This House is not my Home

Home is where your heart is! We hear that all the time, but it's so true. My "house" is staying here, but my "home" has already begun to leave. My heart is pulled constantly right now. I've had absolutely wonderful times with my husband when I visit, and when I'm with him I'm away from some, if not all, of our kids, and now I'm here at the house packing up all our belongings and my husband and kids are all doing their own thing. The twins left this morning for church camp with my brother's church. They are so excited, and I'm so thankful they have something to do to not have to think about all the other things going on right now. Our daughter is back at her house, and my oldest son is soaking up every moment he can with friends before they go back to college and he leaves for the Air Force.

I stayed up very late cleaning out closets, after my sweet parents, nephew and his girlfriend came by yesterday afternoon to help me clean out my storage unit and attic to prepare for the movers. I didn't give it a lot of thought last night because I was working so hard, but this morning I sat down to email a friend whose husband just surrendered to the chaplaincy and this is what poured from my heart...

"Today is a new day! I stayed up until 2 in the morning cleaning out closets COMPLETELY! It was such a weird feeling knowing I am cleaning out the house I've lived in for many years now. I guess being in the military before helped me not to get too attached to "things" (like my house). I never made it my main focus, and, for that, I am grateful. I did shed some tears as working in the closets caused me to see the marks on the walls from where my kids marked their height over the years. It reminded me of their spiritual growth and how the Lord has truly worked in their hearts."

Although I am grateful to God for the healthy, beautiful, caring children He's given us, I'm so much more grateful for who HE is in their lives. All of my children have given their hearts to the Lord and He's the one who created those beautiful hearts. God is very real to them. I've watched each one of them grow spiritually over the years, and that's the biggest blessing in all the world to me and my husband. HE is the one getting them through all the changes and putting the excitement there for new things to come. They, too, trust Him and know following Him is what's most important in life.

It's not this house that I will miss. It's the living together as a family. There's a lot going on in all of our lives right now. Each one of us is dealing with our own feelings, but the one thing we are all certain of is GOD IS IN CONTROL and He will continue to bless us in the different roads we take in this life. Our love for each other is VERY strong, and nothing will ever change that!