Some days you just have to get out of God’s way.  I do that quite often.  I mean I get in God’s way, a lot.  When I do – I can tell because God has a way of showing me quite boldly just how things are spinning out of control.  You see if God is doing His thing – NOTHING is ever messed up or out of control.  But, when I get in his way, all hell breaks loose and my life gets real ‘stressed out’ to say the least.

So as of yesterday – I am so out of the picture of messing up God’s plan and I am so into letting Him/God do what he wants to do with my nephew, Dustin.  This has been one hellacius week of legal matters and family arguments.

Dustin has decided that at 19 he can do what he wants and he would like to live by himself in his own apartment.  This gives him the freedom to have the visitors he wants and not have to have Aunt “Lucy” and Uncle’s permission at anytime.   This is where I have been in God’s way because I have been trying to protect him from his stupid-ness.   He isn’t ready, even at 19, to live on his own financially or mentally as he has so much to learn in the ways of the world.  But – I was trying to protect him from himself and it is obvious that Dustin needs to learn a few lessons.  Stupid-ness is my word, but it applies to “Stupid is as stupid does” as said by Forest Gump.   I guess Dustin has “one more trip around the mountain” of life’s lessons, at least that seems to be what is happening.

He told us that he can’t “trust or believe” us because we are too nice and no body is really that nice.  He thinks we must have some underlying thoughts of things evil to do to him and he just wants to be on his own so that he and his “fiancée” can be together whenever they want. His Gramma (my Mother) also told him that if we have to many rules, she would help him get an apartment so he could see his girlfriend. After that underminding comment we realized we had been set up and totally were in a no-win situation.  We told him we agree that he does indeed need to be on his own, if he is listening to her instead of us. Also, if he wants to go out and freely sin – it can NOT be with our blessings.  We do wish him well and hope that he can achieve success on his own –but we are now out of the picture and we have put him into God’s hands, so to speak.

Glittery texts by bigoo.ws

The Poem

Hi Everybody,

This is just a quick update on Dustin and his court outcome.  After completion of Boot camp and the evidence of all he accomplished in court – Dustin was give one (1) year probation as a minimum and up to 48 months maximum.  His probation was allowed to be here in California where he could continue his employment and get on with his life.

He now has many new options to choose from and I hope he chooses them wisely.

God has been so wonderful in giving everybody the grace and mercy needed to accomplish this overwhelming task.  Thank you Father.

(I will be gone for the next 2 days - traveling)

This is the day we have been waiting for – July 31, 2006.  Dustin has his day in court and we will be in Las Vegas, Nevada before a District Judge.

 

Everything he has been working to turn his life around will be put before this judge.  Dustin has accomplished a lot of things in the big picture of attitude adjustments and life styles.  He has done all of below:

 

1.      Successfully completed Nevada’s toughest Military Boot Camp

2.     Succeeded in clearing up his personal identification by attaining the following:

a.     Birth Certification

b.    Social Security Card

c.     California Drivers License

 

3.      Community involvement in Church with College group

4.      Established AA participation

5.       Pre tested for his G. E. D. and enrolled in Adult continuing education.

6.      Procured employment with a general contractor

               

This is a person who is serious in turning his life around and doing all the right stuff.  He is leaning on God and God is moving mountains for him.  This Monday is the final mountain that has to be moved.  We are hoping that his legal record will be sponged clean and he will continue to live with us and step into society as a thriving adult.  Please pray for God to move ONE more MOUNTAIN and return Dustin to us so that he can now reap the rewards of all his hard work. - Amen

It has been so HOT here in central California.  We have had so many heat related “deaths” and suffering of elderly people and of those who have health issues.  I feel sorry for the homeless because they haven't had a let up in the high temperatures and no place to go for relief.  It has been as high as 117 degrees in local areas around where I live and for the past week nothing below 110 degrees.

When you walk outside and the air burns your skin, I say that is too hot and it hurts to breath.  Even the swimming pool’s water is too hot to cool you down.  Thank goodness for the old fashion water hose – it eventually gets cool.

So today, when you think of it, say a prayer for all the people who have to work outside in these conditions.  Construction workers, roofer, policemen, gardeners, and every poor sole that must suffer in this heat – deserves our prayers for strength, and endurance.

We all know about water parks and their enjoyment, well, yesterday 4 of our local kids who work at these parks had to get medical assistance due to heat related illnesses.