So What is Colt Up To?

I have not posted about Colt, and I feel bad because I have had people asking me. Honestly, blogging time is at a premium at my house. Anyone who knows me knows that unless I am passionate about something that I am blogging about I don't blog very often. I do my 'sit down and blog session' about every six weeks: I blog an entire evening and schedule them to post over the next six weeks.

When I get excited about a topic then it makes a good time to write off the cuff. Finally, with the buying of the land you will get spontaneous new posts!

But all the same, I know I have been really delayed in updating you on Colt, and I am sorry. He has had an interesting seven weeks.

When Colt left home he had plans to enlist in the military and also to spend some time just working like a regular person or doing a little travelling. He didn't really know what he was heading out for; he wanted to just see if he could handle it on his own in the real world. Colt did apply for work at the Banff Springs Hotel a couple days before he left home, and he expected to hear from them right away, as the job posting that he applied for was ASAP. And I do know that Colt's letters of reference were exemplary, plus he was well suited for the job he applied for.

Colt arrived in Banff and spent a few days living out of his car. He checked in at the Banff Springs Hotel and he was told he would be contacted by head office if there was a job opening. So being in Banff didn't do him any favours. While he was there he had a problem with his new car (new to him) and he took it to a garage for a check up. $100 later he left the garage with no real answers and only a little peace of mind. Life lesson #1 in the real world handled. *smile*

He was working on his last paycheque from his dad, and so he had to be very careful with his money.

After a few days Colt asked my opinion on him heading to a town a number of hours away to visit a friend. He made his decision and headed in that direction early, early one morning. Right after he got there he encountered his first speeding ticket. Ouch! $368 later.... Life lesson number 2.

I was very proud of Colt because he immediately paid off his ticket rather than letting it sit on his record. He also began driving like a little old lady. That made me happy. I was also pleased that he had been checked so early in the game. It made me feel a little more reasssured of him being more aware of driving speeds after that hefty fine. Him being a new driver and all.

Colt visited with his friend and her parents made arrangements for him. He stayed at the grandparent's house for the nights and being the great kid that he is he volunteered and did yard work and whatever he could to thank them for their 'roof' that they provided for him. He lived in their travel trailer for a few weeks. He also spent time at his friend's house for dinners, and so he helped out at their house, since the dad was often on the road as he is a trucker.

While visiting his friend, Colt tried to get a job to pay off his speeding ticket. It was interesting because during this time I was going through some growing pains of learning how to parent a a child out of the nest. I screwed up a few times, and so did Colt. We had to learn to give and take on the talk and advice section of life. *smile* I had to learn how to listen and nod a lot, and talk and advise way less.

Before I learned this Colt told me he had a job picking apples...

Apples.

My boy who I think could be an officer or the head of any company. *smile*

Hmmm.

Well, then Colt told me he thought I would be proud of him. He was picking the apples to pay off his speeding ticket, and he didn't have any other options for work at that time. He was pleased to be on his own and fully independent and yes, at the end of the day he was making $44 compared to $150 working for his dad, but it was *his money* from a job that he picked up and he was being responsible paying off his bill.

So, yes, I quickly realized it was a good thing. *smile* I also had to remind myself that when I was travelling any type of job, no matter how menial, was a great experience on my trip through life and around the world. They all added to my memories! And perhaps it was time for Colt to take a job that was truly just plain fun/easy!

By the end of the first week, Colt took his friend to a bigger town nearby to try to find her a church to go to when he went on his way. She had become a Christian last summer through meeting Colt, but she has had noone in her life that is a Christian, so she has not been to a church or anything. He did a great job and they found a nice church with some great programs.

While in this town, Colt contacted a friend of mine and had a chance to visit with her for lunch one day. She had never met Colt, only heard about him through me. She and her husband have been fabulous in helping Colt out. They have taken Colt and his friend under their wings.They have totally discipled them both. I feel so blessed that my son, who is trying so hard to just get on his feet, has these friends to guide him.

Everyday he was driving an hour to get to this town (as it is a bigger centre) to try to find work. Every morning he would show up at the unemployment office to check the job board. No matter how hard he looked he could not find a job. He told me that the woman that was dealing with him had told him that he was the most motivated young man she had met. I told him that I could certainly believe that.

By the end of two weeks looking for work (now gone from home for 4 weeks) Colt was getting a little desperate. He had no work and his money was coming to an end. One day my friend very kindly found Colt a place to stay in her town, so he could be nearer to the work centre. This has been a tremendous help for him. But he still didn't have work. He kept on pounding the pavement putting in resumes everywhere. As well as this, he has been attending a church regularly. He goes to Youth one day a week, Cadets every 2nd Saturday, plus he attends a College and Career group once a week with his friend.

One day I got a text from Colt. He told me he had found a job. Actually, he said, my friend had gotten him the job, but he didn't think I would like it.

Hmmm. This left me thinking.

He called me that evening, but by now I already knew what the job was because I wasn't waiting to be told. I called my friend, so I was 'prepared' in case it was a 'not good' job. He said to me, "Did ----- tell you about my job? Did she tell me where I am working?"

Poor guy! Seriously, it was not a bad job. It just wasn't what he wanted.

He got a job at McDonalds.

I am so proud of Colt. He tried so hard to get a job of his choosing, but he couldn't. And his money was running out, so he had to take what he could. And of course, knowing Colt, he put into that job every bit of hard work and integrity that he would any 'great' job. In the meanwhile, in his first two weeks at work he won two awards for 'Perfect orders and till' (a hard to come by award) and 'Most certificates sold'. He sold 79 and the runner up sold 12! No kidding, that is Colt!

I asked him if he was thinking of enlisting in the military, and he told me he was not at the moment. I left it alone to see where it went.

A couple weeks into the job, Colt told me he was really not sure what he wanted to do. He was not really enjoying the job. The people complain a lot and 'the customer is always right' (even if they aren't). And boy, can people be rude! *smile*

He was wanting to enlist in the army, but at the same time he doesn't feel ready to buckle down and begin attending a four year program in college, which would be part of his program. He doesn't want to keep at his job - it is just not him. Even his friend, who risks him leaving town, is telling him that this job is not for him; he needs to enlist in the military where he will be challenged.

So at the moment he is really needing some good prayer and direction. I think his heart is torn with his feelings for his friend, which makes it hard to leave town. I think a little head space would be a good thing, because he is so young, but really he has to make the call. Also, heading off to a heavy four year program is a huge committment. He just needs some real direction. In the meantime, I am so blessed to have my friend and her husband giving him and his friend such amazing mentorship, hospitality, and friendship!

Colt is feeling really lonely and homesick right now. He doesn't want to come back to our little town because it really doesn't have anything to offer him. He doesn't want to leave where he is because of his heart connections, but at the same time he really knows he has to make some decisions.

So he is at an impasse where there are a lot of things going through his head. I would ask that any of our friends that read this blog, please pray for God to clearly guide Colt, and give him clear signs as to what he is to do next.

He wants to come home for Christmas, but to do so would cost him about $500 one way. It is ridiculous. That is because he is in a small town and so are we, meaning connections. We shall see what happens, but in the meanwhile, whatever happens, he is in God's hands and I know he will be just fine.
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