I have tried to write this twice, and both times my laptop shut down while I was writing so I will make it quick.  I got a phone call from my son yesterday.  Other than running into each other in a grocery store and doing a few second greeting exchange we have not spoken since the bond I got him out of jail on, before Christmas, which he skipped and ran back to Texas on, resulting in my having to locate him and get him put back in jail we have not spoken or seen each other in 7 months.  Now he is calling me out of the blue.  He sounds very clear headed, and sincere.  He tells me how sorry he is for what he did, that I had to go through what I did, that he loves and misses me and hopes we can talk, and work through this so we can go back to being father and son, and acting like family to each other.

I assured him that no matter what he does or doesn't do, I will always be his father, he will always be my son, and I will always love him.  That we both learned a hard lesson, but it is in the past and we should talk, and try to move forward.  

A hour later he came to a job I was working on (Thank God! Which is another story I'll write later), and when it was done, we went and got a dinner together and talked.  He helped me on the job so as we left the restaurant I told him that when I cash the check in the morning, I would give him some money for his help.  Today I went to where he is working to give him 50.00. He refused to take it, I insisted, and yet he still refused, saying... "what I did for you yesterday is the least I can do to pay you back for what you have tried to do for me and it's cost to you".  He initiated a hug between us which I welcomed, and he said "I am so glad we spent that time together yesterday and last night and talked.  I haven't felt good about things since it all happened.  Being picked up by a bounty hunter and having to go back to jail was the easiest part for me to deal with, but feeling like I had lost my father was the worse".  Our hug was tight and I told him I was glad we have moved passed that stuff too, I got back in my car and he walked back into the building he was working in.  As I drove off, the lump came, then a silent tear followed it.  And all I could say is "Thank you God, thank you so very much!"

Now, I am going to post this writing before I lose it from my darn laptop shutting down on me suddenly.. and write another called "God on a roof top".  I believe it lead to that call from my son yesterday.

It's so hard to be the parent of a adult child, caught the mix of addiction and alcoholism and all the ramifications it brings about, but I know I would rather have the best relationship available with my son, than no relationship at all.  I have missed him every day since all this stuff unfolded, prayed diligently for him and myself, and turned the whole situation over to the CARE of the God of my understanding and once again... He has not let me down!  People can and often do, but God never does!

John

My son, finishing up the job on the roof that I got stuck on the top of,  He did a great job.  Read my post "God on a roof top".