Currently DS 19 is enjoying an all expense paid trip to Europe. He emailed me yesterday from the Cotswolds which is northeast of London. It all started a year ago January. He lost a job that he really liked due to after Christmas decline in business and the need to downsize. He was low man on the totem pole, so he was the one who had to leave. A man that he had met there offered him some work the first week, and by the second week he was employed as an apprentice to a sailmaker. Another job which he loved. He only lost about two days work ~ it was amazing at how quickly God blessed him with another job. However, he also blessed him with a friendship.

     In April of last year he decided he was ready to go to College. Talk about a flurry of activity, trying to get a school to accept him for the fall semester that late in the game was a challenge. He wrote letters to five different schools that he was interested in. Only one replied and told him to go ahead and send an application. Then we had the Financial Aid Forms, and last minute scholarship forms, etc. He did get accepted, the school gave him $17,500 in scholarships which is almost half of tuition. After reviewing his transcript, resume etc., they asked him to join the Wesson Honors program.

     Anyway, the hard part of getting accepted was over, and we now had to come up with funds. We came up with what we could, he got a good financial aid package, was allowed $4600 in student loans but still fell short of what was needed. The man who gave him work for that first week of his unemployment, took an interest in his education and paid the rest of his tuition for that year and has offered to help with tuition for as long as he stays in school. What a blessing.

     This same man, who happens to be a lawyer in town, loves to travel. Most of the time he travels alone. However, when he found out that one of my sons' passions was to see more of the world, he offered to take him on his next trip to Europe. That is where they are now, currently enjoying London, off to Greece tomorrow and them making their way back to France, Italy, Corsica, the Amalfi Coast and Switzerland.

     DS16 has always struggled with everything he's tried to do. He was 9 before he was reading well. He used to sit for hours at the table trying to complete just a few math problems. He hates to write. Coming up with the right program for him was impossible. I was at a loss as to how to help him feel successful at anything.

     A little over a year ago he started playing Ultimate Frisbee with a community group that met every Sunday evening. He loved it and began to get better and better at playing. When he heard that practice was starting up at the local high school, he started showing up to practice with the team. He was more faithful than most of the players and was accepted as part of the team. Saturday, the team came in second in the state championships for the second year in a row and will be going to regionals in the near future. This was the start of his successes.

     This year he expressed an interest in the Culinary program at Mid-Coast School of Technology. By the end of the first quarter his teacher called me to tell me what a pleasure he was to have in class and that he was at the top of the class for grades. She said he made it look so easy. Wow! He will be inducted into the National Technical Honor Society on Wednesday, and was voted student of the month for the whole school in April. What a joy to see him finding something he loves and does well, after all the years of struggle.

     Because of this same program, he met a man who happens to be a caterer. This man heard of a job opening up for the summer and recommended my son for it. After meeting with the employers, he got the job and starts Wednesday as headcook/manager of a small diner that a wealthy man opens on his personal property just for his staff. And his pay will be twice minimum wage. It is on a trial basis to start so I am praying that he is successful in this venture as well.

     The lesson in all of this is that there will be times of famine in your life when everything seems to be a struggle and nothing seems to be going right. Keep your eyes on Him who can do more than you could ever hope or imagine and he will guide you through and through obedience to Him the blessings will flow.

 

So glad to hear the Lord is blessing them both. (and you in the process).
Because of Jesus, Bobbie

Connie,
It is awesome to see the way God will work things out in our lives. He is great and always thinks of us. It is truly amazing. I am so happy to hear of the blessings in your sons' lives. Rejoicing with you.
Ruth

What wonderful blessings! God is good isn't he.

Delight yourself in the Lord and he shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Blessings!
Sharity

on my blog....there's a news flash from HomeschoolEStore on my blog....go there to read it.

What a whirlwind of activity and blessings! Such wonderful opportunites. Can't wait to see what God is preparing them for. Thanks for sharing and encouraging.

-Shari