"Homecoming"

Living in those cow camps,

With three horses and a dog,

And nothing but cowography,

Cooking for myself backlog.

I thought it’s time to board the train,

And from this range come down,

Go and see the kinfolks,

And people in a town.

I want to visit Grandpa,

And hear his stories told,

And the same from Grandma,

Before she gets too old.

I want to see my Mama,

And eat her good home cookin’,

I want to hunt with Daddy,

At least we’ll go a-lookin’.

My brother and my sister,

And nieces, nephews, too,

Kick back with love and laughter,

With our whole family’s crew.

And now I’m at the station,

With my duffle in my hand,

And ‘bout to find my place on board,

And rumble cross the land.

It took three days to get there,

To my home town whistle stop,

And there they are to greet me,

And the kids they’ve grown a lot.

And hugs and lots of kisses,

For the old cowboy come home,

And so much to be thankful for,

Makes me wonder why I roam.

And all too soon it’s over,

Not a one I didn’t see,

And really hard to say good-bye,

They mean so much to me.

But way out in the cow camp,

Is where my living’s made,

And the wind out there it calls me,

Guess that’s why I’ve stayed,

With the cattle and the horses,

And the ranges way up high,

And those long months of lonely,

And the stars up in the sky.

But in it all and through it all,

The hand of God I see,

Whether horseback or with ones I love,

He always is with me.

None can ever separate us,

From this God of love,

Our Maker and Defender,

And our Savior from above.

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home…” (John 14:1-2, NLT)

Home can be elusive for us. There is a longing for it nonetheless. There’s “no place like home,” as the saying goes. But, sadly, some folks feel they have no one or no place to call home. In an ultimate, spiritual sense, home is something that is only God can give. Jesus promised that He was preparing a place for us, and there was plenty of room. When life is at its hardest, this is important to remember. God will have the final say. And we aren’t home yet. But, by His grace, one day we will be…

Lord, help us realize that You are our home, both now and forever, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mikel Donahue, used by permission. Thanks, Mikel, and God bless you.