Home Again

Hebrews 3:4, "For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." Yesterday, the kids and I went to our old house to do some cleaning. We have had it up for sale, for a little over a year now, and have a potential buyer. It has been sitting closed up, so it was a good time to freshen up the place a bit. I must say, that it was quite strange walking into it, after all this time. My heart felt a little torn being there. It was a bitter sweet moment for me. That house holds many memories for us. It was the house that we brought two babies home from the hospital to. It was the house that they learned to walk in. The house that my oldest learned to play guitar in, and began to write songs. It was the house that we spent many holidays in. It was the house that the "tooth fairy" visited on many occassions. It was the house where my youngest daughter learned to ride her bike. It was the house where we had countless birthday parties and slumber parties. I could almost hear the giggles of little girls bouncing off the walls. It was the house where my son learned to shoot his first pellet gun. It was the house where our oldest accepted Jesus, as her Lord and Savior. It was the house that a hurricane destroyed. It was the house that my husband rebuilt. It was the house where my marrige fell apart. It was the house where God rebuilt my marriage. It was the house where I laughed. It was the house where I cried. It was the house where I prayed. It was the house that we lived and loved in. It was our house, our home. And now, it will soon be someone else's. It's amazing, how I thought, that house would always be our home. And now, although the memories are still fresh in my mind, that "home" feeling is gone. It is empty, bare, lifeless. It is nothing, but a shell of where we once lived. But, God gave us a new home, a new place to live and dwell. I remember worrying when we left the old house, about how we would start over in a new one. How would it feel sleeping in a house with unfamiliar walls and surroundings? It had a new smell, unlike the smell of our other house. It didn't feel like our house. And to my surprise, it immediately felt like home. It was where we were meant to be. Our new house is now our home. It's the house where our family is now thriving. It is the house where God is growing in our hearts each day. It is the house that our oldest will decide what to do with her future. It is where she got dressed for her first prom. It is the house that our youngest daughter took pictures, before going to her first dance. It is the house where my girls will go on their first date. It is the house where our son started playing baseball. It is the house where he learned to ride his bike. It is the house where my husband and I, are continuing to fall in love with eachother, with each passing day. It is the house I came home to after getting a new chance at life. (literally) It is the house where we serve God as a family. It is the house where we laugh. The house where we cry. The house where we pray. The house where we praise. It is the house, where I am learning each day how much God loves me. It is the house where I, whole heartedly surrendered my own will, in exchange for God's will in my life. It is the house where I learned, that no matter where I live, as long as God is first and my family is beside me...it is home. It is the house where I am learning who I am in Him. It is the house where we will live, grow, and love. This is the house that God built. It is our house...our home. I am home again!