Too Far Away (06/27/2026)

My three children were born in 1971, 1972, and 1973. My husband and I only had one car which he used to go to and from work, so the children and I stayed at home. Things worked well. I could manage the day to day with the three constantly with me. Then, we got a second car, and I was able to run errands with the children during the day. My first trip to the mall with a 3, 4, and 5 year old was a game changer! I needed new rules. And the first was “if I can’t reach you, you are too far away and need to come back.”

And that rule worked for the next several years. If we were out and about and the kids got too far afield, too far away, I would simply say, “I can’t reach you.” They knew that meant to come back, to come closer. We all had the visual in our heads of the Younkers mannequin that took a tumble when little ones got too far ahead of mom, and none of us wanted that visual to recur.

I was reminded of that yesterday when I was shopping at the market. I was tempted to share my secret with the mom, but I was able to stop myself realizing some things we must discover on our own. But as I was watching and remembering my own journey, I realized that my spiritual journey mirrored my physical one in that I was the child who had to be reminded that I was too far afield, too far away, and that I needed to come back, I needed to draw closer.

Seriously, we can be like small children at the mall as we journey in life, getting distracted or more accurately attracted to shiny objects and moving parts and before we know it we’ve wandered away from the One upon whom we rely on for direction and security, our LORD. It happens to most of us. The question isn’t whether it will happen to us. The question is will we recognize it and come back, draw closer, close enough for the LORD to guide us.

It’s the weekend. It’s a day for being out and about. There will be shiny objects and moving parts. As we go about our day, let us remember to stay close to the One in whom we live and move and have our being.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.