H O M E

HOME. 4 letters. 1 word. How could they possibly mean so much? Home is so much more than a house, than it's 4 walls...

A home starts with it's foundation. A firm foundation. It's like the Bible says...the wise man built his house upon the rock and the foolish man, his house on the sinking sand. (Matthew 7:24-27) A house built upon Jesus' love will stand strong in life's unrelenting storms.

A home does have 4 walls. It's what happens within those 4 walls that makes a house a home. Is there life? Is there love? Is there laughter? Is there commitment? Is there family? Is there compromise? Is there warmth? Is there compassion? Is there friendship? Is there fellowship? Is there devotion? Is Jesus there? These among so many others are what makes a house a home. A home is surrounded in love...the love of family and God's all encompassing love.

A home has a roof. The roof doesn't allow the sky to fall in on a home. There are days when we all feel like the world is closing in on us...but when inside our home, we feel safe...we feel secure...we feel covered. Just as God's strong hands shelter and hold us in our darkest hours.

A home has windows. Windows that allow the warmth and light from the sun to shine in on you. Windows that let in the cool summer breezes pass thru. Windows that give sight out to the children playing and to the beauty of the blooming flowers. Windows that keep the cold winter wind out. Windows that keep the driving rain away. Windows that keep the fiercest of storms at bay. Trusting in the Holy Spirit is like looking thru a window...He allows the good and beautiful in and keeps the bad at a distance. He lets us see and even feel the ick in the world to remind us that we are the ones that have to make the decision to close the window or to leave it open. We have all forgotten to close the windows during a storm....

A home has a door. In a house, the door lets people in and out. In a home, the door is a beckoning call. A warm welcoming into a place of comfort and joy. In a home the door is always open to friends and family. It opens to a stranger in need and opens again to guests as they come to share in the company that a home provides. Jesus always opens his door....Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


This week, I will be moving my kids from the only home that they have ever known. We have been living in an apartment since March, but this is so much different. The movers are coming to MOVE our possessions out of our HOME. The house that they have called home for their entire lives will forever be different. Their stuff won't be there anymore. I am so scared for this to happen. Kids are all about their things and when they go to their dad's most of their "stuffs" won't be there anymore. I can't imaging how hard that is going to be on them. I DO know how hard it has been on me. Packing the past 10 years in to boxes is beyond heartbreaking. Beyond pain that I thought possible. Beyond what I thought God would allow. God did not make this happen to me and I know that He is with me...sometimes the road get very hard to navigate. My sweet EJ is having a tough time...to say the least. I have told her that her white house will always be her home. Her daddy will be there forever. BUT where ever we are together, we will be home. I pray that she one day is able to forgive us for all that we are putting her thru...to forgive me for not being strong enough not to cry in front of her or play with her enough, and Kev for putting us on this unintended journey.

Our home had a foundation built over 100 years ago, 4 beautiful walls, a strong roof, many windows with incredible views, and an open door. We were incredibly blessed to have lived in the family home. It was and is a stately home with a great history. Our children were blessed to have a huge yard, a pool, and a basketball court. We were also blessed (cursed?) to have family right.there.next.to.us.

Was our home perfect? NO! Our home was lived in and loved in. Could it have been cleaner? Yes. Could it have been quieter? Yes. Could we have let God in more? Yes. Could we have righted wrongs? Yes. Could we have changed behaviors? Yes. Could we have been given a chance? No. That is what makes it more of just a house to me right now. We were never given the chance to save our home. While that is a great loss to me and the kids, I believe that it will be a bigger loss to my husband. God Bless our new home and all who enter it...you will be welcomed with open arms.