Home again, Finnegan

Enjoying the porch at home.  Pure bliss.

We’re home.  We’re back in our own place, with so many memories to tuck away.  We’ve been protected on the road.  Our home has been protected while we’ve been away.  Thank you, Almighty Father.

It’s so good.  When we arrived home, it smelled and felt like home.  The house and out buildings were in excellent condition, not a single unexpected issue.  The grass was so high it looked like we’d abandoned the place.  Weeds think they’re tenant farmers.  We’re reclaiming the yard and gardens.  The deck and porches are planted and decorated for summer.  The veg garden is in and little seedlings are popping up.  All the laundry is done, folded, and where it belongs.  The pool is cleaned, filled and ready.  It’s such a delight to play in the water in the sunshine.  Frodo is rediscovering his kingdom.  The hummingbirds are being fed.  We’ve been working hard.  And it’s good.

I’ve never been away from this house for so long.  Do you know that feeling you get when you walk into your house and you just have to take a deep breath in - and a deep breath out - because you’re home?  When you’re just so profoundly grateful that you’ve been given the absolute privilege of being the steward of these two acres?  When your whole self, inside and out, relaxes because you’re standing in your best place?  When you remember that it’s your safe port, your nest, your place of peace and light?  I hope you know that feeling, too.

Honest?  It was worth being away if only to be reminded that having a home is such an enormous gift.  So, in this place and time, we don’t mind mowing and cleaning and weeding and planting.
Wouldn’t it be good if we could stay this grateful for a long, long time?  I’ll try.  I really will.

Essi is looking forward to a rest, and some time out of her travel bag!  Jerry the Wheel is looking forward to attacking some of the nagging list items that wouldn’t leave his head while we were on the road, and some blissfully lazy mornings.  And I’m looking forward to emptying some closets and shelves, and to spending days in the studio.

If anything exciting happens, I’ll let you know.  Meanwhile, we’ll be doing home things, living in gratitude, and worshiping God in our work here.

... whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  1 Corinthians 10.31