Gone

Well, this weekend has been interesting.  My niece that was living with us ran away on Friday.  She took the car, my daughters cell phone, and some money.  She left while I took the others to school and she was supposed to be doing her homeschooling work.  We had no idea that she was plotting to leave.  She went to stay with a guy that she knows (we don't know how she knows him or if she had ever seen him before Friday) and he lives three hours away.  We did find his address and went and picked up the car, but at 17 we can't make her come back home.  She legally can live where she wants.

I am still upset.  We feel betrayed and used.  We gave her things and tried to let her live a life of love and compassion.  Then I have to remember that she is 17 and doesn't understand about sacrifice and being hurt by loved ones, she is only interested in the moment.  She can't see that her future was going to be bright here, with schooling, and friends, and the things that a teen needs and wants.  She can only see that she wants to be with someone else right now.

I was telling Steven the other night that I felt like the last 6 weeks that she has been here has been a waste.  That we wasted all of our time, energy and money on her and she just runs off and steals from us, and then I said no it wasn't.  The bible says that his word will not return void.  I shared scripture with her daily and we had discussions about how God wants us to live as Christians.  We took her to church, youth group, and to the Rush weekend at rock ranch.  We showed her the love of a Christian family and what that love can mean.  I believe that one day she will turn to that word and remember what we talked about.  She will want in her life what we have here.  I will be there to show her how to come to the Lord when she wants it.  We will always love her, even if we don't love her actions.  We can show the love of Christ through us.  We don't have to let her exploit us again, but we can help her get the help she needs and to fully engage in Christ.  He is the one who can heal her.  He is already healing our family from this.

On a positive note, we are going swimming today if the weather cooperates and we are cooking our with family.  My parents are at the beach, but we invited my sister and her family and Steven's brother and his family over to cook out and churn ice cream.  We are going to continue to have fun and make family memories and just pray for the lost that they would one day return.  Have a blessed memorial day and remember the sacrifice that our forefathers made so that we could have the freedoms that we have here.