“Your children hasten back… Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather and come to you. As surely as I live,” declares the LORD, “you will wear them all as ornaments; you will put them on, like a bride.” – Isaiah 49:17-18 NIV
Listen to Hasten Home, Son
We started a new tradition this Christmas that I hope never to repeat. It’s called, “Where’s Mason?”
My youngest asked if he could work in the Keys over his winter break. We wanted him home. He needed the money. His college debt won out.
He arrived in Florida a week before Christmas just ahead of rain, a cold front and a management shake up that left him bussing tables instead of taking tips. Here would be the perfect place to compare my son’s quest to that of the prodigal boy who squandered his dad’s inheritance, but I won’t.
Oh, okay, maybe I will just a little.
Both boys left home and journeyed to a far away country. (The unofficial motto of Key West is, “Welcome to The Conch Republic. We seceded where others failed.”) Both fell in with a fast crowd. (You ever driven in South Florida? Scary.) Both ended up working in less than desirable jobs. (One fed pigs. The other had to endure boorish behavior.) You get the picture.
My son called Christmas Eve to say he’d made a mistake. He wanted to come home. Being the wise, loving, and understanding dad that I am, I told him, “Too bad! You’re the one who wanted to go down there. You’re the one who broke your mom’s heart, ditched Ralphie, skipped out on the Griswolds’ Christmas Vacation, shunned the reading of the Polar Express and ruined Christmas morning, day and dinner for everyone. This was all your idea. Deal with it.”
Just kidding. I didn’t really say all that. I would have, but my wife yanked the phone away. She’s better at expressing the spirit of Christmas than I am. And what is the spirit of Christmas? It’s forgiveness, compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. The sort of attributes I should model, but don’t.
I missed Mason this Christmas and take comfort in the promise that he’ll return home. But he’s also hanging out with us on the tree this year.
Each day I pause to look at his ornaments. A soccer ball with his name on it. A hand made craft project with his face glued to the front. Sailing reminders and snowboard figurines, school emblems and Popsicle sticks shaped like a reindeer. “You will wear them all as ornaments,” Isaiah promised.
I’m glad Mason’s safe, thankful that he’s motivated to work. But I’m also mindful of the other sons, husbands and fathers who aren’t working in the Keys this Christmas but are stationed, instead, on the front lines, risking their lives that my family might remain safe this Christmas. “Lift up your eyes and look around; all your children gather.”
I pray it will be so. Hurry home, Son. We miss you.