Ten long months later, November 8, 2007, Chris’s deployment to Iraq was over. He officially moved back home to be with his wife and daughter.
“My unit marched into the field house and waited while a few people said some words,” said Chris. “I cannot remember what was even said; I was too busy staring at my wife and now, ten month-old daughter. Keesley was being loud, of course, throwing her snacks and being a normal ten month-old. All I could think was, Wow, she is ours. I helped to create her.”
The formation released, and Chris made a bee line toward them. At first, Keesley was a little unsure of who Chris was. “As soon as I spoke, though, I saw something click in her eyes,” said Chris. “I took off my hat and I saw something else click. It would have taken more power than any person in the world had to keep her from coming to me. Of course I cried some more and then we went home.”
Back in their own home, they set Keesley down, and she started to walk away. When Chris turned around, there was Keesley taking her first steps, walking right toward her daddy. “All I could do was stare open-jawed at the little bundle that had chosen to wait to show that she could walk until I came home,” said Chris.
Even though Keesley didn’t remember her dad from his two-week visit when she was a newborn, she recognized his voice from all the phone calls and recognized his face from the pictures. She took her first steps to follow him because she knew him, even though he had been physically absent.
In the same way, Jesus calls himself our shepherd, and says in John 10 that if we know him, we will follow him, too. Though we never lay eyes on Jesus while on this earth, we can learn to recognize his voice and follow his call.
Lord, help me discern your voice out of the many I hear each day, and give me the grace to follow you.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me… My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:4, 27)