HoMe...

I read this here today and it has gotten me to thinking back when we first moved here. I only moved less than 30 miles down the road...but you would have thought it was 2000.

I left:

 a home I loved...

a job I loved...Family that had just moved to MY town several years before...

My Brother & His wife and two boys...

We had spent most of our growing up and married lives apart from each other.

 This kind of thing didn't get to happen with my kids very often.  My nephews could pop over and spend time with us...not a special celebration...just hey, what are you up to moments.

 My kids got to spend time with their Uncle...

 I got to go to my nephews functions and capture moments like this...

 Cousins...spending an afternoon together...feeding the ducks, 

 skipping stones, 

 and horsing around...just because they could.

Now, all of this can still happen...but just stopping by to stop by 

and 

spending time with two other nephews...harder.

But, I digress...

I also left friends, a church home that I loved and along with that ...

most of my social outlets.

Don't get me wrong...we moved into a beautiful home.  I LOVE it...

I spent time making this place our new HoMe.

But, it only takes so long to unpack and make a place a home.  

I missed my job, daily contact with friends and family.

I felt alone and out of place.

I knew NO One when I went to the grocery store, Target, Hobby Lobby 

or at most of the churches that we visited.  I was so tired of feeling out of place every Sunday...like I didn't belong anywhere.  I had a beautiful home to live in, 

but I needed a church to call home.

To begin to feel like I belonged somewhere...

I was tired of feeling like a visitor everywhere.

God (and everyone else) knew that I didn't want to be in this town that He had brought us to.  But I now know that He had to get me alone to 'talk' to me.  

Another story for later...

What I missed the most was feeling at home with God.  Here is what I posted as a comment to Beth's post today...

"It is so hard to leave a place of worship that you LOVE! Where you have history with people. I had the hardest time leaving my church a year and a half ago when we moved. But, the first thing that was important to me….finding a church. A place where I could call home and God could use me. And I will tell you that I felt very unsettled, like a stranger until the day that we decided on a church. The moment that I said out loud “this is where I want to call home”…I felt settled. Months after all the boxes had been unpacked. I encourage anyone who doesn’t have a church home to find one to worship & fellowship with a body of believers. There is nothing like it! Great post Beth!!"

It's True...the moment that my husband and I decided to pick a 

home church...I relaxed.

He saw it in me and even commented on it.

The church home that we found is welcoming, inviting and lots of truth 

is preached from the pulpit.  It is such a comfort to know that no 

matter where I go...I will always be able to find a home with God 

and people to worship Him with.  

God has blessed me with a love and gift for serving.  

I have jumped in with both feet...

although I still feel like a stranger once in awhile...

and am serving with wonderful, Godly people.

I still miss the daily contact with my family & friends.  

We have to be intentional and it takes more gas!

I haven't found the close friendships here that I had 

in McPherson...it takes time, I know.

I know that God will Bless our time here...however long it is!

Do You have a place to call home?  Where you can honor, worship

and serve God alongside others?

I hope so...I know that I needed it then, need it now and will always need it!