Home.

I've always thought of home as a fairly fluid place. Wherever I felt loved and could truly be myself--that was home. I've had many homes over the years, especially since high school. I've been away from family or friends for months at a time, but these past few months have been different. Neither my wife nor I have any friends or family in Salem. Of course, we have a new church family and have some family about an hour away, but it's not quite the same. Please forgive my whining, but I miss my friends. I miss my family. I miss home.

That's why this week is extra special. My wife and I have flown home to the Midwest. We're splitting our time between Grand Forks, ND and Minneapolis, MN. We're spending time with family and friends--recharging our "home meter." Nevermind the cold, the travel time, the cost, and the busy-ness--we are happy to be home.

As fast as this week is going, I'm making a point to slow down and appreciate the fleeting moments and feelings of home. Here a few favorites, so far:
-sitting on the wooden floor of my parents' kitchen while petting the family dog
-watching friends play video games, sharing our concerns and laughing at the future
-dinner at my family's favorite restaurant...and the unavoidable food coma that follows
-warming our bodies and hearts over $1 Grain Belts at Old Chicago
-filling a whole afternoon with lunch and a teeter-totter of memories and dreams
-enough kind words, warm smiles and big hugs to last a lifetime...or at least the rest of the year

Thank you for indulging me in my sappy post.
I pray that you all (if there is anyone reading) might find a place where, or group of people with whom, you feel at home. As the sky grows dark and the air turns cold, it is the gift of 'home' that will sustain us.