I miss home. There is no other way to cut it, but I miss home. I miss having the conveniences of a big city. I miss having too many friends that I don’t know which one to call during the day. I miss my aerobic classes and workout center at my home church. I miss my kids having Christian education. I miss the long, long seasons of North Carolina. I miss not ever having to worry about losing a cell phone call because there is no tower. Again, I miss home.
No, I am not having a down moment or depressing time, I just miss home. I lived in Charlotte, NC for 12 years and it is the only place I call home. I have no family there, no distant relative, no house still there, and no bank account. But still I miss the place I call home.
In Charlotte every Thanksgiving, Clay and I would house anywhere from 5 to 10 kids from the Naval Academy. Most of these kids lived too far away from the Academy and had to go somewhere during the break. So a small group came to our house to stay during the night, but worked at Samaritan’s Purse for Operation Christmas Child during the day. Obviously these were extraordinary kids. Nevertheless, they missed home.
If there is one thing I do know in my 35 years of life it is that this is not my home. Even Charlotte, NC, the place I call home, is not my home. What we are living in now is not home. Our time here on this earth is but a fleeting moment in the whole scheme of things. Yes, many of us see only the here and now and I too can get very, very caught up in this here and now, but it truly is temporal.
He is preparing us a place. I think God gives us glimpses of our real home here on earth. When you go into a store and Christian music is playing. When you see others praying before a meal. When you see kids playing together without fussing. When you see a husband and wife still enjoying each other. When you see an honest person put others before himself. When you see the church as a whole praising together and worshipping our Savior. This I just a morsel of what the real home will be.
The thing I am most excited about, of course other than seeing my Jesus, is being completely understood. There will be no more – She has gone off the deep end. No more – Can she just chill out for a bit? No more – Isn’t she just precious. No more – Why must you be so different? No more – Do you have to be so devoted? And certainly no more – Do you have to be so serious… your kids might catch on?
We are all going home one day. Where will you call home? “But store up for yourself treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matt. 6:20-21
5 comments:
Loved this post Leigh!
Adrienne
I can't wait for home either. My grandmother used to say to us when we were kids, "I can't wait to get to heaven." I thought she was crazy. Now that I am older, I completely understand. Come, Lord Jesus!!
Leah
Leigh, this reminded me of a post I wrote back in March entitled, "Coming Home". (If you want to read it, it's here: http://princessjoyful.blogspot.com/2008/03/coming-home.html)
This world is not our home. We are aliens and foreigners and I think while we are here we will always know that longing for home.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Blessings,
Joy
Oh Leigh, we just returned from a trip through our old home town, Gastonia, NC - and I'm with you, I miss home. And my heart soo agrees with all your reasons. We live in a beautiful rural area now (not a city or town) without a single stop light. We moved from 2 Wal-Marts in one town to I get to go to another town to shop! I got a "glimpse of home" today when the bag boy carrying my groceries out stopped to hug someone on the way in...Nothing like small town life!
I'm so thankful to the Lord for the home, the eternal home, He prepares for us.
Charlotte misses you too!! This time is so very temporary. We will be home in a short time. We need to be used to His glory while we are here. We have a very important mission...His! xxxooo
-April
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