The Wanderer

The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:5b-7)

"Not all those who wander are lost." J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

Friday afternoon, 3:17 PM.
I was at my desk working
When the phone rang. 
It was Adalheid,
And when she said my name,
I knew something was terribly wrong. 
"Mommy is missing," she told me, 
Referring to her momma
Who has Alzheimer's. 
"And I'm calling because
I need you to pray to God
To bring her home." 
(Like I possess the Batphone, 
The private line to the Eternal.)
I hung up, and moments later,
Ran out of work
To help search. 
I was praying while waiting for the train.
As I stood on that platform,
Confessing my sins,
Asking for and receiving forgiveness,
Laying bare my heart, my intentions,
My prayers, my pleas,
Bringing before God the fact that
He is the god of the helpless,
I thought, I know You're always with me. 
Then I thought, You're always with everyone. 
Then I thought, That means You're with Adalheid's momma
RIGHT NOW.
There is a difference
Between knowing a truth in your head
And experiencing it in your soul. 
As this revelation struck me,
I felt His Hands 
Cutting through my panic,
Dispelling my fears and morbid fantasies. 
I believed that He would bring her home,
And a little over three hours 
From the time that she went missing,
He did. 

Lord,
Thank You
For leading her to the doorstep
Of the man who kindly took care of her
Before calling 911.
Thank You 
For keeping her safe
During her confused wandering. 
Father, 
Continue to show Mercy
To her, Adalheid, the king,
The rest of the family,
And me,
As we take care of her,
As she wanders ever further from us. 
Let her journey 
Eventually lead her home to You,
So that we may someday behold her
Joyful, praiseful, restored, and whole,
Her wanderings here as distant and forgotten
As the memories and life that are slowly
Evaporating from her now. 
We are all wanderers,
All burdened and weary
From our journeys back to You. 
Receive us, someday, Lord. 
Welcome us Home.