Tuesday, November 8, 2011

homesick

Have you ever wrestled with homesickness?

I have to admit that I have. Seemingly a lot in the last couple of years, but I get the feeling that comes with transition. And, if you are one who isn't sure how you feel about change (as I sometimes am), then homesickness can creep up on you at moments you least expect. Or, sometimes it hits you like a freight train going 60 miles per hour.

Homesickness and loneliness have often gone hand in hand for me. Because, as a wise friend observed to me, in those times of transition, we want someone who KNOWS us. Who we have history with. Who we know cares and is ok just being with us. Something or someone constant in the midst of change.

Just as leaves go through seasons and changes, so do we.
Lately, homesickness converges on me with every little bump in the road. Just one of those days, the ones where nothing goes quite how you want it to and a million little things suddenly seem like a billion big things, threatens to drive me to tears.

But, nearing the end of one of those days, I read something. Something about how when I don't feel at home, remember what is unchanging and "home" even if i'm not at a particular physical location, surrounded by what's familiar. The first and foremost is that I am loved and that the same Spirit that has power over death is dwelling, residing in me. Wow. This particular devotion then advised its readers to make a list of 10 things that do not change, even when your location changes, starting with "1. God lovingly lives in me."

So here is my list.
  1. Jesus is Messiah, Savior, Redeemer, Shepherd, High Priest and so much more. (I know I changed the first one, but I think this one is pretty important. If this first one is true, it gives meaning and value to the second one.)
  2. God lovingly lives in me (God is always with me, in power)
  3. God is working things out for good
  4. God works things out in His time
  5. My family is still my family
  6. My friends are still my friends
  7. I am the beloved creation of the Creator
  8. Always important to know: my address (and if in a country speaking another language, how to ask where the bathroom is.)
  9. Laughter makes things just a little bit better (so does sunshine, but I generally have very little control over that one)
  10. There will be a shop/restaurant/grocery store that has noodles/ramen.
Let me say, this exercise was harder than it may seem. I encourage you to try it for yourself and think about your list. It helps to come back to it on one of those days that you feel like homesickness or loneliness is winning the battle over you.

The top four of my list are directly related to Jesus (there are Bible verses linked to the different colored words, if you want to browse through them). From my experience, He is the ONLY thing that is always constant. Though everything may change, He will not. If you are curious about it, or confused or just want to ask, I would love to talk to you about it. You can leave a comment or ask me to contact you via email.

Hopefully, when you reach a point of homesickness in your life, this will encourage and strengthen you!


2 comments:

  1. I got super duper homesick last week because I realized my baby blankie got lost throughout the moving process and then I felt like I lost my childhood/home/family/everything. (haha kind of stupid but it was my baby blanket!!) So I called my mom in tears =P but it was a good reminder that heavenly treasures are what's important and lasting. Thanks for your post!

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  2. I like your number 10. The profound-ness of that statement is too great to not point out.

    I can't say I entirely understand the degree of homesickness you feel. Perhaps the closest I've ever felt would be when I was sick during my first year in college. I laid in my bed and all I could think about was having my mom there. The other time was after I ate some gumby's breadsticks and threw up all night my junior year. :P

    Yay for moms!

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