The last couple of days we enjoyed having Bobby’s mom, dad and younger brother Ben up to visit. Since they moved from Texas to California this year, we see them much more often. It was nice to have them here to see our new place. We played a long game of Mille Bornes (Bobby and I won!), watched several 24 episodes and had a tasty meal together at Outback.

Lately I’ve been thinking about the ideas around the word and place called “home”. With Christmas here so many people have asked me if Bobby and I are going “home” for the holidays. I would say, “Yes, we will be spending that time at home.” But I realized that while I mean our home, they mean our parent’s homes. Some people say, “Oh how wonderful that you get to be together, just the two of you!” And others seem confused and wonder if there is something wrong that we would just be “alone” for the holidays.

People have all kinds of ideas on what home is or should be. Some people think that they should always be able to return to their parent’s house and feel at “home”. When away from home some people get “homesick.” Some say that home is where the heart is. Others say that there is no place like home. All of these ideas make sense to me because I realize that most people spend twenty or so years knowing one “home”. I would say that home for most people is just that which is familiar from within their parents four walls. They have the same parents and siblings for as long as they can remember, are used to the way their mom cooks, the way their house runs and the kinds of things they like to do together. This is one of the aspects I like about marriage, two people come from what is familiar and habitual in their individual homes and join together and bringing certain aspects of both to their new home.

In my parents home there were five girls and one boy. We never watched TV or drank soda. We were all musical, so it seemed as though someone was always playing the piano. We would spend time on walks and in the garden. Some of my fondest memories are of the many trips we would take together, especially the camping ones. I am very familiar with reading the classics, watching old black and white movies and musicals, classical music and dancing ballet. I spent endless hours in the kitchen with my mom and now cook all the recipes that I have always been used to making. My whole life my dad has worked for the military or government and my mom spent her days with us. Memories of “home” for me relate to spiritual things, quality, and structure. Looking back, I sure enjoyed those years and can see how they have shaped who I am today.

I’m sure that Bobby would say he felt the same way about his home. I’m not sure about all the intricacies of what he’s familiar with, but I have gathered some things in our few years of marriage. He shares lots of memories about basketball games, golfing and life as a pastor’s son. In his home there were three boys. Many of his memories growing up and about home life are very different than mine. We recently talked about similarities and differences in how our families have celebrated holidays in the past, what parent-child relationships were like when we lived with our parents, and how conflict was resolved in our homes. There are some similarities and some differences and I think that we can bring a good balance of both to our home. In fact, some of the things he is used to have rubbed off on me, and vice versa.

Most of what makes home so familiar for me is the idea that it is a comforting place to be. I felt this way about my parent’s house and even more my own. I like how Jesus addresses the believer’s true home and comfort in Him.

“Let not your heart be troubled;
you believe in God, believe also in Me.
In My Father’s house are many mansions,
if it were not so, I would have told you.
And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again and receive you to Myself;
that where I am, there you may be also.
And where I go you know,
and the way you know.”
John 14:1-4

Christ is our comfort. He has promised here to return someday and take all who follow Him in true faith back to the heavenly home that He is preparing for us. The last verse is fascinating. Jesus says that we know where He is going and how to get there. If you read the whole context of that chapter you have the answers to both–He has gone to heaven and He is the way to get there. This puts a whole different spin on our earthly homes. We often think that is where we belong or where we find comfort, but really these feelings and dependencies should be completely in Christ. A believer’s home should purposefully point all who dwell there or come there to heaven and to Christ. Until He returns or calls us there, may we be the lights leading others to the Lord and the one true place to call home.