Homesick

I’ve been homesick lately.  For all of you who know where I’m from (Minnesota), know what the weather is like there right now (snowy and cold), know where I live now (northern Virginia) and know what a wonderful spring we’ve been having, you may find that odd.  But, yes, my frozen friends and family, I miss you enough that, if I could, I would be right there with you, sludging through the endless winter you’re having.

There’s just something about being close to the ones you love, isn’t there?  Knowing that they’re there for you, no matter what the weather, outside or in your life, makes you feel special, loved and important.

Today, I was homesick for my church family.  My husband and I took our three kids to the church where our eldest son attends preschool.  We are quite pleased with the school—he is in a Christian environment, learning about God every day.  We appreciate his teachers—they are dedicated to serving their Lord and his little lambs.  Today, we enjoyed listening to the preschoolers sing praises to Jesus in church.  And we were welcomed by very caring Christians into their church.

But, as much as we like all those things, it still wasn’t home.  I missed praising God with my brothers and sisters in Christ who I’ve shared my life with.  They have been my family away from Minnesota for almost six years now.  They have rejoiced with me over the births of my three blessings from God.  They have encouraged me when I’ve struggled as a mom or a wife or a Christian.  And they’ve shared their personal blessings and struggles with me.

As we drove home after church today, my husband and I discussed what a blessing our church family is.  Today we heard God’s word read from the Bible and we heard the Pastor’s message encouraging us to take comfort in our Good Shepherd.  And yet, we missed confessing our sins to God and being assured of his forgiveness.  We realized how truly blessed we are to be part of a church family that realizes the importance of all of God’s word—that the gospel is not powerful without the law.

I pray that you had a blessed Sunday in the Lord.  I pray that you may enjoy the blessings of your family and friends, wherever they may be.  And I pray that you have opportunity to appreciate the blessings of your church family.