Friday, July 16, 2010

A Mom Has Braggin' Rights!

Do you see this handsome chap below? (The one without the hairy face.) He is my son David. And, today, my heart is overflowing with mom-pride.




When friends from Australia encouraged us to come out for a trip last year, we were thrilled. While our hearts screamed, "YES!", our bank accounts screamed, "NO!".

"Dad, would you and Mom let me go if I raise enough money for myself?" David asked.

Seeing a great hard-working lesson in the making, Paul took full advantage of it. "Son, the trip is going to cost more than you think. The passport will be over $100.00 and your round trip ticket will be close to $1000.00... and David, we aren't going to give you any money. If the Lord has opened up this door for you, you will have to figure this out together."

That's all it took. At fourteen years old last summer, David was too young to officially get a job, so he worked as a referee for soccer games and babysat every child within a five mile radius of our home. With those earnings he purchased his passport and later bought a pig through his high school F.F.A. to sell at fair this summer.


Rightly naming his pig, "Australia", thirteen of our friends and family crowded the bleachers and cheered our son onto victory as he placed third overall at the fair, ranking above one hundred other pig entries. Earning enough money to pay for his whole Australian experience plus another $40.00. (God always gives us more, doesn't He?)

Three days later David was on a plane headed for the land down under.

At fifteen years old, just shy of sixteen, David stayed with our friends in the outback on their 3,000 acre sheep ranch. Our son was in time to take part in their sheep-shearing week, thus the picture above with his hairy friend.

After three weeks, David arrived home on his international flight. Joy doesn't even describe the feeling of having him home again and in our arms. Our son learned quite a few lessons this year. He learned that when the Lord opens a door, our part is to work alongside Him to make it happen. He learned to say "How can I do this?" instead of "I can't do this." He learned he belongs to a God who does exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think.

And, he learned why Vegemite will NEVER be a hit in America.

We are so very proud the Lord gave us this young man to raise.


Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.
Ephesians 3:20 NLT







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13 comments:

Denise said...

You definitely have bragging rights sis, God bless his efforts for the Kingdom.

Mari said...

Good for David! You deserve to be proud of him. This was a great experience, both before and during!

Nana's Nuggets said...

Hi! Joanne, this is just the neatest thing for your son. So happy the Lord provided for him to get to go! and it is awesome that The Lord knows the plan he has for us! Have a Blessed wk-end!:)

Terri Tiffany said...

This chokes me up reading it!You are amazing smart parents to challenge him this way --a lesson he will always remember!

Elizabeth M Thompson said...

Praising God for David's safe return. Doesn't it suddenly feel like all is right in the world when your child comes home from afar? Enjoy, my sweet friend. Before long god will call him out again, his lessons on the homefront will be all learned and he will venture out for the next steps in his lifelong education.

Sandy said...

Joanne, This is an awesome post!!!
I felt that way about my son working for his mission trip, and felt that way about him coming home, too! He was only gone for 10 days! I also feel the same way about raiding our kids for God!
This is a wonderful story about your son! Congratulations!

I just added another messed up link to the Love post. I thought I was typing it in exactly right. When I've accidentally done that on other meme's, the host has been able to correct it on their end. Also, you shouldn't have had to google it. It should have just been able to click where it had my blog name. That's what I've done when I've checked it. I am very careful when typing in the link, but somehow I've messed up twice on yours!

Sheri said...

Nice. You rock, David!

Dawn said...

You must be so proud. What a great thing for your son and his God to accomplish.

I think your son gets braggin' rights.

You get honorable mention, though, for being willing to put your son on an international flight all alone for 3 weeks (even if it was with friends). Gold medal for sure, brave Momma that you are.

Congrats to all!

Dena E's Blog said...

How very exciting and fun for you Sweetie how truly BLESSED you are!!! God is our All in All,
The Everlasting GOD...
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what GOD has prepared for those who love HIM...
lCorinthians 2:9
Blessings and Hugs Dena

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Very cool... what a handsome guy with a heart to match! My boys had to collectively raise $5000 to go to Bolivia this summer. They did and had a great trip of ministry while there. Now, sorting those hundreds of pictures has been an ordeal, but I suppose it's the least I can do for the cause.

Go ahead, brag on; maybe next time you can go as well.

peace~elaine

BARBIE said...

Brag on Mama! You definately have something to be proud of in that boy!

Anonymous said...

What a patient boy! I got goosebumps reading this!

North Jersey Christian Writers Group said...

Congratulations to both mom and son! I can so identify. My son got back from his mission trip last night, and my daughter will be in Uganda for another 10 days. Each year they've been on trips and have had to raise signficant $$$. God has always provided, often in amazing ways. And my kids' lives have been so enriched by their experiences.

My son went to Australia 2 years ago with my sister (a very generous aunt!), and my daughter is planning to go to Sydney for a year (after she graduates college). She wants to attend Hillsong's liturgical dance program. So Australia is close to our hearts.

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