TODAY THE WORDS are LOST IN THE WOODS

TODAY THE WORDS are LOST IN THE WOODS. I have a story about a young man lost in the woods I want to share.

Jeremy was 15 years old and his greatest times was when he would wander into the woods not far from his house and explore. He had a rifle, but was not allowed to take it if an adult was not present for safety reasons. This didn’t stop Jeremy as he had his trusty knife with him and he felt fearless.

The creek flowed in the woods and provided many stops where the young boy could sit and make up stories of what happened when Indians walked these woods hunting and fishing in the creek’s deepest part. Jeremy knew the creek fed into a river which he had seen when his father and him had gone fishing there when he was younger. 

While Jeremy was sitting on a creek bed rock and thinking about the river and how it flowed and was a lot more interesting than the quiet creek; he was inclined to visit the river even though his father had said he should not go unless he was with him. Jeremy quickly excused his father’s words as he was only 13 when his father gave him that warning but he was 15 and a big boy now. Upon rising up to a full stand and grabbing his knife on his belt to make sure it was there; he started the walk following the creek toward the river. His chest bowed out as he walked with pounding footsteps to make more of a manly walk. He looked at the trees with birds flying in and out of the branches and their silhouette dancing in the broken rays of the sun. He felt powerful as if this were his woods and he was master of the universe.

Jeremy made it to the river without any delays and sat down and wished he had a fishing pole and bait. He became content watching the river churn and twist with it magical movements and he became sleepy and laid down on a big river rock and fell asleep. He slept for hours and when he woke, it was dark all around him and it didn’t even look the same. He knew he needed to get home and he got up quickly and walked in the direction he felt was the way he came. Nothing looked the same and he questioned if he was headed in the direction of home. He was walking by the creek but it seemed different and scary. He walked and walked and wondered why he had not seen the rock he had sat down on prior to his walk to the river. 

As hours went by and nothing seemed the same; nothing familiar and he heard noises he was not wanting to hear; he became frightened  as each minute went by. The clouds had darkened the sky and he could barely see where he was walking. He had not planned on being out in the woods at night so he had no flashlight to guide him. He was not walking with the pounding footsteps and he checked his knife only out of fear he might have to use it on some predator. His face felt moisture and he realized as a big boy, he wasn’t too big to cry and he started yelling for help. 

Help came in a little while since his parents had missed him and figured out he had gone into the woods. His father remembered their talks about the river and he headed that direction with a lantern. Jeremy was relieved to see his father and be reunited  with his mother at the wood’s edge. He was happy to be treated like a little boy in the comfort of his father’s strong arms and his mother’s hugs telling him it would be alright. He went to bed and said a prayer of thanks he was safe in his bed.

Now for the deeper thought….. Even as adults, we don’t think as adults and we sometimes don’t see dangers right in front of our eyes. We wander into unknown territories and we feel invincible. We feel it will not become scary or unfamiliar and we may not consider we can lose our way. As Jeremy only felt safe when his father found him, showed him the way back, and he found comfort in his family. Isn’t that the way we have felt, lost and in unfamiliar places? Our Heavenly Father has brought many lost souls home and in the comfort of His Love. If you feel lost, remember Jeremy’s story and know Your Heavenly Father is looking for you and will gladly find you and bring you home to a life of peace and contentment.