Day 29-A Pay Day

A parent does not parent for praise or reward; a parent parents because they love their children and they want the best for them.  However, there are unexpected pay days that present themselves.  Yesterday was one of those pay days.  While visiting our son Cameron at the John Volken Academy in Canada, we had the opportunity to sit beside him in church at 9 am and later visit him for two hours with his friend and senior companion/chaperone.  In the chapel, the row was filled with young adults from the program with Cameron, myself, and Rick at the end.  To sit by my son and feel his arm lean against mine, hear him sing songs, and have his father reach over with his arm to hug us both filled my cup to overflowing.  The words spoken infused the room with a peaceful loving Spirit.  The songs we sang, or that I tried to sing, as the tears streamed down my face occupied my heart and soul with awe and reverence. Our Savior's Love and How Great Thou Art took on a deeper meaning as I mostly listened to the words and felt their power and truth.  Heavenly Father is mindful of each one of us and loves us more than we can ever possibly imagine.

At noon sitting around the large dining room table in one of the homes the young men live in,  Cameron, Nick, Rick, and I enjoyed pepperoni pizza as we talked and listened.  To see our son drug free and look so fit as he is training for a 10K team recovery run in late October and as he finds direction in his life through structure, hard work, group therapy and accountability, we are filled with gratitude.  He is also on a spiritual journey as he prays, meditates, reads scriptures and discovers his own mission and purpose in life.  He is learning tools and gaining courage and power within himself along with the help of others and God to cope with the adversities of life in a good way.  He is looking ahead, imagining the future, and stepping forward.  Our visit ended with him again asking for his father to give him a Father's Blessing, which Rick did.  A Pay Day for sure!  

Note:  Nearly everyone in Surrey, Canada uses 'For Sure' in many conversations.  I am putting those words into my vocabulary for I think they indicate affirmation and hope.  Also the streaks in the pictures below are the sunlight coming through as we stood in the shade outside.  Very symbolic for sure!

Dad and Cameron

Cameron and Mom

Cameron and Nick