Welcome Home

Drop Off

When my children went to kindergarten, half-days were the norm; I would drop them off at the school in the morning and pick them up a little before lunchtime.  This worked out well for all of us since my kids always napped in the afternoons, and I loved having them home with me for half the day–especially when they were sleeping (kidding–mostly). Since our neighboring families also had kindergarten kids, we shared the driving to and from school.  This usually worked out great…until it didn’t.

Pick Up

I was in charge of pick up on this particular day, and as I rolled up to the pick-up lane, I noticed that none of the neighbor kids–including my own–were waiting at the curb.  The teacher said that one of the other moms had already swung by and gotten the crew.  So, I pulled through the lane and made my way back to our development just outside of town. By the time I had gone to the school, pulled through the line, talked to the teacher, and left, at least 20 minutes had passed; I was hoping that my neighbor had realized her mix-up and kept Cole, my kindergartener, at her house until I returned. Cell phones weren’t popular then and texting was unknown. Assuming that he wasn’t in any danger, I turned toward the house, stopped at the mailbox, then proceeded to our home. When I got about two minutes from our driveway, I saw a small figure dressed in snow pants, snow boots and an orange winter coat–carrying a camouflage backpack–plodding down the road; my heart started to race!  As I sped up to go towards him, I could see that it was Cole, and he was crying as he walked.  I immediately pulled over to the grass, ran towards him, and grabbed him into my arms.  I asked him what he was doing, and between big sobs, he said, “Mommy, you weren’t there.”

Mix Up

My neighbor thought it was her day to pick up kids, so she had dropped Cole at the door and sped away.  What she didn’t know was that I wasn’t home, and our garage door was uncharacteristically locked that day. When Cole tried to get in, he couldn’t.  So, he ventured to our closest neighbor’s house, and finding them also gone, started walking up the road to the home of that day’s errant driver. My heart was broken because I knew that he felt “abandoned,” and that made me sad.  No one was at fault, but I felt sorrow that I had contributed to making my very precious son feel separated from me.

God’s Plan

I think God understood my feelings that day.  Please know, I never want to “humanize” God and make him something less glorious than he is; but when God’s eternal plan for our salvation commenced, and Jesus sacrificed himself for us…when he died on the cross and was separated from his Father…when God had to turn his face against his very precious child so Jesus could take on my sin and my shame…when he chose to momentarily abandon his only son so I could live…“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” I bet it brought sorrow to his heart.

Our Hope

Some of you are sending kids abroad again soon. Others are releasing kids on mission for the very first time. Separation brings sorrow, but the promise of a future reunion gives us hope. Like our kids, Jesus was the Ultimate Goer; he left his home on mission to make his Father known.  And God is the Ultimate Missionary Parent; he sent Jesus to live, die, and be resurrected in our place.  As we approach Easter where we celebrate this resurrection, may you be drawn into a relationship with the One whom your kids proclaim. Jesus willingly died for us and rose again so we could come close to God.  He did it so the promise “I will never leave you or forsake you” would ring true in our nervous hearts.  He did it so when we go on our final journey, maybe plodding and with waning courage, our Heavenly Father will run towards us with open arms and say “Welcome home, child.  I have been waiting for you.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16