Lost and Found

Lost and Found

By Abby King, Class of 2016

Charlotte, North Carolina

For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. Luke 15:24

            When I was eight years old my family and I took a trip to Disney World. We had a blast, but unfortunately family vacations never last long enough.

            One of the last things we decided to do before we went home was to see one of the parades. We arrived on Main Street early that day to make sure we got a good spot, and we did. My sister Tori and I soon became restless and tired of waiting, as many six and eight year olds get.  So, we decided to go look in one of the stores. My dad and grandparents stayed at our parade spot while my mom, Tori, and I went into the nearest shop. We looked around for a while and we ended up finding a toy that we wanted. While we were checking out at the cash register I began to wander off, looking at some of the other items on display.

            Once my mom finished buying our toy,  my mom and sister began to walk back outside without even noticing I was not with them. After a few moments of looking around the store,  I turned around to realize Mom was not there anymore; she had disappeared and taken my sister with her, leaving me all alone. I was frantic and did not know what to do.  I was lost! My mom soon realized too that I was no longer with her and she was in a bigger panic than I was. She assumed I had probably left the store and could be anywhere in the park by then.

            Meanwhile a kind lady that worked at the store found me and decided we’d better call my mom. As the phone was ringing, I saw my mom running towards me, arms open wide welcoming me in. As I ran into her hug, I was so happy she had found me. I was very lucky to be found so quickly.

            When I remember this story, I am reminded that Jesus is always there waiting for us with outstretched arms. He will always welcome us in, even if we’ve strayed away.