HOME

As the weather cools, the sun sets earlier and the flies begin to die off (thank you, Lord!), my thoughts turn to home. I make plans to deep clean each room, add festive touches here and there, and make big pots of soup. Blankets cover the backs of sofas, slippers are always within reach, and the mugs move to the front of the cabinet.

Why? I want my family to feel comforted when they come through the front door at the end of the day. I want them to feel safe, loved, warm, relaxed and expected. I want them to feel like they are HOME.

What does "home" mean to you?

The dictionary has a nice definition: the place in which one's domestic affections are centered

Home is the place where my affections are centered. The people who mean the most to me are there. I fall asleep best when we are all home, safely tucked in and healthy. I love sitting down at the dinner table to discuss the happenings of the day with everyone. I love laughing with them when we play bananagrams or apples to apples. I love shouting out our favorite quotes after we watch a great movie or The Office together. I love sitting bedside, discussing deep truths or untangling emotional messes.

For some, "home" paints a different picture in their minds. There is pain, instability or even abandonment connected with that word. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Psalm 90:1-2 says, "Lord, through all the generations you have been our home! Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God." (NLT)

Our true home is God! He is preparing a place for us to dwell when we leave this earthly home, but in the meantime He is our home. The word translated as "have been" in this verse means, "to abide, remain, continue." He is our place to abide continually and has been our home since before he even made the earth. He is the best of what home is: Safety, laughter, a listening ear, comfort, a hiding place and so much more.

If you have ugly pictures of home, ask God to replace those images with images of Him. You can find those lovely images in His Word. Read your Bible and find out what home looks like.

He is your home. Isn't that great news?