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A few weeks ago, my husband and I attended a "wetting down" party.  For those of you who are not in the Navy, this is a party that is thrown when an officer promotes to the next rank.  According to tradition, the person getting promoted sets aside one month's pay raise and throws a large party for their friends and family.

At this party I found myself getting the question, "Where's home for you?" or "From what state do you hail from?" a bit too often through the course of the evening.  Finally, after I was asked by some party late-comers, I looked this particular Commander straight in the eye and said, "Heaven.  Heaven is my home.  My mama is there, and my God is there.  So that's home for me."

And then I waited.

(And those split seconds felt like an eternity...)

And his wife by his side suddenly laughed and blurted out, "That's the BEST answer I've heard to that question!" (I have a new-found love for women who hail from Oklahoma.  Her husband, who hails from Montana, was not quite so comfortable with the direction of the conversation).

So, in the car, I confessed the entire conversation to my husband.

"You said WHAT...to WHO?" he asked me in disbelief.

To his relief, we figured out this couple was an out-of-town military couple--no one he would work with or see again.

But we had a good conversation that night on the car ride home.

And he and I realized that we must be getting old and nearing military retirement, when I come up with answers like these in a military party setting!

A week or two later, I wasn't surprised when I sat in church and listened to my pastor preach on this single point--our true home--because God is just like that, isn't He?  He weaves His truth through all of life, allowing us to hear and meditate upon a particular truth through myriad ways.

Through his sermon (based upon John 14:1-14), Pastor Walt introduced the concept that only the  Germans seem to have a word for: "fernweh," the state of being homesick for a place you've never been.

Yep.

Jesus tells His disciples, as recorded in the gospel according to John:

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." --John 14:1-3 

This concept of home and inheritance is giving me such encouragement lately.  I've come upon it in my study of 1st Peter, as well, as I meditate upon the truth that my heavenly inheritance is imperishable and unfading, kept in heaven for me, and for you, dear friend:

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." --1 Peter 1:3-5

This is good news.

I hope it makes you squeal (if only on the inside!).

I hope it puts a smile on your tired and exhausted face.

And I hope it makes you gush inappropriately at parties, too.