Home is where the heart is

The last few weeks have taken quite an emotional toll on me. It has been my birthday; my nephew Tim turned one and started taking a few steps and it is nearly Christmas. Back in South Africa, school is nearly finished and all the shops have carols playing and decorations up. Next weekend is December 16, a public holiday and when we usually start baking mince pies because we panic and realize it is nearly Christmas. I usually buy a new Christmas carol CD about the beginning of December too.

Here in Ethiopia, it is not the end of the school year; we are not writing exams; there are no Christmas carols and no mince pies. Worse still, I know my family will all be gathering together soon and doing our Christmas traditions – the swim before breakfast; guessing the contents of stockings even though it is the same every year; writing clues on gifts that Rebekah can never guess. All these things have made me very homesick.

I have now been here long enough that things are no longer very new and different and exciting but not so long that I feel completely settled and at home. That is the crux of the matter – this is my home but it doesn’t feel like it. I know this is where God wants me and I know He has a purpose and plan but right now, my heart is not here – it is home in SA.

This has made me think about the verse ‘where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’ and the popular saying, ‘home is where the heart is’. It has been a challenge to me that my home is here now and I need to put my heart and focus here; I cannot be always longing for South Africa. More than that though, it has reminded me that earth is not our home. Our hearts, minds, treasure need to be in heaven for that is our true home. We must not make the things of this earth our top priority, our be all and end all – this world will fade away and our  heavenly home will last forever. Our mind needs to be that of Jesus, our thoughts on our Father and our home above.

This time of year people often travel to see family and many will be going to their childhood homes. As we celebrate and travel or as we receive everyone into our homes, may our minds be on our home in heaven and not only on our earthly homes here.