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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

a roof over our heads.

Many consider it important to have a roof over their heads.  I agree.  I prefer to sleep inside while the mosquitos sleep outside. It makes me sad that many people don't have the option of staying away from mosquitos. Mosquitos are mean.
That being said, I'm beginning to quickly come to the realization that having a specific roof over my head might not be as important as deemed by the society I live in.  
Our way of living is currently not listed in the normal category.  We live back and forth between 2 cities, 5 hours apart.  I travel about 90% of the time for work and when I am not traveling, my office is located at least 2 hours from one of the places where we sleep.
Many people don't understand.  They think something must be wrong. 
They wonder how we do it.
Well, if I thought about it for very long, I might wonder how we do it as well.  But, I try not to focus on things I don't understand. 
(As I've grown up, I've come to recognize this ability to not focus on the bad (or unknown) as a gift - a gift I'm continuing to hone on a daily basis)
There is a season for everything. Right now, we are in a season of my husband finishing school and God has blessed me with a job that can provide for us while he finishes his studies. It won't always be like this, but it is how things are for now.  I know- it's not normal.  But, then again, what is normal? 
My mom always said that normal was just a setting on a dryer.
Many times people ask how I cope with being away from home for so long.  I'm always frustrated by this question because I know that my answer won't sound right.  I want to say that although I miss my husband, kiddo and family, I don't really feel away from home. I enjoy the travels.  I enjoy seeing God's creation.  I enjoy imagining what it will be like to bring my family back to the places that I find and love.  I enjoy knowing that I am being used as a light in a pretty dark world. But, I know that to many people, who spend most nights in the same place, this answer will sound weird. 
Today, I was reading one of my favorite blogs and I came across a post that made me smile.  One of the sentences read "Communion with Christ, the continual conversation of the heart, wherever you are, this is what makes the heart love....love is the only real dwelling place"
I stopped and re-read it.  "wherever you are...love is the only real dwelling place" 
My heart smiled.
How do I do it?  How am I okay being away from home?
I'm not away from home...My Heavenly Father is with me - loving me, encouraging me, sharpening me...my only true home is with Him.
Is it difficult to not be with my husband and little one every week?  Yes. 
Do I miss my family, my siblings, my dogs? Of course!
But, the time away is giving me time to grow closer to my Heavenly Father.  This growing closer...this sharpening of my soul...it is refining me to be a better wife and mum.  It is preparing me for the day when our seasons change and I no longer travel like a gypsy. 
Tonight, I'm thankful for Ann and her blog post today. A post full of words that comfort and encourage me. A post that helps me remember that my feelings are okay, even if they don't fit with what society deems normal.  A post that reminds me that I'm not here to always be comfortable and normal, but I am here on this earth to be a light, to share His love with others...so that others will want to find Him.
And while I do that, He is always there, giving me grace.
Even though I don't sleep under the same physical roof each night, I do sleep under the best roof each night. 
Him.