Thursday, June 15, 2006

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.


6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Diane, you always make me cry! You have such a wonderful ability to get right to the heart of things. I am sitting here in tears, trying to answer the phone without sounding like it! I shouldn't read things like this at work! But what a blessing. Kev just called and I read it to him through my tears. I wish he could visit with your son. He said, "Mom, you have to meet this lady in person!" His dad is coming home from a mission trip to Peru today with now knowledge of what has gone before and that he will be talking to his son from 10 miles away this afternoon.

There are many more steps to go, but one step at a time with God's help is the plan!

Thank you again for the party - I am so grateful for all of the cyber prayer partners!

Anonymous said...

Praising God for this!! Yea Dawn and family!! Do you just feel like your hearts are bursting with the joy of all the good GOd is doing in your home?! I do, just reading Diane's post, and I don't even know y'all! i'm so excited for all He is doing and planning, putting in order, healing, and organizing on your behalf. Thank you God for this special, special blessing!

Anonymous said...

oops! that was me!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful blessing!! Praise God!! God still answers prayer!!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful post you have written. God is so Good - Isnt' He?
Thank you so much for sharing this beautiful news.
Living in His grace...

GiBee said...

Yay! Welcome home to Dawn's son!!!

Dawn, we are all doing the slap-happy-giddy-for-joy dance for you and your family! Praise God -- He is so good, He answers prayer, and He loves us so much!