There's No Place Like Home...

What is this urge we parents/women have to make all around us comfortable? I can look back at countless times in my life where making a "home" cozy & welcoming was my #1 priority. Norm & I have moved 7 times (yikes!) since we're married & worked hard on each every one of them to make them feel like home. No matter the size of the space, we had that need/urge to make it inviting, welcoming...home. The most vivid memory of creating coziness, of course, happened while preparing for the birth of my 2 children. Little creatures that knew nothing of this world or their surroundings, we were convinced needed a lovely & safe space of their own. I can remember being 6-7 months pregnant with my first and painting & papering the nursery. Back then we didn't realize that painting was a big "no-no" for a pregnant mom! Nonetheless, we brought that little bundle of joy into its carefully prepared nest, and all was right with the world! With my second, it was exactly the same. Living in a different home, we worked diligently on preparing a safe, cozy & quiet place for her to exist. I'm sure she would not have been upset by walls whose colors weren't "baby appropriate" or if she had to use a comforter set that belonged to her older brother. But as her dutiful & loving parents, we worked at creating what we deemed to be just the right space for her.

And on & on it goes.... Even now, as my children, both of whom go to school away from home, made plans to come home for the summer, we got to work preparing places of comfort & privacy for them. Since they're young adults used to living away from mom & dad, we wanted to be sure to give them each a space to unwind after work, or just settle in for a long phone conversation uninterrupted by the rest of the family. We love our children & are blessed beyond measure to have them both here for 2 whole precious months! We cleaned, reorganized, built closet shelving, new bedding, etc. all in anticipation of their arrival. After all, they are my children & I want to be able to give them the best I can offer. I want them to feel "at home", welcome.

I heard an amazing sermon this weekend about eternity. The gist of it was the idea of "coming home". It was expressed like this, "life here on earth is like living in a hotel, eternity is being home". It really struck me. The point was, the hotel offered shelter, comfort, food, etc. Why, then does it not feel like home? That longing that is inside all of us for home, is described as not just a destination, but a desire to be where we belong. In our small way, we prepared for the homecoming of our children. Would God do anything less? I can only imagine the homecoming that awaits us with Christ. I envision our Heavenly Father waiting with open arms to welcome us, just as I do each time my son's plane lands or I pull up in front of my daughter's dorm. What's so amazing is that it is me who is eager with anticipation! We think of eternity with our Lord & with each other, but do we actually consider that He is eagerly awaiting our arrival? That he is excited to see us, to put His arms around us, show us the lovely place that has been prepared for us? Its hard to imagine the God of the Universe being that intimate with each of us, but that is His desire.

My time with my children will be wonderful this summer, but I already know it will go way too fast. Someday, we won't have to say good-bye to each other. Someday we will be home. For all eternity. And in the immortal words of the ever-wise Dorothy, "there's no place like home".

Haves or Have Nots??

There are times in my life when I'm not sure which of these I am. Once upon a time, Norm & I worked, saved & purchased the beautiful house in the suburbs, complete with in-ground pool & fireplace, essentially equating to the "American Dream". I guess at that point we would be viewed as the "haves". Through a series of work changes & job losses...all that is gone. We moved from the 4 bedroom house to the 3 bedroom apartment & then the next 3 bedroom apartment. I guess at this point we would be considered the "have nots".

Funny thing about "having" & "not having"....its all a matter of perspective. I heard a minister preach an amazing message once & it really has stuck with me. He said that only 8% of the world's population owns a car (we have 2). He said that about a billion people do not have access to clean water & about 800 million people won't eat today. Every day I can turn on a faucet & effortlessly fill a glass, a teapot, wash a dish or bathe. I have never gone a day without a meal, unless I had decided to do so. He said that roughly a billion people live on less than $1 a day and that experts say it would take roughly $20 billion to provide water, food & healthcare to the entire world - about what the US spends in one year on ice cream. These are staggering statistics! Compared to the world around me, I don't have much. There is a great concentration of "wealth" in the area I live in. But "the world around me" is NOT the world. He said that we run into danger when we perceive "our world" to be "the world". We as Americans can easily fall into the trap of needing bigger, better, more. We are constantly bombarded with messages that teach us that this is what we need, that this will make us happy, that this will give us a "life".

Everything I have is a gift from God. Even the ability to work, to be healthy & strong enough to earn the money to provide for our family. No matter if I'm living in the big 4 bedroom house or the small 3 bedroom apartment, I am warm, I am safe, I am fed. Sadly, how many people in the world can say that?

Jesus teaches us in 1 Timothy 6:17-18 - "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share." I don't think God has a problem with our "having", I think the problem lies in our willingness to share what we have with the those in need. It's understanding that the gifts that He's seen fit to give us, are not just for our enjoyment. And its not just about money, its about giving of ourselves, giving of our time & our energy. Its learning to put others first, it requires sacrifice. Its true generosity. Not always an easy task, I know. The minister described this as having "life that is truly a life".

I see it as being content too. We are taught in Phil. 4:12 - "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Its funny again that word "perspective". Compared to the life I had, I am living in want. But compared to 92% of the world's population...I am rich. I can honestly say that losing our house was a difficult time in our lives. Amazingly, I can remember being at total peace when it became time to move on. God had provided a lovely, safe place for our family to live. We may not always have everything we want, but He always makes sure we have what we need. The fact that God has taken care of every need we have had since then is an awesome testimony to how He loves & cares for His children. He only asks that we then turn & do the same.

Our church has been raising money for Sierra Leone, one of the poorest countries in the world. We have been working at digging wells, providing sanitation systems, farming, providing medical care, schools, churches, etc. They are doing a benefit concert on March 12th at the church & all the proceeds are going to help the people of Sierra Leone. It doesn't get easier than that! We enjoy a great concert & the people of Sierra Leone get fresh water. You can go to http://www.thechapel.com/ to find out more. Also check out http://www.ltlol.com/ - another amazing ministry started by one of the youth worship leaders in the church that has some pretty creative ideas on how to raise money for clean drinking water for Sierra Leone.

And we don't have to cross an ocean, continent or country to find those in need. God has placed each one of us right where He wants us. Our city is in need, our neighbors are in need. Take a look around....we can all do something because He provides everything. That's a life worth living...

Oh Christmas Tree....and Gratitude

It's amazing to me that I haven't taken "key in hand" to update this blog in over a year! Guess its been a heck of a year... During that time, I went from losing my dream job of working with youth/college students, to a series of part time jobs - including house cleaning & home organization projects. After that, I took the wrong job for the right reason, working in a law firm that paid well, had great benefits & was something my family needed at the time since my husband was unemployed. While I loved the people that I worked with, I honestly don't think there was one day that I actually enjoyed being there. I'm sure in today's economy, many people are working jobs they need over jobs they love. In other words, you do what you have to do for your family. I remember praying every day on my way to work that God would allow me to do my job with excellence, with a spirit of joy & with a grateful heart. I also prayed that He would show me His ultimate purpose for placing me in a place where I not only did not enjoy the job I did, but was opposed to the very core of the law they practiced. Not a great motivator to get out of bed each morning. I would pray that God would let me know when it was time to move on & that He would provide what would come next. And after a year of loving on the people I worked with & doing my very best to be a blessing in a tough place, He brought along another wonderful & unexpected opportunity.

That was 6 months ago. I have been happily working for friends of mine & I still pray every day on my way to work. Only now not to get me through the day, but to continue to be a blessing to those I work for & do my job with excellence. I pray that each day I accomplish this. That would be a successful job in my estimation!

One of the most beautiful things about this new job is the amazing people I work for. They are kind, hard working, fun to be around, men of integrity & treat me very well. They understand that no matter how dedicated I am to my job, my first priority will always be my family. Being good Christian men, they get this. I was allowed much flexibility in my work schedule in order to spend time with my son & daughter while they were home for Christmas. We packed alot into a short time & I'm so grateful to God that I was afforded the time to do it. And they didn't release me to my family grudgingly, making me feel guilt-ridden. They lavished the spirit of Christmas on me AND my family, and graciously encouraged us to go spend time together. I am grateful or these men that God has seen fit to place me with. I am grateful to God.

Up top is a dorky photo of me & my family as we hunted for the perfect Christmas tree. Yeah, we know we're dorky... But oh so much fun to be together! The other picture is of my son & his girlfriend Jen, another gift God has brought into our family & we love her. I am grateful to God for my family. I am grateful to God. All in all, I faced my Christmas this year with a spirit of anticipation, of joy, of peace.

I pray yours was the same... <3

Merry Christmas (slightly late) & may God richly bless your 2010!!!