Maybe I’m not the only one with this question floating around, always important, although sometimes difficult to answer.
There are some wonderful places that I have called home. My first home memories take me to a beautiful, white, 2-story house on the outskirts of Cincinnati, OH. However, the memories are sketchy. I remember the Ohio River that snaked along in front of our house. I remember an asphalt patio where my sister and I rode our tricycles. I remember a steep driveway that we could NEVER run down to chase our ball – our driveway emptied onto busy River Road. I think I remember red shag carpet in our living room (what were we thinking?) but really, that’s where the memories drag to a stop. However, one thing I do remember with great clarity – I felt safe and loved and cared for and it was home.
Most of my growing up memories took place in Bible Methodist parsonages in Alabama. Home for me has even been several different travel trailers – our homes while my family traveled in evangelistic work. Home? A travel trailer? Oh, yes! It was definitely home. Many happy memories, meals shared, and family altars made sure of that.
I have called a GBS dorm room my home. My first home as a wife could never be forgotten. An attic-level apartment on the God’s Bible School campus, 3 rooms shared with the man of my dreams – my very first homemaking attempts. Then I had the wonderful privilege of moving into and decorating a beautiful, brand-new 5-bedroom parsonage in Franklin, OH. In many ways, I felt I had finally come home. And I had - until June of 2005.
God’s plan for my life led me to make my home in places I had never dreamed of – on the border of Texas and Mexico, in the Rio Grande Valley. The heat, the bugs, the constant wind whipping through my hair – it was a world away from Ohio. I struggled to make this new place my home, even though I knew it was nothing more than a stopping-off place before arriving in a foreign country and facing the real challenges that lay before me. But surprisingly, a cinder-block apartment became home for me and I said goodbye to it and that hot valley with regret.
And now…..where is home? Well, I live in a beautiful house in Salamanca, Guanajuato, Mexico, on a street called Way of the Arches, and house number 121A. Little by little, I am growing accustomed to this new place, and new way of life. My husband and my boys are with me, I feel safe and loved and cared for; this is where God wants me to be – the feelings of “this is home” will come. I just have to be patient.
But what is God teaching me through this? What is His purpose, His plan for so many different places to call home? Could it be?…..He is showing and reminding me in ways I can understand that this world truly is not my home. He is preparing a home for me that I can’t even begin to imagine. Heaven is the Home I was made for, not these places I’ve called home.
I love the poet’s words:
Remember, this is not our home
We just lived here for awhile.
A place to live and laugh and love
Making memories as a child.
Our real home waits on the other side
Where our treasures lie in store.
No need to grieve for this old place
For Heaven holds much more.
I long to go home, to my real Home – the one I was made for.
There are some wonderful places that I have called home. My first home memories take me to a beautiful, white, 2-story house on the outskirts of Cincinnati, OH. However, the memories are sketchy. I remember the Ohio River that snaked along in front of our house. I remember an asphalt patio where my sister and I rode our tricycles. I remember a steep driveway that we could NEVER run down to chase our ball – our driveway emptied onto busy River Road. I think I remember red shag carpet in our living room (what were we thinking?) but really, that’s where the memories drag to a stop. However, one thing I do remember with great clarity – I felt safe and loved and cared for and it was home.
Most of my growing up memories took place in Bible Methodist parsonages in Alabama. Home for me has even been several different travel trailers – our homes while my family traveled in evangelistic work. Home? A travel trailer? Oh, yes! It was definitely home. Many happy memories, meals shared, and family altars made sure of that.
I have called a GBS dorm room my home. My first home as a wife could never be forgotten. An attic-level apartment on the God’s Bible School campus, 3 rooms shared with the man of my dreams – my very first homemaking attempts. Then I had the wonderful privilege of moving into and decorating a beautiful, brand-new 5-bedroom parsonage in Franklin, OH. In many ways, I felt I had finally come home. And I had - until June of 2005.
God’s plan for my life led me to make my home in places I had never dreamed of – on the border of Texas and Mexico, in the Rio Grande Valley. The heat, the bugs, the constant wind whipping through my hair – it was a world away from Ohio. I struggled to make this new place my home, even though I knew it was nothing more than a stopping-off place before arriving in a foreign country and facing the real challenges that lay before me. But surprisingly, a cinder-block apartment became home for me and I said goodbye to it and that hot valley with regret.
And now…..where is home? Well, I live in a beautiful house in Salamanca, Guanajuato, Mexico, on a street called Way of the Arches, and house number 121A. Little by little, I am growing accustomed to this new place, and new way of life. My husband and my boys are with me, I feel safe and loved and cared for; this is where God wants me to be – the feelings of “this is home” will come. I just have to be patient.
But what is God teaching me through this? What is His purpose, His plan for so many different places to call home? Could it be?…..He is showing and reminding me in ways I can understand that this world truly is not my home. He is preparing a home for me that I can’t even begin to imagine. Heaven is the Home I was made for, not these places I’ve called home.
I love the poet’s words:
Remember, this is not our home
We just lived here for awhile.
A place to live and laugh and love
Making memories as a child.
Our real home waits on the other side
Where our treasures lie in store.
No need to grieve for this old place
For Heaven holds much more.
I long to go home, to my real Home – the one I was made for.
9 comments:
So great to find your blog. We've been thinking about you guys and so many others during this IHC week. I know it has to be so hard being so far away, but I trust it won't be long that you will feel right at "home" where you are.
Praying for ya!
Jody Johnson
What a touching post! I almost cried while reading it. I wanted so bad to see your "new" home this week. So sorry it didn't work out. We will plan to visit in the very near future. Love you all! Have fun with Brian & Janella. Let me know when they make it in ok.
~Tamra
P.S. I think I'm coming down with what the kids had...bummer! But I keep thinking it would have been worse to be sick there and not be able to have fun with you guys.
Hi -- Melodie! What a good reminder about Heaven being home. I thought a lot about you guys this week. You're in our thoughts and prayers. We miss you all.
Wilma
What a beautiful post! As I sit here with tears in my eyes( I think my hormones aren't helping) Its good to be reminded where our real home is. Miss ya bunches!! Heather L.
I'm with you on this one too, Melodie! (Please realize that when I say that...I AM SPEAKING FROM MY HEART!) For I truly understand the moving from house to house, (I've lived in 8 States, & 3 different countries!) So, I understand moving to a new culture, new language, and missing my HOME country, and my family and friends there. Someone has said that a missionary is the happiest in an airport, for he is always on the way to see someone that he loves. =) But you are right, we are living for ANOTHER WORLD...WHERE THERE WE WILL MOVE INTO OUR MANSION AND NEVER HAVE TO MOVE AGAIN...AND NEVER MISUNDERSTAND WHAT'S BEEN SAID...FOR WE WILL SPEAK PERFECT ENGLISH, SPANISH...(or whatever the language is there =), and THERE WILL BE NO MORE GOODBYES TO SAY! (NO MORE GETTING OUR SUITCASES TO WEIGH JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT, AND THEN TURNING TO HUG OUR PARENTS, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS, WITH THEIR HEARTS AND OUR HEARTS BREAKING...AS WE HEAD TO ANOTHER COUNTRY TO SHARE THE GOSPEL!) I'm looking forward to getting to Heaven. Maybe our mansions will be near each other, so we can sit down and chat about ALL OF THE THINGS we learned while on our mission fields. =) God bless you!
Love, Heather Dickinson
Bogota, Colombia
Beautiful post and so thought provoking. I am enjoying your blog!
Blessings to you guys!
Can't wait to read the next one...You're a natural.
That picture is just beautiful. It makes your home looks so inviting! I thoroughly enjoy your blog!
Melodie, Thanks so much for that reminder!!! God Bless you in your efforts there!!! (Don't forget to let us know when you're in the valley again. We still want you all over!!)
Esther
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