I remember growing up and having my parents introduce "good music" to me. Carole King was big on the list. I remember learning lyrics that say,
"So far away. Doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore.
It would be so fine to see your face at my door.
Doesn't help to know, you're just time away.
Long ago I reached for you and there you stood.
Holding you again could only do me good.
How I wish I could, but you're so far away."
Some of you are reading this and thinking, "Oh geez, Heidi's cracked. She's homesick." I wouldn't say that I'm homesick, it's just different to have had Thanksgiving pass and to have a different family around me (one that I am extremely grateful for) and to head into Christmas. I'm going to be honest...it does not feel like Christmas. There's no snow, there are barely Christmas lights, I don't have a tree, I don't have a radio to hear Christmas music, and people here just celebrate completely different. So, I miss coming home from uni and having the house all decked out and digging through ornaments that I've made since I was about four years old.
However, I realize that I can either look at this negatively or be encouraged and challenged by it and look at it with a positive attitude. Which do you think I'm doing? I mean, honestly...I'm on the opposite side of the world learning how to celebrate in a different way. Jesus is still the same no matter which side of the equator I'm on. And when I go through those "I miss familiarity. I miss friends. I miss family." moments, I turn to the verse that I just found the other day. Acts 17:27 "He is not far from any of us." That's so true. No matter where you end up in your lifetime or who you're with...He isn't far from any of us. Any.That's amazing to me. What a promise.Thank You, Lord.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
thanks for that. i think we all need to remember each other and how we might be feeling these holidays. there are lots of us who are away for the first time or farther away than usual!! hope we can all hang in there together. love carol king by the way. my mom singing at the top of her lungs music blaring-thats the picture i got from your lyrics there. thanks again!!!! have a great day. tell rachel hi as well!!!
I hope you know that it's strange for us to not have you here for these holidays...but, we know God directs the path you're on and that makes us very grateful! Maybe we'll put our tree up for when you come home...and freeze a bit of snow...and keep the Christmas CD's on hand...
Love ya!
Mom
Post a Comment