Home is where....?

Last weekend we went back to Lancashire. We spent 7 years there as officers at Accrington. 2 of our children were born there. We had some good years there, but they weren't perfect by any stretch of the imagination.

We are Southerners by birth, and have lived back down South for over 9 years now. So how come Lancashire feels like home?

We love the hills, the greenness, and the industrial views of the old cotton mills.
We made some great friends while we were there. I'm rubbish at keeping in touch, but we picked up where we left off, with both friends and much-loved neighbours.
We learnt a lot about ministry while we were there. And we had some horrendous times both personally, and spiritually as corps leaders.

So what makes it home?

According to The Salvation Army articles of marriage we promised "to make our home a place where all shall be aware of the abiding presence of God."
Maybe that's the key?
Home for us, with our nomadic existence as Salvation Army Officers, is wherever God is.

In the hallway of our house are two pictures.
One says, "Welcome to our world!"
The other says, "May this home to every guest, be a place of peace and rest."

Perhaps home, for us, is wherever we find ourselves. And wherever God is.
I can live with that!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Whenever anyone asks me 'where do you come from' I always quote the place that I am living in at the time!! Although as you say some places do feel more like home than others.

When we eventually move into our new house - it will be in Dagenham - that has a 'homely' and 'inviting' feel as my grandparents were married at Dagenham SA (now closed) and went into college from Dagenham.

Take care and hope you're feeling better soon. Judyx
2 September 2011 at 19:52
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