The Family Man

My Take

DiVoran Lites

On Sundays, our children’s class sings and plays percussion instruments. We have a special song called “Never Alone.” It was Bill’s favorite hymn when he was growing up and the concept of God staying near stuck with him. The kids like it too. Tina and Anna sing at the top of their lungs. They are cousins. Both their dads have been in prison for most of the girl’s lives.

When it was time to go outside to play Tina and Anna ran for the tire swing. Sometimes children from the baby class join us. Sunny is a favorite, but a bit small for the tire swing. Tina and Anna are careful so we set him near them and showed him how to hang on to the plastic covered chains. He kept giggling, however, and sliding off.

Then Big Tom came out. He’s a truly gentle giant and he has a deeply tender spot for children. In fact, he seems to come for a brief visit every Sunday. His own kids adore him, and his sweet and gentle wife, as well, but they don’t live with him, and he misses them.

Now he begins to turn the swing slowly by pulling on the chains. “I can reach all the way around and give Sunny a smooth ride,” he said. Suddenly a soft breeze blew through. The trees rustled. Everything hushed. Tom smiled to himself as the air was filled with peace and love. The children rotated slowly on the swing and were as still as still can be. In that moment, it seemed that Tom was free of pain and loneliness for his children, and that maybe Tina and Anna got a taste of what it would be like to have fathers on the spot to play with them. It reminded them, perhaps of God’s care for them. Though we may miss our nearest and dearest, God has promised never to leave us, never to leave us alone.

“God will never leave us for forsake us.” Hebrews 13:5

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