Not Just a Place

I called school home today. I think I've done that before but I never really noticed it as much as I did today. I think that might be because I am at my real home. It's fine to call TFC home when I'm in Georgia because that is my temporary home, but here, it seems out of place. I have a home. Why do I need a second one? Which one really is home? I guess home is where the heart is, but my heart is in so many different places right now. It is both here and in Georgia. And then there is the part of my heart that will always reside in my heavenly home. But my heart isn't just in locations. Pieces of my heart travel with the people I love, people who are in more places than just California and Georgia. Little bits of my heart are dotted across the country - outside the country even. I guess home isn't just one place. It is wherever I find my heart. More than a location, home is a state of being. It means comfort and security even if everything seems to be falling apart. I guess I have many homes.

When I Look at the Clouds

It is cloudy again today. Most people think this is unfortunate, but I actually like the clouds because the stormy weather gives me an excuse to wrap myself up in a blanket and sit on the couch while sipping coffee and reading a good book. But today I was thinking about another reason I like the clouds. The clouds cover the sky. While the sun, moon, and stars still shine, we cannot see them because they are behind the clouds. We just assume they are there, shining as usual, which is probably true. But I started thinking about what I would do if I were a star and the clouds were covering me.
If I were covered by clouds and no one could see me, I would be free to be my true self. I would shine even brighter than usual, sparkle even more. I would not have to worry about what anyone thinks of me because there would be no one to watch me and judge my actions. I like to imagine stars are their most beautiful on cloudy nights and the sun's light still reaches us on cloudy days because it is shining even brighter than usual. But just as clouds cannot always cover the stars (something I am extremely thankful for), I also cannot always hide from the world.
I do not know why I am always so concerned with what others think of me but I know it is always much more rewarding to let that go and be who I really am. I need to remember to shine like the stars on a cloudy night whether or not the clouds are there. The stars do not know how I love watching them sparkle in the sky and likewise I may not always know who is enjoying watching me shine. Just as God created the stars to give light in all weather, so I am designed to be completely me in all circumstances.

Beneath the Ice

So This is old and you may have already read/heard it but I really like it and realized I hadn't posted it yet, so here it is:
The coolness of the mountain air surrounded her. She breathed in its freshness. Its promise. The essence of new life. Tall peaks stood all around her and the bright sun reflected off the crystal snow. The perfect place to escape. To refresh. To renew. Warmth flooded her veins as she felt the sweet embrace of her Savior. Place your problems and cares upon me. Let me solve them. So she let go of her most pressing concerns, but a layer of ice still remained. Let me go deeper into your past. I want to heal your wounds. But she didn’t want to revisit those places. Too much pain and hurt. I can help you. She wished she could help herself. She didn’t want to trust anyone with her heart. Would it really improve anything? What if she ended up more broken than she was now? The ice around her heart protected her from the world. She didn’t want to break it. When you are ready, come to me. She stood on the mountaintop and gazed around her. Maybe she could try. So she poured out all her past wounds. She placed her burdens on His shoulders. But the past wasn’t so painful with Jesus by her side. As she relived her parents’ abuse and her friends’ cutting words, she heard His gentle whisper. You are precious and valued and you are beautiful. She felt the ice inside of her begin to melt. She ventured further and it cracked and splintered into thousands of pieces. Finally, her heart was free. As she drove away from the snow-covered peaks, she heard one more whisper: I love you, my darling.

Time Away

It's been awhile. I've been spending too much time just enjoying life and not enough time thinking about it. But I don't really think that's a bad thing. So be patient while I cherish life's blessings and miracles. If I'm not writing, it is probably a good thing, really. So I'm going to take some more time just "carpe diem-ing" and let y'all wait a little longer.