Our Kingly Expedition: Where is home?

When Emily was younger we had a book (from a Cheerio box) called Where is Home, Little Pip? It was the kind of book that a child latches onto and wants you to read it 27 times a day. So we did, and as a result I can still quote most of it.

For Little Pip, the baby penguin, home is a pebbly nest on the cold Antarctic shore. She loves to play and explore but is constantly warned by her doting parents not to wander far. Every night they sing a song reminding her that:

"Our home is where the land is free
from hill or mountain, twig or tree
in our pebbly nest by the stormy sea,
where Mama and Papa and Pip makes three."

One day Pip wanders off and becomes lost. She asks the different animals that she encounters, "Where is home?" But for each creature, home is a different place. Alone and frightened in the frozen wilderness, Pip sings the song that Mama and Papa taught her, and it brings them together for a joyful reunion. When Little Pip asks them to take her home, Papa sings their song with a different twist:

"Where is home? Is it far or near?
Is it a pebbly nest that we all hold dear?
No, home is where there is nothing to fear.
Since we're together, home is right here!"

Webster's Dictionary says that home is:
1 a : one's place of residence
b : house

2 the social unit formed by a family living together
3a : a familiar or usual setting : congenial environment; also : the focus of one's domestic attention b : habitat
4a : a place of origin b : headquarters
5 an establishment providing residence and care for people with special needs
6 the objective in various games; especially : home plate
at home
1. 1 relaxed and comfortable : at ease
2. 2 in harmony with the surroundings
3. 3 on familiar ground : knowledgeable
The last week I've been thinking a lot about what the word home means to me and it's been interesting to see where all my wandering mind led me. It's definitely defined differently in my mind then it would have been 2 years ago.

When I think of my permanent home, I think of heaven. And I'll be honest, I have a hard time imagining a city of gold being beautiful so I choose to focus on the fact that Jesus will be there and that being in his presence will outshine all that gold :). But for right now, I'm thinking about my earthly home.

Heaven, my eternal home. (not my picture)

This picture brings forth many warm, fuzzy feelings. It's the first property we owned and poured thousands of dollars into. It's the house we brought 3 of our 4 children home to. It's the house I went through a deep, dark winter and the house we created a million happy memories. But, it's just a house to us now that we've sold it to someone else.

Our house in Arkansas, that we sold in November 2016.

Then there is the Colorado mountains that I grew up in. Every time we go visit my heart aches with the beauty of it and the happy growing up memories I have. But the house I helped my dad build and we lived in for years is long sold off and everything in the area has changed so much that it no longer feels like home either.

Picture taken July 2016 on Owl Creek Pass, near Ridgeway, Colorado

This is the house my parents currently live in. It also invokes some feelings of home because my mom and dad are there as well as many familiar objects that I grew up with. It's the place where mom is cooking up some delicious food and dad is outside tinkering around with a project, just like when I was young.

My parents house, near Hillsboro, Texas

Then there is this huge old farmhouse that Eldon's parents have lived in since the day they got married. Not much has changed. The clothes the children wore and toys they played with are all still in the attic, unless said children claimed them. The couches or carpet haven't changed in 40 some years and it's all so familiar and feels fantastic to go back every year and not a single thing has changed (well, most of it feels good ;) ). Mom still cooks the very same amazing, fattening food and dad still endlessly teases and lets me know that my children get it legitly!

Eldon's childhood home in Belleville, Pa. His grandmother planted the huge tree in the front yard.

I suppose technically this is our home because it's where we sleep at night. Side note, it's adorable to me how we can be parked anywhere in America but when we pull up to our RV Ethan gives a happy sigh and says, "Home." We've only had this rig a couple months but it does feel like home. Moving this last time made realize fully that it's not the building, but the people. I've left pieces of my heart all over the country but home for me is where ever I'm with people that I relate with in some way and can feel the love of God connecting us in an invisible bond.

Our current rig, 2010 Keystone Raptor 3912

It's those moments when my soul gives a happy sigh and I know that I've once again experienced one of God's greatest blessings - the feeling of being loved and understood and knowing that I belong. I've gotten that glorious feeling so many times the last few years. A campfire with family. Laughing around my parents table. Blowing bubbles with my children. At Chick-Fil-A with a family we mostly know online. Group texting friends that truly get me (or at least put up with me). Late night campfire talks with my husband. Brand new friends at the playground. Eating pie that my Mother-in-law especially baked because it was my favorite. Through it all is God's love shining strong and letting me know that as long as I'm with Him, He will lead me to people who make me feel home.