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I was exhausted! The ceiling fan whirred and clattered above me and the bed creaked loudly as I slid in between the cold sheets. I slept the sleep of a 2 year old—that limp unflinching sleep that leaves the imprint of your pillow on your face and drool on your cheek. It was good sleep!

    For the next 18 hours, I was a child again. I was in my mom’s house, protected by parental love, and free from any responsibilities. After an exhausting month, followed by several ridiculously long and busy days, I had made it back home. I didn’t grow up on the “farm” in Abilene, but it has become my home because that is where mom is. It’s Grady’s place. Grady is my step dad, but I never think of him that way. My father has been dead for nearly 18 years now. Grady is my friend. I admire him and love him. He is my children’s grandfather. He is the take charge kind. I could relax and be a child again.

    As I slept, I dreamed. They were the kind of dreams you can’t quite remember, but they leave a gentle residue of joy, sweetness and peace in your heart. All I could really recall dreaming was eating a big bowl of okra gumbo. I slept late and stayed in bed longer. I read from a book, and came down the stairs at lunch time. Simmering on the stove were pots of fresh vegetables from the garden. I sat down, blessed the food, and ate cornbread, black-eyed peas, salad, squash, and 3 huge bowls of okra gumbo!

I was reminded how good it will be to really be Home.

    That afternoon I read the paper, napped, played softball with my daughter, knocked around golf balls in the pasture, and sweated. It was sweet sweat. It didn’t smell good, but it was cleansing. No phone calls. Rest. High touch time with family. Time to quell the longing and rediscover joy. I was touching home!

    By the time we left I was ready to get back to my real home. I missed Donna even though I had only been gone less than 2 days. I came home refreshed. I had recovered my soul and found my smile. Most of all, I was reminded how good it will be to really be Home—home where someone else is in charge, where there are no phone calls, where you don’t have to worry about what to wear, and where all the family we love in Jesus is there. We’ll be refreshed, won’t ever get tired, and there will be no more stress and no more tears and no more partings. We’ll be Home! I don’t know about you, but some days I can hardly wait. But then the waiting and the journey only makes arriving at Home a little sweeter!

    So many of you in our HEARTLIGHT family I don’t know personally, but I look forward to seeing you the day we all get Home. Until that day, my prayer is that church and family give you an occasional glimpse of Home.

    P.S. I’ll be the one with the big bowl of okra gumbo!