THE MEANING OF HOME

Awhile back I found myself meandering through an apartment parking lot here in Denver while taking some dogs for a walk. As the dogs and I sauntered on, I started looking at the license plates of the cars that had been parked there. . .cars from Wyoming and Nebraska, Michigan and Louisiana, and as far away as Maryland and California; in total, I counted at least 16 license plates in that singular, small parking lot that were from places other than Colorado.
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Whether by choice or circumstance (i.e. job placements, etc.), "home" seems to be more and more in flux for a large number of people these days. And while I may think that my nomadic life is an oddity, the truth is, several of my own friends and acquaintances have made their home in a different city, state, or country at one point or another [for some, multiple times as well]. I think that it's fair enough to say that, in this day and age, "home" is a bit more of a subjective term and may apply to a variety of places.
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Which, in turn, reminds me of the fact that our true home is not to be found here on earth. As I, and others, have experienced, it can be easy to find things that we love about the places that we call home here. Even then though, it would seem that there's still something within us that is inclined to search for OUR place, where we feel like we fully and truly belong. Well, folks, as C.S. Lewis once said, "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." Or, in other words, "But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven!" (Philippians 3:20a [from The Message]).
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We may wander from place to place, building community, creating a home environment, but will we also cling to the reality that we were created for something, somewhere, even more? Will we remember that the homes we find ourselves in here are only temporary, and that another one that is permanent, and exponentially better, is awaiting us? More importantly, will we find solace in the fact that if we feel as though we haven't found where we belong here. . . it's because we don't belong here, we belong somewhere far more amazing?! I don't know about all of you, but I look forward to the day where I can settle into my one true home!
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Until then though, I will keep on enjoying my other homes here that God blesses me with. I hope that you do the same, wherever that may be.
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