My Temporary Home

My husband and I have been married for three and a half years.  In that short time, we have lived in a very small one bedroom apartment way out in the middle of the country in Virginia, then for a short time we would have been homeless were it not for an incredibly gracious friend and her family who allowed us to live in their basement, then we made the move out to Texas (it took four days, two cars and a large U-Haul), and lived in a modest duplex in a nice neighborhood, and now we are very fortunate to live in our first home with plenty of space for our ever growing family.

But we won't be here forever.  And honestly, we may never be as fortunate to have this much space again, simply because houses here are much MUCH cheaper than most of the rest of the country.  So I try not to get too attached.

But as my husband and I pray and patiently wait on God's direction for our family, I sometimes get frustrated that we may have to move.  And believe me, I have plenty of good reasons:  we are finally settled, we bought a house, the cost of living is good, we finally have our bedroom painted the color that I want, the schools are good, and we are close to the big city and therefore, any shopping, attractions or amenities one could possibly want.  I mean, it doesn't make any sense to try and sell our house in a terrible market, pack up our family that now consists not only of my husband and I, but also three small children (almost),  and move somewhere new again.  Right?

But the thing is, no matter how nice this house is, or how small a different house might be, or whether we are in a big city, or a small town, near the beach or in the desert, it doesn't matter.  Because no matter where we are, how long we stay or what we are doing, it's just temporary.  This life on Earth is temporary.  And we are just passing through. 

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."  2 Corinthians 4:18

Even though I know this to be truth, does not always mean that I remember and am able to keep things in perspective.  Let's face it, change is hard!  And no one looks forward to moving, or the possibility of moving.  So one day when I was having a hard time with not wanting to move on, or leave the comfortable for the uncomfortable, and found myself suddenly afraid, unwilling (or both) to step out into the unknown, God spoke clearly and oddly enough, through a Carrie Underwood song.  You can watch the video below, but I just want to focus on the chorus:

"This is my temporary home
It's not where I belong.
Windows and rooms that I'm passin' through.
This is just a stop, on the way to where I'm going.
I'm not afraid because I know this is my
Temporary Home." 

It's ok if I do not always feel comfortable here, because this is not my final destination!  It's ok if I'm not living in my dream home, because it's just a stop on the way to heaven.  And it's ok if we have to pick up and move again, because we're just passing through.  All that matters is that wherever I am, and whatever I'm doing, I am living for God's glory and letting the light of Christ shine through me.  And if I can stay focused and be content no matter where God calls us, and no matter where we are living, God will be glorified.  

And so if I occasionally (or quite often) need a little reminder, I just belt at the top of my lungs to my poor, unsuspecting children, quietly sing this to myself, and suddenly everything is back in perspective.  :)