Home.

 

“For by His incarnation, the Son of God united himself in a certain way with every man. He laboured with human hand. And loved with a human heart.”

With the morning commuters back on the road after their quick winter hibernation- my pleasant 25 minute commute has reassumed its 1hr15min norm. Having commuted across the vast TX highways, such a commute has had its place in the majority of my driving life. The extra time on the road has, however, become a time of reflection, pray, and of course an opportunity to sing with all my tone-deaf glory! This week, I made it a point to devote part of this meditation period to define my new year’s resolution. While learning the cello, getting healthier and learning to surf are still on the list- I finally decided that the main pillar of the year will be an attempt to“make everyone feel at home." In this very simple phrase I believe lies a great opportunity to deepen the many relationships I have been blessed with and also to live the present moment better. Regarding this phrase, two specific areas of my life this past year come especially to mind. 

The first are all of my experiences with the homeless community in Dallas. My moments with the women and children at the missionary home and on the streets, will forever remain at the forefront of my richest memories. Reflecting on all of the beautiful moments of laughter, tears, worship, and peace brought that feeling of 'home' into my heart. This is the marker by which I hope to live by. They each taught me so much! Often it was they who were revealing the longings of my heart, comforting me after a long day, and making me feel like I was part of a family. Sharing in this unity, helped consecrate whatever space we were in. What we were each left with was a feeling of belonging, familiarity, and ‘home’. Through the inward act of loving, even the most appalling of places became a sanctuary. In this light-the idea of the homeless making you feel at home loses all its irony.

The other important area of my life which helped define my resolution this year was the tremendous blessing of the family which opened their home during my move to California. They have, and continue, to reveal the beauty of that inward expression of ‘home’. There was so much excitement and joy surrounding my recent transition to California. As the holidays began to near, however, I started having a longing for Texas. This was the first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s that I had ever spent away from home. Each time I’d be asked if I was going home for the holidays, that longing to see my family and friends would deepen. This longing even moved me to tears in many moments of prayer. God must have heard my prayers though because he sent me the most incredible family to share the holidays with! The experience was something much more than good hospitality. Sharing in their daily life, I was able to reencounter that feeling of ‘home’ again: a sense of belonging, a sense of familiarity, an experience of love.  Through their example I was reminded of the importance in cherishing the simple, ordinary conducts which compose our daily lives. It is these humble, repeated, monotonous qualities of our lives, which hold miraculous virtue. Something as simple as sharing a joke, cooking, reading together, or helping in a chore  allows for even the most different members to come together and share in a sincere expression of the heart. What a gift! It is in these simple consolations of our lives, where we increase and perfect our ability to love. This is the presence of Jesus in our lives, who came into the world: simple and humble. And this is what I hope to share with others this year! :) 

So I pray that each of you begins this New Year with the feeling of home in your heart. My love to each of you!! 


May peace always be with you, 
Teresa :)