Rice and Beans of Life: January 2023

"Home is not a place, it's a feeling." I've had this quote from A. Smoker on our bedroom wall since we settled into life in our Costa Rica home, June of 2017. Recently, my heart has felt muddled with longing for 'home'. Where or what that longing is, is exactly the muddledness of my thoughts. Is my longing something that reminds me of home? A place that feels like home? A simplicity of life at home with 4 little boys under one roof? A particular person from home? The Diener T'giving meal or some other random food that brings the comfort of home? As we sent our teams to their 'new home on outreach', I've been meditating on Psalm 84 and binge watching The Flash with my 15 year old! Ahem ... (throat clearing) ... let me redeem myself by focusing on the spiritual part of this blog ... "My soul longs, even faints for the courts of the Lord" ... the most beautiful home ever, the Courts of our Lord! It goes on to mention , blessed are those who dwell in Your house, those who have found their home near Your alter. I realized I was starting to feel "stuck here on Earth One". Enter The Flash connection ... He gets to time travel to any of the 52 Earths he wants, and meet people from his past and future. If one home doesn't make him happy, he can choose another! It's really quite absurd and almost confusing at times when two of the same person end up on the same earth. (forehead slap!) Anyway, as with any 'good missionary' aspiration, getting back to the Bible basics ... Longing for the peace of a Psalm 84 home, I continued reading ...

Paraphrased: Content are those who have their hearts set on pilgrimage (a trip, often a long one, made to a holy place for religious reasons), as they pass through the valley (wherever they walk really), they make it a place of springs. And, I began to see the bigger picture of my opening quote. No amount of longing for, time travel to another Earth, or dreaming about said earthly home (place) will ever satisfy.

Logically, the muddledness of my thoughts on home are because I will never be satisfied here, on Earth One. : ) Home is not about where I'm called to be (place), Home is a mindset, an established set of attitudes held in my heart that create the peaceful feeling of home ... even as/especially as I'm on a pilgrimage. It's really about an eternal perspective. Whether I'm living in CR or PA or some other God ordained place, if my heart is set on the eternal perspective of pilgrimage, my home is under the roof of His peace - anywhere.

In life on any earth, there are decisions that loom, souls to be saved, sons that need shepherding, daughters in need of God's direction, plans to be planned, meals to be measured, base rentals and work teams to be hosted, rooms to be redone, teams that need prayed for, funds to be figured, walls to be painted, plants to be watered, and roofs that needs raftered. While looking for the moment by moment miracles we fix our gaze eternally. In life on my Earth One home, I will always long for greener pastures, question the difficult journey, and be left pining for peace. Life with an eternal perspective (on a pilgrimage) ... wherever we go He will make it a place of springs!

Pilgrimage ... Earth One is not my home ... Making it a place of springs!

Life on the Mountain

The packed full pace of December turned into the breath deep and rest for 2 weeks in January. Six Hoovers together, our house and my Mama's heart was full of life! We basked in heavenly beach sunsets, stayed up late sharing life, puzzled, made cookies, played Minecraft and a multitude of games, and shopped on Christmas eve. Three teams are settled in their outreach locations, Micah crossed borders on a 25+ hour journey to Honduras with his team, Joseph crossed borders and returned on a shorter journey back to PA, Jedidiah has been woodworking and Adam has read his 3rd book solo in his book nook! We mourned the loss of a Father, hosted a school team, fellowshipped with friends around our table, retreated to a cabin for 48 hours processing last year and discussing what the future might look like and ... we look to Jesus for the peace of feeling at home.

Praises

Save travel for teams and Joseph

Time to rest and regroup

Life at Christmas with family and friends

Amazon return outlets and bargain treasures for $1.50

Father's peace as we trust and obey

Depth of friendships with sisters

Prayers

Safe travel for my parents to CR

February is full of visitors

Wisdom figuring out taxes

Healing from headaches (Jen)