Home. What does this mean ??????
My first reaction answer ever since I could talk has been Noland Gap Road. Our cozy creaky old farmhouse. Carolina backroads, windy two lanes that weave through gravel driveways, past roaming gueina hens and cows and weathered barns . Green fields. Trees that crawl up the valleys and up the mountains I take so for granted. Or I could say Asheville, if four years half living somewhere is enough certification to claim a place as your own. I say it is. If im going that direction then I guess I 40. Specficially one thirty six minute long stretch – East or west, take your pick. I could drive both with my eyes closed. Sunrises and sunsets from the freeway. And yeah you guessed it, the car’s on the list too. I kinda lived out of mine. Fontana Lake. Sparkly green water and rundown deck boats. Blue ridges, Appalachians, smokies. I’ll claim all of those. Western NC. America, US of A. Next year, it’ll be some little dorm and wow who even knows from there.
recently—— things look a little different. For the past 2 months, home has been a crowded and lively little Cambodian town, a huge house, an eno on a rooftop.
Battambang taught me lots of things, gave me moments to rejoice in and work through but ultimately gave me memories that I know will stay with me for a long time.
Right now——- the most concrete piece of a home ive got ,(using the definition a place or at thing) is my pack. Some clothes two pairs of shoes and a raincoat ive barely used.
SOoooooOOOoo- plot twist- for me, I’ve realized that identifying home on earth isn’t a place. Home isn’t a thing. Its ……. we’re missing something-……….whats the third part of the noun definition? Ahhhh yes people. That’s my answer, and here’s why-
Zooming out- its something I forget to do sometimes. I take in things very easily. Im a here and now kind of person. But see— there are these promises that the Lord is faithful to us in — a divine inheritance, a line in the book of life, A livelihood of a world that’s somewhere up there past the stars. W O W. The kingdom of the Father.
I like this earth. Im a fan. Its big and beautiful and crazy. This world, it’s a gift !!!!!!!
But the most reassuring and comforting and crazy thought is at the end of the day, all this stuff and all these places, the things we instantly call home and can write our names on are TEMPORARY. As much as I love them, they are very much blessings of this earthly life. The most important thing is remembering that we have an eternal home in God, in heaven !!!!!! What the HECK HE HAS PREPARED a spot for all of us and someday we will be there with him and each other.
Matthew 6:19-21
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasures is, there your heart will be also.”
But where our hearts are our treasures are also, and when we love the people around us and invest in humanity, our brothers and sisters in Christ – we are laying up our treasures in heaven because, my friends, we as children of God are eternal !!!
So home right this very second for me- The 43 other kids I crossed the world with. We are each other’s church and people for the next year ! And my family, the people im stuck with through blood and I wouldn’t have that any other way.
The thing about God- somehow He’s a person a place and a thing all at once. God doesn’t fit in a box and He doesn’t want it that way !!! He and his kingdom are all things about my home here now and in the next life.
So yeah. Gods character and heart towards us is so big and hard for us to wrap our heads around sometimes but at the end of the day He is STEADFAST and FAITHFUL. Remembering that He is my cornerstone, my person, place and that He is real and I will see him face to face someday- WOWWWWWWwwww;;;;;; these are things Cambodia did real good with putting on my heart. So much freedom in that.
Love you all, read my next blog because its about FuNdRaIsInGGGGg!!!!!
~ikh
