She walks into the terminal not knowing what to expect. Not one of the thousand scenes that have played out in her mind prepares her for what she sees. There, in the concrete-walls-and-plastic-chairs bus terminal in Traverse City, Michigan, stands a group of forty brothers and sisters and great-aunts and uncles and cousins and a grandmother and great-grandmother to boot. They're all wearing goofy party hats and blowing noise-makers, and taped across the entire wall of the terminal is a computer generated banner that reads "Welcome Home!"

Out of the crowd of well-wishers breaks her dad. She stares out through the tears quivering in her eyes like hot mercury and begins the memorized speech, "Dad, I'm sorry. I know..."

He interrups her. "Hush, child. We've got no time for that. No time for apologies. you'll be late for the pary. A banquet's waiting for your at home."

*H. Norman Wright, Loving a Prodigal

IT'S TIME FOR A BANQUET!~

For Dawn's Son!

Welcome Home!

We are celebrating today with Dawn and her entire family as they welcome home their beloved son. We are rejoicing with you, goofy party hats and all, as we know you have waited so long for this moment. To Dawn's son: Though we don't even know you, we have come to appreciate and love your mom and sister! Our mother's hearts are celebrating (and have our noise-makers in hand) with your family as you have come home. Home--what a beautiful word. We will be supporting your next steps with prayer as you continue your journey to your home and sincerely pray that you will find success, happiness, and peace with each step foreward. You have been courageous. You have been taking the steps necessary to become wonderfully whole. God loves you! He created you to be uniquely you--and will guide you as you walk into His purpose for your life. While none of us know exactly the path you have been on, each of us know the desire of your family's heart: You are loved, you have been missed, you are welcomed home with outstretched arms and hearts! May the banquet of love continue for you each day as you start anew.