Bear

Good Morning!! Last spring I wrote of my friend Bear.....in and out of prison since he was a teenager, he came into our life 3 years ago as a homeless, jobless man. A year and a half ago we walked him back to jail for a parole violation, where he spent 7 months and then released to Shelby and I on an ankle monitor. I wrote of the company he works for was.... moving from across the back alley to across town. I have missed him sitting at the bar daily and in some ways irritating me, just like a brother would do. As he says, he has been owned by the State of Texas for over 20 years... either by being in prison or being on parole. This summer there was finally a light at the end of the tunnel....his parole was going to be up in July. He has been within this reach before and choices that he made extended his time. Shelby and I all summer kept saying "Bear dont mess this up." It was a beautiful Tuesday morning when Bear and his boss Matt came in for breakfast...."Today is the day... I go for my last visit and pay my last bit of money." Bear doesnt get giddy...but he was giddy!!! I was so proud and happy for him. It is amazing the transformation that has transpired since Bear no longer belongs to the "State of Texas." He no longer look as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders....I guess in some ways he feels like all of us, he is free to go wherever he wants....to do whatever he wants....but he is choosing the right path. My heavenly father loves my friend Bear with all of his heart and blessed him with amazing people in his life. The couple that Bear work for came straight from heaven. They have guided him, gave him advice and loved him..and sometimes he is hard to love(like all of us) Happy Beautiful Thursday....I have watched first hand the love of our heavenly father work in the lives of others... This amazing couple has done things for Bear that Shelby and I could not do, we were to close in some ways to give "tough love". This last Tuesday morning Bear came in for breakfast with his boss, it had been a while since I had seen him, we picked up right where we left off...our normal banter back and forth.....My heart was singing praise, God is good to have allowed Sheby and I to be on this amazing journey with my friend Bear...yes he is truly a free man and to him there is nothing better. I am so proud for him it has been a long hard journey, but he has made it through a better changed man!! WOOT WOOT I am excited about his future:)