Home...

"Then a scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go."  Jesus said to him, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head."  Matthew 8:19-20

I have been thinking a lot about" home" lately.  Partially because I love architecture, but mainly because of transitions currently in life.  It's amazing how the places of memories of childhood, of my established foundation for beliefs, values and worldviews that I hold, have a fixed attachment to my identity. Some call it being sentimental. 

A few years ago, my grandparents sold their home.  It was a place of great comfort, joy and many family gatherings, along with the pleasure of enjoying my grandparents beautiful gardens where I ate many a strawberry, blueberry, blackberries and so much more.  It was a second home really. 

Also last week, my parents sold their  home.  It was my childhood home and the home of my great-grand parents.  Again, I have so many memories of growing up, building forts, riding bikes, being disciplined, joys, sorrows and the establishment of who I am. But now my parents are establishing a new home.  It's quite cute too.

I've had many other transitions in life, like college.  Moving to Detroit from Niles was a big change!  I moved into faster moving traffic, bigger buildings, more people, diverse people and the opportunity to continue to grow into the identity that God desired for me.  There were many challenges during that time with room mates, classes and finding the right church.  That decision came down to what felt most like home.  You'll think this is weird, but I even took walks in K-mart when I moved to Detroit, because it had the same layout as the one in Niles, it felt like home when I was homesick; it was familiar.

I've moved to many different apartments throughout Detroit Metro area.  Each time facing challenges, enjoying the suburban towns and the parks, and still growing in the identity God intended for me.  God taught me patience, love, endurance, facing conflict, facing disappointment, facing failure and learning to serve in each situation and bring  the Good News of Jesus and His Kingdom.  

After we were married, Laina and I faced transitions in our home too.  We rented a wonderful apartment in Northville at first.  Then we bought a home in Belleville.  All of this we felt was the leading of God.  We labored  hard to remodel our home.  Many friends and family also helped us make this house a home.  Which brings us to our current transition as we move to Wisconsin at the end of May 2015. And we will leave our house in the care of another family.  It brings feelings of sorrow but also of an excitement, as we do not know what God has in store next.

In my heart and mind I've been contemplating, home.  Is it just a place to hang your hat? Or is there something more? If Jesus says he does not have a place to lay his head, and we are his followers isn't it possible that we should/could have a similar experience?  It seems more of a reality as I detach myself from these material items and places.  They are items of significance for sure, yet they should not demand such affections as to become idols that keep us from keeping Christ as our primary affection.  Detachment is a spiritual discipline; one that is difficult for us American's who get caught up in keeping up with the Jones', and coveting every new technology toy, longing for bigger, faster, more personalized...  but these things do not make a home, so why strive after them?

What is central to home - a place which is a refuge where a person can find peace, safety and get re-centered  in their identity in Christ, but it's not just an individual thing, it's a communal one because we were made for community; we need family.  There will be changes, transitions, coming, goings, wins, losses in life.  If we attach ourselves to temporal things, we will be disappointed, we will lose center on what really matters - Jesus and then people.  In all of our searching for home, we need to remember:
Jesus is building us a dwelling place that is eternal.  
I'll hang my hat on that.

 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:1-6