A glimpse into the week.

Some experiences shouldn't be crammed into a word document. They should simply be remembered and reflected on for the rest of your life.
CCF Spring Break 2012 in Colcord, Oklahoma was an event that I'm even hesitant to even blog about, because I'm afraid I'll only remember what I write down. In essence, it was incredible. I wasn't going to go; nothing sounded better than spending the week at home, and I didn't even want to consider being in a different state when I could be relaxing with my family and relieving my home-sickness. However, a couple of weeks before spring break, I felt the sudden urge to go on the trip. It was strange because my mind was already made up. It felt like a temporary lapse of sanity, but the moment it washed over me, I had no regrets. I knew I had to do it. In the weeks that followed, I didn't even think twice about the fact that I wasn't going home... It felt right.
I will write about only one story from the spring break trip, because it touched my heart the deepest. In addition to the 178 Truman students that attended the trip, some of the staff brought their families along. One of the staff members, Derrick Rohr, brought his wife and two children, both under the age of four. His son, Jude, is around two years-old, with big beautiful eyes and a head of curly blonde hair. While we ate lunch on Thursday in the cafeteria, Jude's grandmother came in and announced in a panicked voice that Jude was missing. Everyone immediately set their food down and got up to search for him. I sat frozen, and my mind went straight to the river that ran through the camp. Heart pounding, I stood up and walked to the window. I watched people walk back and forth along the bank, looking into the waters that might have taken this little boy away, and I felt sick. Tearing my eyes away from the water, I looked over toward the grass and saw an image that will forever be burned into my memory. Derrick had collapsed on the ground, holding his head and rocking back and forth. The terror and agony was evident, although I could not hear what he cried out. His little boy was lost, and possibly in danger. I began to cry, and I couldn't take my eyes off of him.
The wheels turned in my head - is this a glimpse of the Lord's agony when one of His children is lost? He would leave 99 behind to go after the one little sheep who has wandered off. If this man was experiencing the pain of a father whose son is missing, how much more does our Heavenly Father care about His missing children?
Jude was found not five minutes later, hiding behind one of the cafeteria doors, and all was well. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but I'm sure that Derrick will not soon forget the feeling of anguish that consumed him when he thought Jude was gone.
The Lord knows where we are, but He still comes after us. Isn't that just mind-blowing? The God of the universe cares about every child, and would leave everything behind just to have us in His pastures. It gives me peace. I am prone to wander, but God will never let me go. When I am lost, He will find me and bring me safely back home.

     "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'" -Luke 15:4-6