Away From Home

It is a strange mixture of joy and longings to be away from home. I have had a great time here in Maine and the time in Massachusetts with friends was terrific too. I wanted to see more people than I was able, but I did enjoy the visits. The service for Marsha exceeded even my high expectations. The two days in Virginia with my brother and spending some time with his family also was nice, we haven't seen each other through the years as much as I wanted. Everything has been wonderful and yet inside I still long for home. Somehow we know we are away from a piece of ourselves. Without family and some friends I was away from a piece of myself when I was home in Myrtle Beach as well. That is what makes it a strange mixture the alchemist has brewed for me.

I think for us Christians we have a similar spiritual situation. We know where home is, and we know we are away from home while we are only partially connected to God in our earthly lives and earthly bodies and our soul longs for home. At the same time God has given us such wonderful people and such a wonderful world to live in that we long to remain here with all God has given us. I could see that very clearly in Marsha as she was ill. She knew where she was going and she knew it was home. A more desirable home than even our wonderful little treasure pictured to the right. We loved our home at the beach, and I still do, but she knew that her better permanent home was waiting and the time had come. I know some day I will be with her in our permanent home away from this body and I long for two worlds, both home. It a strange brew the alchemist has brewed for us, at times a mixture of joys and a mixture of longings.