Coming Home (09/12/2024)

On September 3rd, my husband and I set out on an adventure. We drove over 2200 miles through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa before making our way back home in Wisconsin. We visited museums and state and national parks. We saw Mt. Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Monument, the Badlands and Black Hills. We took pictures with the characters at Wall Drug and enjoyed the craftsmanship at the Corn Palace. We stopped to visit family in Sioux City before returning home. We’re glad we made the trek and saw the wonders, but we are most happy to come home again.

We looked forward to our journey, we planned for it, we packed for it, we enjoyed it along the way. But we were so ready to get back home to our own beds, our routines, our favorite chairs and coffee cups. I am so relieved to be back on my porch for night prayer and morning prayer. I made do along the way, finding a spot at every stop to go outside, sit and welcome in the day as well as reflect upon it before retiring. But none of those spots compare to my porch. I am so glad to be home again.

There’s nothing like being away from home to make one appreciate home. Our homes, this side of the sod, aren’t perfect, but they are ours, they are comfortable, and they are known. Adventures are fun, but as Dorothy found out, “There’s no place like home.” I’m not sure exactly where we were on our adventure when we turned that corner that took us from striking out to heading home, but we did make the turn.

We met a lot of people along the way. My husband will tell you that I spoke to every one of them, but that’s not entirely accurate. I admit, I spoke to several. I learned a lot about life, about the lives and loves and cares and fears of others that help me find perspective and give me direction. And each one, in one way or another, confirmed what I already knew: we are all longing to come home.

Our lives are meant to be an extended homeward journey. Along the way, we take in sights and live experiences that affirm for us the existence of our LORD and His power and presence all around us, among us, and within us. And within us, even while on adventure, we have that desire, that need, to come home.

As we continue, each of us on a journey home, let us seek to take in the wonders around us, appreciate the power and presence of the LORD in our moments, in our world. Let us seek the help of the Spirit in making our way through this part of our journey and helping us to keep our eyes on our final destination, our eternal home with our loving LORD surrounded by all our sisters and brothers.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.