"If I never saw this kid again, Lord, I wouldn't be sorry!" I thought. Tears clouded my eyes as I stood in our laundry room（洗衣间） . Clenched（紧握的） in both hands were new jeans and a shirt belonging to my 16-year-old stepson, Brett. The clothing was already destroyed from burn holes and vomit stains（污点） after a drunken binge（狂欢，放纵） .
Exhausted and defeated, I sank to the floor. The clothes were just one more thing Brett had ruined. He had already kicked a large hole in his bedroom wall; his bedcovers（床罩） were torn. Numerous windows in our house needed repair due to his breaking in to steal money when he chose to live on the street. Yet none of this could compare to the emotional damage Brett had inflicted（遭受，给予） on our once quiet home.
I knew that Brett's needs were deep, and I had often prayed for wisdom and love. The second greatest commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," had taken on new meaning when Brett came to live with us when he was 12 years old. If I were to love my neighbor, was I not to love my own troubled stepson even more?
During those four years I had dealt with Brett as patiently as possible, but inside I was churning. "I don't want him in my house another day, Lord," I cried as I knelt on the laundry room floor. "I just can't stand him!"
Chest heaving, I poured out my despair. Then God tenderly spoke to me in my weakness. Matthew 25:35-40 rose in my thoughts---Jesus' declaration that when we invite a stranger, feed the hungry, clothe the naked or visit those in prison, we are doing it as unto Him. For the first time I saw this story in light of the action words. Jesus was saying, "Act. Meet these people's needs. Through your actions you are loving them and Me."
God's encouragement to me that day helped me to gather strength and continue parenting Brett. Still, Brett did not change his behavior.
When Brett was nearly 18, he landed again in Juvenile Hall, this time on suicide watch. Through prayer, my husband, Dave, and I sensed God's leading to send Brett to a boarding school（寄宿学校） with a high success rate for helping troubled teens.
The psychological training at Brett's school was rigorous（严格的，严酷的） . Out of more than 20 people in his class, Brett was one of only five graduates.
At the graduation ceremony the graduates stood one by one to thank those who had helped them. Each graduate held a long-stemmed, white rosebud to give to the person who had meant the most to him or her.
Brett spoke lovingly to his mother and father and for the first time took responsibility for the heartaches he had caused.
Finally Brett spoke to me. "You did so much," he said. "You were always there, no matter what. My mom and dad, I was their kid. But you just got stuck with me. All the same you always showed me such love. And I want you to know that I love you for it."
Stunned, I stood as Brett placed the white rosebud in my hand and hugged me hard.
At that moment I realized the truth in God's words to me. Although I had struggled with silent anger toward my stepson, Brett had seen only my actions.
Love is action. We may not always have positive feelings
相关单词：clenched
clenched解释：v.紧握，抓紧，咬紧( clench的过去式和过去分词 )
clenched例句：
He clenched his fists in anger. 他愤怒地攥紧了拳头。
She clenched her hands in her lap to hide their trembling. 她攥紧双手放在腿上，以掩饰其颤抖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
相关单词：vomit
vomit解释：v.呕吐，作呕；n.呕吐物，吐出物
vomit例句：
They gave her salty water to make her vomit.他们给她喝盐水好让她吐出来。
She was stricken by pain and began to vomit.她感到一阵疼痛，开始呕吐起来。
相关单词：exhausted
exhausted解释：adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的
exhausted例句：
It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。
相关单词：inflicted
inflicted解释：把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 )
inflicted例句：
They inflicted a humiliating defeat on the home team. 他们使主队吃了一场很没面子的败仗。
Zoya heroically bore the torture that the Fascists inflicted upon her. 卓娅英勇地承受法西斯匪徒加在她身上的酷刑。
相关单词：spoke
spoke解释：n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说
spoke例句：
They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
相关单词：juvenile
juvenile解释：n.青少年，少年读物；adj.青少年的，幼稚的
juvenile例句：
For a grown man he acted in a very juvenile manner.身为成年人，他的行为举止显得十分幼稚。
Juvenile crime is increasing at a terrifying rate.青少年犯罪正在以惊人的速度增长。
相关单词：helping
helping解释：n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的
helping例句：
The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
相关单词：rosebud
rosebud解释：n.蔷薇花蕾，妙龄少女
rosebud例句：
At West Ham he was thought of as the rosebud that never properly flowered.在西汉姆他被认为是一个尚未开放的花蕾。
Unlike the Rosebud salve,this stuff is actually worth the money.跟玫瑰花蕾膏不一样，这个更值的买。
相关单词：stunned
stunned解释：adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词
stunned例句：
The fall stunned me for a moment. 那一下摔得我昏迷了片刻。
The leaders of the Kopper Company were then stunned speechless. 科伯公司的领导们当时被惊得目瞪口呆。
