It’s Good to be Back Home
John Denver sang “Hey, it’s good to be back home again!” And Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, said, “There’s no place like home!” And, I’m singing and saying that today! Whether it’s a day, a week, or a month away from it — there’s just no place like home.
Whew! I’m typing this blog Sunday morning from one of the sweet tiny homes on my children’s property at Epiphany Ranch in Rusk, TX. I call it my “temporary” home along with the temporary homes I stayed in over the last ten days. This is the last leg of journey to Frisco TX then to Tulsa, OK and then Rusk. I’m back to home sweet home in Austin when you read this blog this morning!
I slept in my cozy bed last night. Aw! There really is no place like home. No matter where or what home is –- we’ve lived in a condo, a mobile home, an apartment, houses (small and big), and a 32-foot Winnebago — there’s just no place like it.
“Home” has changed many, many times over the years (way more than most) for me. Home once was when my sweetheart met me at the door with a sweet kiss and hug. Home was also where my kids brought their friends to for comfort and FOOD.
Home was where a light was always burning when one of us would be out late. And home was where the yummy smell of chocolate chip cookies was baking. Home was where we could be ourselves — no masks — no pretense — just real, authentic, truth spoken in love. It was also home even when the truth hurt. All those things were what made home…HOME!
The meaning of home changes over time like when we become “empty nesters” as the children leave the nest and make their own homes. Or sweet loved ones leave us for their real HOME in heaven. Suddenly “home” takes on a whole new meaning.
Now, home represents for me….my space, my bed, my pictures, my refrigerator, my pantry, my shower, my computer where I can type my next blog in peace. Home is my cozy chair where I spend time with the Lover of My Soul — that place of peace and comfort — where “in His presence is fullness of joy”! Give me that and I’m home — my quiet place — my refuge — my shelter in the time of storm!
As I typed this blog, I remembered Carrie Underwood’s song “My Temporary Home”. She recorded and co-partnered in writing the song. She was inspired by Rick Warren’s book, “The Purpose Driven Life”. The point of the book and this song was that this world’s “homes” are just temporary. And for those of us who realize that and have embraced John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” know that our forever home in heaven will be unparalleled to our home here.
“This is my temporary home; It’s not where I belong;
Windows in rooms that I’m passin’ through;
This was just a stop, on the way to where I’m going;
I’m not afraid because I know this was my temporary home.”
My dear mother-in-law who, everyday says, “I just want to ‘go home’”, gets it and knows that this temporary home here….is our forever HOME SWEET HOME there! That’s the one I’m longing for too because forever we’ll be “home sweet home” with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, as well as our loved ones who have gone on before us. What a day that will be!
Yes…..there really is no place like HOME SWEET HOME — because where He is, I’m HOME – here and up there!