Ever just wanted to run away? I remember as a kiddo I always wanted to go with my Dad–he was serving as pastor of a small church; visited hospitals and shut ins during the day + preached every funeral + ran revivals during the week all over SC / NC / TN / KY — and there were times especially out of state I couldn’t go with him so I would get mad and grumpily decide that I was going to run away from home. So I’d pack my suitcase and my bear and head out–but just to my Grandpa and MeMaw’s store at the end of the driveway with Mother watching out the screen door with that grin on her face. She would call MeMaw on the party line to make sure I got there and of course MeMaw would gather me right into her cavernous lap and watch the afternoon ‘stories’ on the big TV with the huge rabbit ear antenna.
And each afternoon after the ‘stories’ before it started getting dark, the #2 ring on the party line phone would summon me back home–Mother at the screen porch door always telling me she missed me and was so happy that I came back home.
I was in my kitchen early this morning – the artist rendering of my Grandpa’s store that my beloved cousin Scott gave me prominently on the wall. And it brought back wonderful memories of Home. We all just want to run away sometimes – life just gets too hard or we could be running away from something or someone. Isn’t it good that we can always come Home–no matter how long or why we left–Heaven’s screen door is open and God is right there–just welcoming us back.
So this day is a Thankfully Throwback Thursday for me–and it’s good to be Home.
