In the Key of F--The ProdigaI Son

Frarc|s lre Foo||sr le|l ||ll|e l|||a| lordress lor r|s l|aW|ess, lasl|d|ous lalrer, Ferd|rard lre Fourlr.
Fo||oW|rg ore Feoruary lorlr|grl, Frarc|s, lee||rg lool|oose ard lr|s|y, lorced ard l|rag|ed r|s lord lalrer lo
lor| over l|ve rurdred lorly-l|ve larlr|rgs, lrer l|ed r|s lalrer's lerl||e l|el.

F|ee|rg lo lore|gr l|e|ds, Frarc|s l|ra||y lr|llered ard pr||ardered aWay r|s lorlure or larcy, lr|vo|ous
lasr|or, l||rly lera|es ard l|apper l|ooz|es, l|r||rs ol loar|rg a|e, lree|oad|rg, l|c||e lur-|ov|rg lr|erds, ard
leasl|rg or lasl-lood ard lur|y, lorle rus|c.

F|eeced oy lrose l|erd|sr le||oWs ol lre l|esrpols, ard lac|rg lalelu| la||ure ard lar|re, Frarc|s l|ra||y
lourd r|rse|l l||rg|rg lou| leed lo lre sW|re |r a l||lry larryard as a lor|orr larrrard. Foolsore ard
lar|sred, re la|r Wou|d rave l|||ed r|s l|acc|d lrare W|lr l||cred lood oul lourd |l l|l lor or|y a loolrar.
F|el l|ared lra|| Frarc|s, Vy Falrer's l|ur||es lare lar l|rer. Forlurale|y, lre lrazz|ed lug|l|ve l|ra||y laced
lre lacls. Fruslraled lror la||ure, lr|grlered, ard lu|l|||ed loreood|rg, re lorlrW|lr lror r|s l|oprouse, l|ed
r|s ||| l|u|e lo r|s laraWay lar||y.

Forg|rg lorlrW|lr, re le|| lal|gued al r|s lalrer's leel. Frarc|s leeo|y prrased r|s lee||rgs: Falrer, re
luro|ed, Vy lel|sr oerav|or--l've ludd|ed ard l|ur|ed--ard lru|l|ess|y lorle|led lar||y lavor....lorg|ve re.

Tre lar-s|grled lalrer, ||ssed Frarc|s' loreread. Ard loresla|||rg lulure lar||y l|ssures l|agged r|s l|ur||es
|r a l|urry. Felcr lal||rgs lror lre l|oc| ard l|x a lour-lo|d leasl lor Frarc|s. ForlrW|lrl Fa|| lol Faslerl

Tre l|rsl-oorr, Freder|c lre Fecu|erl, Frarc|s' le|sly, lau|ll|rd|rg, l|aooy orolrer, lruga| ard lacl|ous W|lr a
lacade, lroWred upor r|s lalrer's lorg|veress ol Frarc|s' lorrer loo||sr lo|dero|. Tral lalreadl A lorr|calorl
F|og lr|s l|ourder ard loel re lu|r|raled ard lured. Tr|s l|y-oy-r|grl ras lrelled ard lree-Wree|ed aWay
our lar||y l|rarcesl

8ul lre la|lrlu| lalrer le|l lral Frarc|s' lorrer lo|o|es srou|d oe lree|y lorg|ver. F|||a| l|de||ly |s Wral lalrers
are lor, Freder|c|, sa|d Ferd|rard W|lr lee||rgs l|oW|rg. Forsoolr, lre lug|l|ve |s lourd, so Wral loro|ds
lesl|v|ly? F|y lre l|ags lree|y, ar|d l|oWers, l|les, l|ules, l|dd|es ard larlare...FLlN0 A FEA3Tll

F|uslered Frarc|s, lace l|usred, loresWore lr|ppery lorever rore oy lorc|rg r|s lel|d lrare |rlo lre lr|ar's
lroc|.

Tr|s corverled parao|e, rol a la|ry la|e or lao|e ol ary sorls, ercourages you, re, lo|o|es ard lug|l|ves
a|||e, lo lorsa|e lree|y lre lesl|v|l|es lral l|oW W|lr l|dd|e-dee l|oWers l||rl|rg lre l|dd|esl|c| r|rd. Tre Falrer
|s lorever see||rg lrose Wro l|ourder ard are lor|orr, Wro des|re lorg|veress ard a lace||ll. le lree|y
lorg|ves lrose Wro see lre|r oWr la||ures--le g|ves l|x|lyl Tre Falrer |s rol a l|grerl lorred |r sore
leeo|e rerla| lacu|ly. Furlrerrore, lr|s Fr|erd |s a rea| lorlress, url|uclual|rg,--a lu|crur ard lresr
lourla|r, la||rg us al lace va|ue as le d|d our lr|erd, lre Prod|ga| 3or.
(Adapled ard paraprrased or Tre Parao|e ol lre Losl 3or--Lu|e 15:11-31)

Contributed by George Prins.