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sysongs · 10 years

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welcome home

I always answer the question of "where is home?" with a slightly long and somewhat complicated answer, followed by a sheepish laugh, but Dallas is definitely one of those "homes."

I love being back in the place where my "y'alls" are not foreign, where many of my closes friends reside, where I went to college, and for so many other reasons.

In fact, the past two weeks have been surprisingly full of intentional -- and unintentional -- meetings and reunions! From seeing a friend I hadn't seen in over 9 years, to shopping with the fashionable younger brother, to a sweet farewell to a friend going to Honduras, this time is very, very memorable.

Here are a few of those highlights:

Thanksgiving was spent with one of my closest friends, in which she and I made everything from scratch (aside from the rolls) and substituted many of the ingredients that the original recipes call for so that they were very healthy. Then I got to bake dessert...vegan sweet potato pie and organic pumpkin pie! I even made the crusts from scratch--all of the many women in my life who have labored to teach me this skill over the years would be proud.

[Happy] times with the brother, haha.

Celebration with this kindred spirit--one of my college roommates-- for her recent marriage!

Frolics through the Dallas Arboretum w/ one of my besties.

However, one of the most poignant events thus far was this one:

One of my favorite parables that Jesus taught was the parable of the Prodigal Son (click on the link to read it in its entirety). In it, Jesus describes His tender, compassionate heart towards all of us, who are wayward, selfish children. It is a story that brings me to tears every time.

Three years ago, my good friend Garrett went on a journey to rediscover his faith and himself. In a very dark time in his life, he renounced all that he had learned and known and strongly believed in at that point, and declared himself atheist. Many things changed for him, and for us, who had known him as the worship leader and zealous evangelist. We devoted ourselves to crying out in prayer on his behalf when we simply did not know what to do or how else to reason and loving him where he was at. Over the three year span, in a journey that took place over thousands of miles, multiple countries, and many strangers, Garrett hitch-hiked across the land and found healing and renewed hope.

This year, he returned home again--home to his country town and home to his Father.

So we, as part of his family, celebrated.

"17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’[b] 22 But the father said to his servants,[c] ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, andshoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate."

While the main reason we gathered together that night was was to send him off on his next adventure to Honduras, the underlying cause was one of celebration for the prodigal son had truly returned home! He shared with us some of the poignant memories from the journey, and we listened with overflowing hearts and many, many tears. We ended the night many hours later, in awe, of the miracle that had occurred.

#dallasmemories

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