Joshua wears a tracking device around his ankle. If he ever gets lost, someone can call the police and give the frequency number and a helicopter would be dispatched to locate him. Fortunately, we have never had to do this even though he has left the house on his bike a few times.
We have alarms on all our doors so we will notice when someone comes in or out. But, on occasion, the alarms get accidentally turned off. I am always on the alert as to his location. I make sure his bedroom door has something in front of it at night so we will hear him if he gets up.
It can be hard always being on call, like minutemen, ready at any moment to go into action. I have tried to teach him to answer me when I call him. He can say "mama" but he speaks it so softly, like a whisper, that no one would hear him unless they were a few feet away.
He doesn't really like wearing the tracker and has gotten into the sicssors a few times and cut it off. To help him feel better about wearing it, his older brother, Jeremy, wore his watch around his ankle for about a year. I try to make sure it is comfortable when they come to change the battery each month. Maybe one day he won't need to wear it. It would be so wonderful if he could just say, "here I am, mom," so I wouldn't be frantic everytime I can't find him.
I think God must have a tracking device on us all, because the Bible tells us that He knows every detail of our lives. He knows every hair on our head. He knows when we rise up and when we are sleeping. In the Bible we learn that God never sleeps or grows weary. I guess He keeps track of us because He loves us so much, even more than I love Joshua. That's good to remember, especially on those days when I am feeling really lost and alone. He is always there and He will hear me call. Even if it's only a whisper.
