Proverbs 31:20 - 21, “She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet”.
Today, this has been difficult to write because I don’t want to dwell on the negative. I know the Lord put them in our lives and I am still trying to sort through all the things that didn’t go so well. But, here again, we don’t always hear about the things that don’t go so well. So, I hope this is not a downer. It really wasn’t because the Lord was in control.
So far, Beth and Rob had time to rest, visit friends and family, get a new car, and plan for their wedding. The thing we just couldn’t get into play was a job for Rob. When they first came Rob said he was employed at a fast food place, but they didn’t have him on the schedule until the second week they were here. So I didn’t push him to look for another job until the third week and he still didn’t have any hours at the restaurant.
Things just weren’t coming together for a job for Rob. He wanted to go to school, yet, he has this family he loves and needs to support. They started sharing how they really wanted to go back to North Carolina to be around his dad and sisters. That seemed odd to me since they had not gotten any help from them at all. However, he felt the job opportunities would be better down there. We weren’t sure whether that would be a good idea or not because of the past abuse.
Rob seemed to think his dad had changed and was employed and wanted to try to restore that relationship. He called his dad several times and it just didn’t seem as though his dad wanted anything to do with them. That was heartbreaking for Rob. Beth’s father was in Midland, but wasn’t helpful.
I really struggled with their relatives and how could they allow their own flesh and blood to be out on the streets. Beth’s mother was diagnosed with terrible psychological problems which made this very difficult for Beth. She loved her step-father, but he said he was not in position to help. Rob and his siblings were taken from his father when they were little and put in a foster home. His mother had just taken off and his father was mean.
To see Rob and Beth continually try to get the love from their parents was gut-wrenching. I have heard people say that no matter what some parents did, the children always tried to gain their love and approval. So many times without any response from their parents. That is so hard to watch.
Their loyalty to them at times just didn’t make sense at all. My husband had set up a certain time to have a pre-marital counseling session with them and her step-dad called and said he wanted them to come out so he could see the baby. They just took off without saying anything. Now these people rejected them, never gave them financial help of any kind and still they ran to their call. How sad.
This is what was getting difficult during the last week. They were so broken from their childhoods that they just didn’t know what was appropriate at times and what wasn’t. They just lived on the edge of emotions, not rationale.
Then there was the feeling that we just didn’t know the whole story. Or, when we suggested they do something, they would go off and talk and do something entirely differently. And not tell us.
All we could do was pray and love…and hold baby Robbie as much as we could.
The story ends tomorrow, Day 9, then we will wrap up the Proverbs on Day 10.
Blessings and much love in Christ, Pat
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