This current school year, he began to fail in most of his classes and was told that he would have to leave because of getting into trouble. He took the back pack from a girl who had drugs and then Stephan was caught with it. It's funny, he took it from her so SHE wouldn't get caught--although they both were planning on doing the drugs at some point that day!
He went to a center for expulsion for almost a month. I had to pick him up everyday and it was painful to watch my child coming out of a facility with others that looked as if they were doing hard time! My heart was sinking.... After finishing his sentence, he returned to school only to find himself in more trouble. He was told at this point that he would need to leave his high school! They were expelling him for good! The only alternative was a high school in downtown. It was the last resort. We put him in a High School for teens who were having trouble. This was an especially tough decision, because most of the kids there "were" in the same situation that he was in himself! There were pregnant girls and kids on drugs that had been in and out of rehab. We didn't know if we wanted him in the environment. One week later, he was in trouble again.... He cussed the administrator out because she said something about a hole in his pants. It was against the rules. After this.. there are no other options except homeschool and I wasn't about to go that route again. Homeschooling in the tenth grade just about destroyed us both! The administrator gave him one last chance. That chance was short lived. In just a few short weeks he was expelled for skipping.
After several grueling days of discussion between Richard and I and help from someone at church who is a GED instructor, we decided to let him drop out and attempt to get his GED. I was currently discipling this lady and I trusted her. This wasn't an easy decision.... I am the type of mother who desired to see my son walk across stage in his cap and gown. I have to tell you though, this was such a "God thing." I don't believe anything happens except there is a reason behind it. I thought to myself about what the chances were that the woman I'm discipling happens to be an instructor!! She takes people, mostly young, and teaches them in a classroom environment for several months to prepare them for the GED. God is so good... She came over to our house and gave him a 3 hour practice test, in which he passed! She just wanted to see where he might be, so she would know where to place him in her classes- she didn't expect him to PASS! She suggested that he just come to the college and take the test! Guess what? He passed!!!! It proved one thing... he's smart! He was now a High School Graduate.
We decided that getting his GED would get him away from the environment that he was in and give him an opportunity to get started in college one year earlier. He could get his basics out of the way anyway! We also made him get a job and he has done that! He works at a local grocery store and is working about 20 hours a week. It's put a lot more responsibility on him, which he needed as well... Hopefully he will begin to focus in new areas.
Lord grant me patience and help me guard my words when speaking to my son! Help him to know he can trust me and help me to show him that he is not condemned in my eyes, but loved.
Help and guide us in the decisions we should make...
Convict him of this sin he is caught up in...
Help me to trust that you have a perfect plan in all of this...
Give him the strength to stop doing drugs...
Give him purpose and allow him to see that he is special and has so much to offer...
Thank you Lord for putting people in our lives that help us in our time of need...
