Thursday, August 13, 2009

My son comes home from jail

In the work of caring for children in foster care I've come across some major disappointments like seeing my child go in and out of jail. Many people around me told me that I should give up on him because he keeps committing crimes and disrespecting my house rules. They told me "send him back to the agency and let them deal with him because you've down your best with him and he's just causing you too much stress you don't need that in your life right now". I have to admit that I really struggled with the decision about letting him back into my home especially after all he's done. Over the years I've been so frustrated with trying to steer him on the right path. At times he would do good like when he earned his GED and was working as a security guard for a season. Unfortunately there were too many times when he would get into trouble with the law and would disrespect me and break my house rules. Having younger kids in my home is another reason I struggled with having him around because I didn't want him to make the wrong impression on them.

While in jail my son SD had the opportunity to really think about his life as he sat in his jail cell. He shared with me some deep words he wrote in jail and I asked him to share it with the world, so I will post them soon for you to read. What I liked most about what he said was that he realized how important TIME is. He said being in jail helped him to really get his head together and realize how he wasn't spending his time wisely. Before he went to jail I was having numerous conversations about him making the right decision about going to college. We were constantly "bumping heads" because he wanted to do things his way. God really got his attention through the incarceration and now he seems to be making the right decision. He realizes the importance of going to NYACK COLLEGE especially since he got accepted there. My other son Teddy goes to Nyack College and just finished his first year there so I know it will be good for the both of them to go there together.

I'm writing this to inspire many people out there not to give up on people who have seemed to have giving up on themselves. Have faith to believe that somehow God will get through to them. Don't give up on people so easily because GOD doesn't give up on us. God has a way of getting our attention so that we can wake up and make the right decisions. SD's life was headed down hill and he was going in and out of jail, but miraculously GOD has shown himself and has graciously giving SD not only a 2nd chance, but multiple chances to make his life a success. Please pray for my son SD and ask GOD to watch over him and protect him from his life being destroyed in the streets.

As a father I'm happy to say my son is back home and it's my prayer that the man God has made him to be will shine forth for the whole world to see.

Stay tuned as SD goes from being a boy to a man. Also look out for the Reality Show CRAIG's HOUSE which gives you a closer look into the miracles God is doing in the lives of my children.

SHALOM.......

No comments: