Thursday, October 13, 2011

THANKFUL THURSDAY...there's no place like home!

One of my all time favorite musicals to see is "Wizard of Oz". A couple of years ago, it was performed at our local Orpheam studio, for days, for weeks I went around the house singing all of the songs and clicking my heels and saying "There's no place like home, there's no place like home!"

Even though Dorothy, the tin man, the scarecrow and the lion (and Toto too) are all made up characters, the thought behind "There's no place like home" rings true sometimes. I have found that to be true this past week.

I have been away from my home for the past 7 days, even though I am away on a happy note, I still miss it. Last week on TT, I wrote about the waiting and anticipation of the birth of our first grandchild. Later that day (last Thursday) we arrived in Tulsa, 6 hours from our home, to await the birth of our sweet Anabell. She finally made her appearance at 3:06 am on Friday, weighing in at 7#8oz 20 inches long.


It has been a long 7 days, which 4 of them have been going back and forth to the hospital. Tulsa is a wonderful place, but it just isn't home for me. Home can be alot of things to alot of people. Maybe you live in a house, or an apartment or a mobile home. The place isn't really what makes it home, it is your heart, your passion and your love...now that makes it a home! And my heart and passion is back home where my husband is, where our ministry is, where our life is.

I am just visiting here. Anybody can recognize that I am not from "around here", because I don't know where anything is. I have to get directions to just go to the store. I am not familiar with my surroundings or even the people. I can stand in the middle of the local Wal-mart and be a complete stranger to everyone. It isn't like that at my local Wal-mart, I am bound to run into lots of familiar faces there.

As I was thinking about this, I realized that the reason I feel like a stranger here in Tulsa is because it is not familiar ground. This is not my home. But neither is Arkansas where my drivers license says I reside. My home is not here, this is just temporary. If its true that "there is no place like home," then I know that nothing is going to compare to our heavenly home.

"I heard a loud voice shout from the throne: God's home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make His home among his people." (Revelation 21:3)

But before we can be familiar with the vastness and greatness of our new home over there, we must be familiar with the One Who holds the deed to our mansion while here.
"I promise you that you cannot get into God's kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does." -Mark 10:15
Are you ready to see your home? There is no other place like it in this world! But we have to be familiar with it or we might miss out on the greatest home we could ever have!

Today Lynn is hosting THANKFUL THURSDAY. I am thankful for the place that God has prepared for me, one day I will see it face to face and it will be more beautiful than I ever imagined it to be. Share your grateful heart with us by linking up. And if I don't meet you face to face here (in Tulsa, or Arkansas or wherever you live)...I will meet you over there. In the promised land. :)

4 comments:

Whidbey Woman said...

Congratulations! I am sooo happy you were there to take in this special event :) A very happy TT and a cyberhug to you.

Denise said...

Such precious blessings.

Unknown said...

HI Laurie,

Oh Girl, Congratulations on Anabell. That photo is precious. I hope you are well and so is mom and baby.

Girl, one day, we will all be there.... Our Home. There are days I can hardly wait. Hugging you.

Angela Alpaugh said...

I'm a Wizard of Oz collector so I was especially drawn to this post. Beautiful thoughts and wonderful news!