Phone Home

Daily Gratitude Year 7 - Day 33: Today, I am grateful we can "phone home". 

If you live enough years, you lose someone you love or are separated from a loved one by time, distance or both. It happens. 

For those who are gone, we remember final phone conversations. For those at a distance, we can now reconnect with the simple touch of a button. What a rich blessing and luxury it is to hear a voice and even see a face while talking to them. 

For today's youth, they cannot imagine life without a cell phone. In reality, the telephone was not common in every home 100 years ago. That didn't really happen until the 1940's-1950's. 

We had a party line (a shared line) in my youth. The Corbin's and the Krueger family were on it. Case and Gladys Corbin rarely tied up the line, but oh those Krueger teens could talk. Dad wasn't beyond telling the teens to "get off the phone" so he could make a business call. 

I remember my last phone conversations with my sister, my Dad and my Jill. I am grateful Mama Ina Mae taught us to say "I love you." without reservation. Our telephones provide us with no reason to leave love neglected or unspoken. We can be "together", even when far apart. 

My dear friend, Kelly, has a son in Air Force Basic Military Training. It has been a privilege to pray for Trevor and to wait for updates from Kelly. Last night, they received a call. He had limited time. He divided it three ways because they were not all in the same place. He spoke to Dad, Mom and little brother who were together... and then his twin, Kassidy. Each had the joy of the call coming in and hearing his voice. Only two more weeks until graduation, and they are counting the days. His voice assured him that he is good. A phone call home is good for the soul. 

Remember ET? The movie of my childhood feels very different as an adult and as a parent. ET wanted to phone home. He missed his family. His human family was good to him, but he missed home. A parent feels an unique anguish when they are separated from their child. A piece of our hearts is walking around without our protection and our fierce love covering. Yes, they may be competent, capable adults... but they will always be our babies, too. We love when they come home or phone home. Do you think God feels like that, too?

In our spiritual walk, isn't it good to know that we can "phone home" at any time of day or night. We can pray at stoplights, in the shower, in the produce department, at work or in the dressing room at Kohls. we can keep the prayer line open for God to speak, direct and lead. Take time to listen during prayer and you may be surprised by how clearly he speaks. He loves it when we pray and seek his face. 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." -Philippians 4:6 (NIV)

By prayer and petition. With thanksgiving. He can't wait for us to phone home.

Today, I am grateful we can "phone home".