I Can't Make This Stuff Up

Don't forget to check out the blog roundup post below this one. This one is wordy.

Today, sitting outside of a Peoria County courtroom, I found myself chatting with one of the kids who broke into my garage a couple of months ago, his mother and one of his teachers. It turns out he lives one block from me with 11 siblings and a mother who works two jobs (the teacher informed me later in private). His teacher had been trying to drill into him the importance of good decisions for two years. She loves the kid to death.

Since the state is the one doing the prosecuting, not me, I tried to open a dialog and encourage the dude as much as possible. Since there is now another court date set for January, I'm not going to talk about it much yet. Plus, after they were done talking to their attorney, their attitude changed ALOT for the worse. I swear the dude got a blond Kelly Clarkson assigned as his defense attorney. Miss independent since u been gone because of you herself. They went in planning to plead guilty, and came out arguing with the arresting cop about weather or not he was even there. Hey, hello...witness right here!! I was never called into the courtroom or got involved in the case at all. Just sat in the hallway the entire time.

Earlier this year, I had a pretty huge breakdown over what will hopefully one day end up as a pin-prick in life. Eventually I made many poor and bitter decisions, trying to burn bridges and prove how unfair people and life had been to me. Just weeks after that started, I was informed about how a guy I know just went through an ugly and hurtful divorce, broke down and burned bridges in his life with his family, and turned to arson, alcohol and more for comfort. After time and counseling with Godly men over several months this year, he has a renewed desire to live under God's authority and Lordship, but with ALOT of consequences and pain still ahead of him.

To my astonishment, this divorced guy and his lawyer walked by me in the hallway. He didn't know who I was, but he recognized me from church and accepted my hug and encouragement. Since his courtroom wasn't ready for him, he sat down and eagerly talked with me. I had the opportunity to tell him what God was teaching me in my life, about how I had already been praying for him, and had the chance to pray for him right there and during his time in court. I've been wanting to talk to him ever since I heard about his situation, but it just didn't seem appropriate to try out of the blue. You can't make up opportunities God gives you like this...it's unfathomable.

Things are not getting easier. He's battling financial and custody issues now. After he left, two people who I think were his ex-wife and daughter came out of the same courtroom as he did. From the anger and hate I overheard in both their voices, it's clear that living with his consequences and this world's broken situations will not go away soon. With the hope and glory God gives us to live by, they don't have to go away, and we don't have to pretend they did. Alot of times we might try to hope or speculate that things might be getting better. But we don't know. If I could imagine (and I do) people talking about me like his family did, it would bring me down so hard (and has). But with our eyes fixed on God's glory and care for us, we don't have to feel beat down, but rather lifted up and on fire to be used for Him.