To Achieve a Dream

Every night when I go into William’s room to say good night there is this box on his bed.  I always tease him about it.  I mean how many 16 year olds have a carburetor sitting on their bed all the time.  Now he claims he does not sleep with it.  He says that it is in his desk chair and that he just puts it on his bed when doing work at his desk.  I haven’t actually caught him sleeping with it so I guess that is true.  :)

I mention this carburetor because it is a piece of a dream to him.   Part of a goal he set for himself when he was a very young boy.  After seeing the movie Herbie he said he was going to save up and buy a VW bug and turn it into a Herbie.  He was going to make the bug he bought into a reliable car and drive it all around where ever he needed to go.  I patted him on the head and said that’s nice honey.  It was a statement like many children say about what they are going to be when they grow up.  I thought.  That’s a nice dream but he will outgrow it.    So he started to save every dime and asked for odd jobs to do.  Raised and sold pigeons and bantam chickens.  He was so frugal.  But if I was in a pinch and needed to borrow money he would happily lend to me.  Once Tim and I had a huge need.  The transmission went out on our bus and we didn’t have the money to put in a new one.  He offered us his savings for his dream, no strings attached and no paying him back.  He would give up his dream and start over, for his family.  Of course we didn’t take him up on it, but it blessed me for him to make such an offer. I love William so much.  He is my right hand man around here.  Such a good son.  He has autism, dyslexia and audio processing disorder.  Learning comes hard for him.  Communication is sometimes very difficult for him.  People don’t always understand him and often he has to ask people to reword what they said because he could not understand them.  He is a quiet young man but thoughtful and so smart in many areas.  He reads all the time.  Always has his nose in a book hidden away somewhere in his spare time. 

Whenever we leave the house he takes a tote bag with him full of novels.   He reads where ever we go and if at appointments reads then as well.  We got him a kindle for his 16^th birthday so he could read when we went places and not take the book bag around.  But he still does 'just in case”?  Because of the Autism he is very organized and likes things a certain way.  He is Mr.  Prepared.  He always wares pants or shorts with many huge pockets on them and has those pockets just full of stuff, "just in case".  If you need scissors while out and about, he reaches into his pocket and wala. 

When William was about 11 he had saved enough money to finally start looking around for a VW bug he could afford. He thoughtfully looked around till he finally found one he really liked and thought would work for his needs.  

His first car show he got Best Unfinished.  But that wasn’t the end of it.  

Second car show he got a trophy for Top 40. His third he got Best Unfinished again.  He has continued to save and fix it up over time. 

One piece at a time.  While saving for this carburetor his dog got sick and so he asked me to take them to the vet.  He spent almost the whole amount he had saved for the carburetor on his sick dog. 

Finally about a month ago he had enough saved and bought it and it has sat carefully on his bed.    Because…..he was saving again…he was saving to have enough money to pay someone to show him how to put it in.  And last Wednesday was the day!!!!

 He was so very happy.  His car is running better and so he starts again to save for the next part he needs.  To reach a goal and a dream.  Such perseverance such patience and as I am writing this he just walked in and asked if I had any ways around here he could earn any extra money.   :)

You see Bug-a-paloza 15  is coming up next month.  VW enthusiast from far and wide meet together to show, share, buy sell and trade everything from vans to bugs, to parts, all kinds of VW stuff.  Tim and William have been going every year for many years now.  It is their yearly guy getaway weekend vacation thing.

I always have to” woman up” and hold the fort down all by myself when they go.  Doing all their responsibilities the whole time they are gone.  I REALLY appreciate them when they come back.

The last thing he is going to save for is a paint job with all the Herbie striping and number. But still a few more parts and things to get first.  And then a license to drive it! He still just has his permit right now. 

Thank you so much Lord for being so kind to our son, he loves you so much.  Thank you for leading him and teaching him all you do.  For helping him have such joy today in reaching one more goal he has set, worked hard for and reached.  Thank you so very much that you trusted us to raise him.  He has went thru so much in life and come so far.  All the Glory and honor is yours dear God.  Amen.  

Colossians 1:11-12 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

God be with you now and always, 

susan