Home for Christmas My name is Abi, I'm 22 and living in St. Joseph, Missouri...I'm from England! When people ask me where I'm from I tend to respond in the most tangled way: "Well....I grew up in this one place, and then my parents moved to this other place when I moved away for college and well, now I'm in the middle of America - so I guess I'm kind of from here now."
A few weeks ago I began thinking about 'home' more than usual. There are various triggers, but this time it was due to a trend I noticed in Christmas songs... 'Drivin' home for Christmas', 'Please come home for Christmas'...'I'll be home for Christmas'. I thought: "Well, I'm not going home for Christmas! OK?!" The first step is admitting. Haha. So for the first time in 22 years, I'm not going home for Christmas.
I wanted to look at what 'home' actually is to people - what is its definition? (I was considering this in the shower - the place where I think too much, but also enjoy a strange kind of clarity!) To some home is a place of rest, security and belonging, to others it's just where you keep your stuff. I guess it's the difference between: 'home is where the heart is' and 'home is where you hang your hat'! One of the conclusions that I came to, (around the time of shampoo application) was that home is about boundaries; the ones that are set for us and the ones we set for ourselves.
When I found out I was headed for St. Joe for FYT last year…it wasn’t quite what I had in mind…I had never even heard of Missouri. I admit, I panicked and prayed 'God this is crazy, I'm not going there unless you give me the big thumbs up!' That night I got the thumbs up pretty straight and fast in Psalm 16:
'Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant placesSurely I have a delightful inheritance.' v5-6 I
went to bed with the biggest smile because in giving God the reigns I knew that He was taking me on an adventure. I had no idea what to expect. A year an a half later and I'm making St. Joseph my home...for now :-). I never imagined that I would be sitting in an apartment in America at Christmas, writing a blog and wearing crazy-festive PJ 'pants' (for a giggle...we call them PJ bottoms). God has certainly been redefining home for me and showing me the 'more' that He has.
I want to encourage you to ask God what He wants to say to you about 'home'. I pray that He would let you loose in your hometowns this Christmas and also in the nations!! Let God redefine home for you and set your boundaries, because I think when you do this, you will find that His far exceed your own. I don't think this will mean moving to Mongolia for everyone ;-) It might just involve stepping over the fence!
Whatever it means, we know that our security is in God and our rest is with Him. On this earth we are just passing through - our home is in heaven worshipping Him! Let God guide your steps - He has an amazing inheritance for you!!
Merry Christmas!
Going a festive shade of green...
Abi
A few weeks ago I began thinking about 'home' more than usual. There are various triggers, but this time it was due to a trend I noticed in Christmas songs... 'Drivin' home for Christmas', 'Please come home for Christmas'...'I'll be home for Christmas'. I thought: "Well, I'm not going home for Christmas! OK?!" The first step is admitting. Haha. So for the first time in 22 years, I'm not going home for Christmas.
I wanted to look at what 'home' actually is to people - what is its definition? (I was considering this in the shower - the place where I think too much, but also enjoy a strange kind of clarity!) To some home is a place of rest, security and belonging, to others it's just where you keep your stuff. I guess it's the difference between: 'home is where the heart is' and 'home is where you hang your hat'! One of the conclusions that I came to, (around the time of shampoo application) was that home is about boundaries; the ones that are set for us and the ones we set for ourselves.
When I found out I was headed for St. Joe for FYT last year…it wasn’t quite what I had in mind…I had never even heard of Missouri. I admit, I panicked and prayed 'God this is crazy, I'm not going there unless you give me the big thumbs up!' That night I got the thumbs up pretty straight and fast in Psalm 16:
'Lord you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant placesSurely I have a delightful inheritance.' v5-6 I
went to bed with the biggest smile because in giving God the reigns I knew that He was taking me on an adventure. I had no idea what to expect. A year an a half later and I'm making St. Joseph my home...for now :-). I never imagined that I would be sitting in an apartment in America at Christmas, writing a blog and wearing crazy-festive PJ 'pants' (for a giggle...we call them PJ bottoms). God has certainly been redefining home for me and showing me the 'more' that He has.
I want to encourage you to ask God what He wants to say to you about 'home'. I pray that He would let you loose in your hometowns this Christmas and also in the nations!! Let God redefine home for you and set your boundaries, because I think when you do this, you will find that His far exceed your own. I don't think this will mean moving to Mongolia for everyone ;-) It might just involve stepping over the fence!
Whatever it means, we know that our security is in God and our rest is with Him. On this earth we are just passing through - our home is in heaven worshipping Him! Let God guide your steps - He has an amazing inheritance for you!!
Merry Christmas!
Going a festive shade of green...
Abi
December 26, 2009 at 11:29 PM
I love that verse, Abi! What a good reminder that we can trust our future to God because he is our home. Thank you, friend! You have helped me to keep a peaceful heart today.