'm interested in your opinions.  Would you
> > > tell?  Have we fallen into the trap of being deceitful just like Chris
is,
> > > or are we doing the right thing?  You know, in a way, I think about
how
> >God
> > > knows everything  too, but He knows what He is doing.  He knows what
is
> > > right.  I need to seek the counsel of others for in that there is
wisdom.
> > > Kathy
> > >
>