Home Is Where the Heart Is

So, I miss home. Don't get me wrong, I love being in South Africa and I love getting to experience all it has to offer me. It just isn't home. Yes, my title is cliche, but it is true. You can make anywhere your home, as long as your heart is there also. See, everything I love about my home has nothing to do with where it is or what it looks like or what I can do there, home is what makes me feel like me and makes me feel loved. My house is full of hugs. If you don't already know, I LOVE hugs. I love giving them and receiving them. They make me feel loved, safe, comforted. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't hug at least one person and if I only see one person, I probably hug them more then once.

I've only been gone for 6 days and I don't go home for another 39 days. I've received/given less hugs in the past 6 days then I have in probably one day back home and that is hard for me. Also, in the past 6 days, I've only heard "I love you" once, when I talked to my mom on the phone. These things are extremely important to me so the next time you give someone a hug or say I love you, remember that it is a gift given to us from the Lord and not to take it for granted. What an awesome way we get to share Jesus' love with one another.... Not only has it taught me how much of a gift those things are, but the Lord has also begun teaching me what it looks like to be satisfied and filled up, loved and comforted by Him alone! Talk about tough, yet in the end so rewarding.

Another big thing I miss about home is the people I do life with, my wonderful community. They know me, the real me, with all my struggles and heartaches and the joys and laughter. These people know when I am happy and when I am not as fine as I say I am. The past two days the Lord has shown me how I take them for granted. I get to be intentional with these people, tell them the good the bad and the ugly and most of the time I am scared to do that, so I keep my mouth shut or get all nervous when I do share or am called out because they know I need to talk. I have loved getting to know the people I am serving with here, but they don't know me. Everyone knows each other well minus me. There have been times recently that I wish they just knew me and my story, but there isn't a time for that and I am not sure there will be. It has really made me appreciate the community I have back home and how I really want to be more open and quick to share because I know those people really do want to know me and they care about me deeply.

There hasn't been too much going on around here. Today is our first official office day; working 8:30-5 all week and next. I have a few random stories to share from the past few days but I will save them for another time. For now though, I decided to share what was on my heart and some things the lord has been teaching me

Thank you for the continued prayers and for reading my blog! Please feel free to leave a comment, I've enjoyed the ones I've gotten previously.