Gò0dNews for Everyone
Coming Home
S
by Leslie Bennett
now had fallen overnight and left a beautiful, white
called for us. We were having a great time, not realizing
blanket over the neighborhood. Snow day! What all
the danger that could lie ahead. I now have a clearer
children love to hear. Mom fixed a hot breakfast to
understanding of God’s love and concern for His children.
give us the fuel we needed for the fun day ahead of us. We
When we selfishly live our life, doing what we want
anxiously dressed in our warmest attire, put on our boots
to do, with no regard for God, oblivious of His call,
and coats, and headed outside.
I’m sure He feels like our parents felt that day. We may
We made many trips back up the hill after riding our sleds down the slippery slope at the end of the street. I can
wander far away from God, but He never stops calling for us to return to Him.
almost feel my frozen nose, numb fingers and toes, and weak legs as my thoughts take me back to that cold, winter day. After several hours of fun and laughter, we went inside to warm up. I stood over the old floor furnace, sipping hot cocoa, until the feeling returned to my fingers and toes. We ate grilled cheese sandwiches, dill pickles, and chips for lunch. I’m not sure if lunch was extra delicious or if I was really, really hungry, but I don’t think I’ve ever had a better grilled cheese sandwich in my entire life. After resting up for an hour or so, I looked out the window and saw my cousin, Michael, who lived next door. I asked if I could go back outside and mom let me go. Michael and I built a small snowman in the yard, threw a
Michael and I began to get cold, tired, and hungry so we
few snowballs, and made snow angels. We walked up the
decided to head home. Thankfully, our story has a happy
street, making footprints in the snow.
ending. Our parents were thrilled to see us coming down
Being adventurous children, we decided to walk up the hill at the end of the neighborhood and see what we could see from there. We failed to tell anyone where we were
the road. We were greeted with warm hugs and big smiles. What a reunion we had on Forrest Avenue! I remember the words to an old song, “I’ve wandered
going. Having no concept of time, we continued to walk
far away from God. Lord, I’m coming home. The paths of
and explore a place we had never been before. Little did we
sin too long I’ve trod. Now, I’m coming home.” If you find
know, our parents were searching everywhere for us. We
yourself far from God, it’s never too late to return to His
were too far away to hear their frantic calls for us, nor had
warm embrace. You will find Him waiting there for you,
Michael and I heard the story of the old well that was on the
arms open wide.
Looking back, I can only imagine how our parents felt that snowy day when Michael and I didn’t return when they
44 // February 2022
About The Author
other side of that hill somewhere. Leslie Bennett is a kindergarten assistant at Michigan Avenue School. She is a member of First Baptist Church and sings in the adult choir. She manages a blog at ohyesshedid.org.
