Home
Fall is one of my favorite times of the year (besides winter) with the changing of the leaves and the cooler temperatures and crisper air. The smell of pumpkin is in the air because everywhere has a pumpkin flavored something and it always gives me this sense of hominess. You know what I’m talking about, that feeling of just enjoying being at home with family.
The idea of home has been on my mind a lot lately because, for the first time, I’m actually away from home. Home is no longer just across town, 30 minutes away or even a day’s drive. My childhood home is back in Rapid City, South Dakota. Quite a ways from Portland, Oregon. When my wife and I moved here I thought I would be home sick for my green house on Hall Street with the big spruce tree on one side and aspen trees around the rest but, to my surprise, I’m not.
Actually, the only time I have been home sick is when I’ve gone to the Cabela’s in Tualatin. I went there the other day and that small feeling of home came up. As I drove back to our little brown condo in Lake Oswego, I was thinking about this. Why does Cabela’s bring up that feeling and not any other place? When I went to college, only five hours away from home, I was racked with home sickness all the time, but here only Cabela’s has given me that feeling. Maybe because Cabela’s is like a little slice of South Dakota.
After leaving Cabela’s, I pulled up to our condo and went in where my cat greeted me at the door and my dog was shaking with excitement because she always thinks she’s never going to see me again when I leave. I sat down and looked out our back door and where there would have been an aspen tree with leaves turning to gold back in South Dakota, there was instead an Oregon maple tree with leaves turning red. I realized the home sickness is gone because I am home. Home for me is much different now; that old saying “home is where the heart is” is so true.
Back in college my heart was in that green home with the big spruce tree on Hall Street. Now my heart is with family and with God. Like I said, I thought I would have home sickness when moving here. I left so much behind. But I don’t think I realized how much I had with me. Jesus said in Mathew 12:49-50 “And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’” I left my green house on Hall Street but I never left my family. My family is everywhere with those who believe and follow Jesus.
Time of year my Mom usually starts baking cookies and pies again. This is something I thought I would miss, but since I have been here I don’t know how many home baked cookies we have had! And so much laughter that we have shared with others. I left only part of a family to come and be with another part of my family in Christ and no matter where we go God is with us and He is our true home.
1 John 4:16 says, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” God is our home and He has filled it with a great family, a family that is truly almost everywhere. Home baked cookies and pies taste just as great with family whether you’re in Rapid City, South Dakota or in Portland, Oregon and laughter and a hug means the same here as it does there. God has created an amazing family. As you are in your house this time of year watching the leaves change and enjoying the smell of pumpkin is in the air, know that your home is in God and he has blessed us with a great family.