Kathy, wow!  What a report!  You know I've heard the
saying that goes something like "god's timing is
perfect."  It sounds like things are starting to look
better for Chris.  Sometimes the best way is to learn
from mistakes, so maybe this whole thing is a blessing
in disguise.  It also sounds like Matthew is around
some good people with good influence.  Will be praying
for him too.
Todd

--- Kathy Du Bois <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Okay guys, You're going to love this one.  It's just
> too good!
> 
> I know that you guys may remember a little of the
> background 
> information, but it has been a while since I've
> posted about my 
> prodigal, so I'll just try to tell the story from
> the beginning 
> because it just takes less time that way.
> Last summer, Chris was arrested for hanging out in
> an abandon 
> building with his girl friend.  He spent the night
> in jail and in 
> court the next day received a fine for $250.  He
> worked out a deal 
> with the court to pay it off $50 a week until it was
> gone.  Well, the 
> first week he was faithful, but after that, well,
> there was the cell 
> phone and, you know, other things, that teenage boys
> would rather 
> have than pay off obligations, so he just sort of
> let it go.
> I did ask him once if he had paid the fine off.  He
> said, "yes," but 
> I called him on it and he admitted that he had lied.
>  When I asked 
> him the next time, he assured me that people go
> around all the time 
> not paying fines and he asked me to stop bugging him
> about it.  So, I 
> did.  I just prayed.
> Well, about a month ago, Chris received two letters
> in the mail.  His 
> mail comes to our house.  One letter informed him
> that if he didn't 
> pay his fine his license would be suspended on
> December 10.  The 
> other letter informed him that there was a warrant
> out for his arrest 
> if he didn't pay the fine.  You guys will be so
> proud of me!  I 
> didn't say a word; I just kept praying that God
> would deal with 
> this.  Greg talked to him some and Chris assured us
> that he was 
> intending on paying his fine, but that's as far as
> it went.  I did 
> mention to Chris that if paying the fine was a
> hardship, he might 
> want to consider going back to court and talking to
> somebody to work 
> out a new payment schedule, but he never had time,
> or had to do 
> something else, you know, the usual avoidance
> tactics that people 
> have when they don't want to do what they are
> supposed too.
> Well, Friday, before Chris left for work, he called
> me to tell me 
> that he had bought a car.  His landlord was selling
> it to him for $50 
> a week, but he had saved up enough so that he would
> be able to pay it 
> off.  He told me that it was pretty new, a 1984 and
> it had a heater 
> and a radio and everything!  I just congratulated
> him and he hung up 
> and went to work.
> Yesterday, Saturday, I received a call from Chris. 
> "Uh, Mom, I've 
> paid off my fine."
> "Oh really?  How?"
> This is the story and it's a good one!
> When Chris had called me on Friday, he hadn't
> actually handed over 
> the money for the car yet, or the rent, which means
> that he left for 
> work, at Burger King, with three, crisp one hundred
> dollar bills in 
> his wallet.  After Chris had left for work, some guy
> tried to ditch a 
> cab and he ducked into Chris's apartment.  The cabby
> and the police 
> followed him into the apartment and the police
> started asking 
> questions of the other roommates who were there to
> see if any of them 
> were connected with the guy who ditched the cab.   
> They started 
> inquiring, in general about who all lived in the
> apartment and 
> Chris's name came up.  OOPS, they discovered the
> outstanding warrant 
> for his arrest.  Well, Chris's roommates told the
> police where Chris 
> could be found so, they found him.
>          I guess that Chris was actually working in
> the kitchen and 
> the policeman walked up to the counter and asked for
> him.  When Chris 
> came out, they just said, "let's go," and off Chris
> went.  They took 
> Chris to the station and he handed over his car and
> rent money.  If 
> this had happened one day later Chris would have
> already given the 
> money to the landlord, but God is just so awesome. 
> The timing was so 
> perfect.
>          The policeman that arrested him told him
> that this was a 
> stupid reason to get hauled in.  He told Chris, "You
> know, if you 
> couldn't make the payments, all you had to do was go
> to the court and 
> see what you could work out!"  Perhaps the sweetest
> part of all this 
> was hearing Chris say to me yesterday, "Mom, you
> guys were right.  I 
> should have listened."
>          Chris is flat broke this week so I think
> that we'll be 
> taking him over a little food.  It's his 19th
> birthday this Wednesday 
> too, so that should help a little.
>          He's been coming out to the house every
> other week or so for 
> a meal and just to hang out.  Last Sunday, he went
> with Greg to Home 
> Depot and they were able to just have some nice guy
> time and some 
> good conversation.  We're really pleased with how
> the Lord is working 
> in his life.  He's trying to give up smoking again
> and he's getting 
> antsy     to get his G.E.D. and move on.  He's not
> sure about the 
> military any more, because he doesn't know if he
> wants to live under 
> those conditions.  I'm just glad that he's off the
> streets and 
> staying out of trouble, for the most part.
>          Matthew is struggling, but gaining wisdom
> as well.  He is 
> still living with five other seminary students out
> in Grand 
> Rapids.  He has finally landed a job at Wendy's and
> is usually 
> getting around 30 hours a week, though he is still
> looking for 
> better.  The students that he lives with are having
> a lot of 
> conversations with Matt as well.  They are
> encouraging him to get 
> back into college as soon as possible and, of
> course, there are a lot 
> of spiritual discussions as you might expect, with
> five guys who are 
> planning on going into the ministry.  Matt, too,
> seems to be settling 
> down and reflecting on his life.
>          It's just a peaceful time in our lives
> right now and I am 
> truly grateful to the Lord for the quiet moments
> before, who knows what hits.
> Kathy
> 



 
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