I don't know where home is, but I am homesick.

I have this little plaque that I got at Goodwill that says "home is where the heart is" except after I bought I realized that is kind of silly because I'm in such a transitionary stage of life that my heart is a little bit of everywhere and I have no idea where home really is.

I'm currently in Panera because I need coffee and the lively elevator music to stay awake. I'm reading C.S. Lewis for a paper I have to write by tomorrow.

"There is love of home, of the place we grew up in or the places, perhaps many, which have been our homes; and of all places fairly near these and fairly like them; love of old acquaintances, of familiar sights, sounds and smells."- C.S. Lewis The Four Loves

Here's to all the places that I've called "home":

Woodstock, VA

Dayton, TN

Apple Valley, CA

The Miller home in Memphis

Burnshire's dam

The Woodstock Cafe

Harmony House

The ever changing McConkey home

Bryan College

Ryan's house

The Byrd's house in Edinburg

The fire tower

The Blueridge Mountains

The Newlin's house in Burlington

Kim's apartment

Stephen's City Outlet

Hustin 3rd

Robinson 2nd

The Cooley's back porch swing

Farrah and Kirsten's room

Winchester, VA

...my little place here in Cleveland

As the holidays approach and I have yet to solidify plans as to where I will be spending them, I'm getting more and more homesick, for who knows where.

It's never easy to love God, but it's a lot easier when everyone around you does. I am really missing being surrounded by people who challenge me and encourage me to be more than mediocre.

A lady comes in to the outlet store I work in...short, nice enough, but you can tell she's a bit feisty. She kindly informs me that she is here to pick up her bunk bed, but that she noticed a few problems. The bunk bed was still being used as a display rack for our new pillows and the trundle bed was missing (or as I come to find out, in pieces in the back of the store.) A string of unsuccessful phone calls were made and she leaves, bedless. That was Monday. Thursday the woman returns infuriated. The bed was not boxed, her credit card was charged twice and she wanted to bring hellfire down upon my head. We chatted for a while as I tried to small-talk her into a better mood while I waited for my boss to get from his home to the store.

"You must be a Christian."
"hmm? uh, yeah. I mean I am. Why?"

"nobody else would put of with my bitching the way you have."

So cool! Long story to make a short point: God quieted my mouth when I wanted to tell her it's not my fault it's my dumb high manager and He placed His words in me to calm the angry woman.