Sometimes in life, we get lost.  (Light candles on Advent Wreath) We forget the way to the place we are going.  Maybe it is just finding our way in the big new Wegman’s to where Mommy is with the grocery cart, in which case a good loud wail of “Mommy” will bring the help you need.  Or maybe it is in the car with your mommy or daddy driving and they made a wrong turn on their way to your friend’s birthday party.  If your car has a GPS then they can look up the directions or they could use their cell phone. 

This is Frank Heffelfinger.  He is Barabas’s father and he works as a janitor at the Disney Internet Group on Lenkershim Blvd. in N. Hollywood.  Barabas and Uncle Floyd live waaaaaay over there, in PA.  Here WE are on the west coast where Frank lives in California.

And Frank feels lost.  It is not the kind of lost where he can call for his mommy.  And it is not the kind of lost where he can check Map Quest on his computer.  It is the kind of lost he feels about his son Barabas because they live so far apart and don’t see each other very often.

“I feel like a terrible father!” said Frank.  “I AM a terrible father.”  And Frank stood there and thought about all the ways he has failed. This happens to grownups sometimes.  He was in jail.  He is an alcoholic.  That means that if he drinks he has reckless and dangerous behavior. So he can never have an alcoholic drink again for the rest of his life.

As Frank stood there in the hallway feeling lost, a wise man came silently down the hallway and stood behind Frank.

“I don’t even know what my son Barabas wants for a Christmas gift.  Maybe I shouldn’t even go back to PA to visit him.”  Frank thought this inside his head.

The wise man said in a wise man voice “It is wise to travel east and see the child at Christmas.”  Frank jumped, then so did the wise man!

“But what about all the mistakes I made as a father.” thought Frank. 

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near!  Christ has brought forgiveness.”

Frank jumped again, and so did the wise man.

“Can this guy read my mind?” thought Frank.

 “Yes!”  said the wise man.  This time they both jumped in unison!

“Hello . . .” said Frank out loud with some hesitation.

“Welcome one another, just as Christ has welcomed you!” said the wise man as they shook hands.

Frank liked this wise man.  They talked for a while about how Frank should indeed visit Barabas.  The wise man told him that the best gift he could give Barabas would be his time.

Frank’s 15 minute break was now finished and he thought it would be fun to see if the wise man could read his mind one more time so he thought “I really, really, really HOPE, I hope, I hope, I hope the Steelers beat the Patriots today.”

“Do you want to know truth?” said the wise man.   “Yes I want to know truth.” answered Frank

“May the God of HOPE fill you with all Joy and Peace!”  They both jumped again and, the wise man jumped so high and so wide, he was gone!

“What an odd experience.” thought Frank with a smile on his face.  He no longer felt lost.  He felt hope.  He felt found!   THE END

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