There's No Place Like Home

They say, "There's no place like home," and ya know, I think they're right. Tonight I went to the house I grew up in for the very LAST time.  I've gotta say, it was surreal to know that I will never step foot in that house again. Even though I haven't actually lived in this house for a long time now, it is still "home" to me somehow. I guess it always will be in some ways. 

My mom and dad built this house 44 years ago! I can hardly believe another family will be living there in just a few days. It is exciting though because my kids will have 2 of their grandparents living just a few minutes away now!

I'm a sentimental person so I had to go tonight, just to walk through the house and take it in once more. I'm glad I did. I believe God gave us memories for a reason and they can be a really sweet gift at times. As I walked from room to room, I envisioned myself playing dolls as a little girl, riding my bicycle in the driveway, crimping my hair in the bathroom, arguing with my brother in den, using the dial-up internet for the first time, talking on my cordless phone in my room, making cheese toast in the kitchen, having sleepovers for my birthday, playing with neighbors in the yard, learning to drive in and out of the driveway, walking down the road to meet Bryan, and so much more.

 I also have a lot of not-so-good memories in this house. I allowed myself to actually remember those tonight. So many times I've pushed those memories away but not this time. One last time, I allowed those hard times to play through my mind. There is something amazing about the past, regardless of whether it was good or bad, God used it. He used the good times and the not-so-good times to mold me into the person I am today. There truly is no place like home because there will never be a building that contains the memories of so many events that God has woven together for good in my life. I wouldn't even change those hard times, for the most part, because I know how faithful God has been to redeem them.

Today I am thankful for the home I grew up in. I am grateful for the many wonderful memories and even the ones that I've pushed away so many times before. I am thankful that my parents are embarking on a new journey and will be living closer to us now. Mostly, though, I am so thankful that no matter where we call home, no matter where we've lived in the past, no matter what home looks like in the future, God is there and He's using each and every memory for good.