Home and Family

Yesterday I was in bed sick. I had time all day, between coughing, sleeping, and blowing my nose, to think about anything and everything. It was a change from the go-go-go of my regular schedule. As the minutes and hours ticked past, I found a theme in my thoughts: home.

My home in Virginia

Normally while doing missionary work here in California, I try to avoid thoughts of home. Virginia is a long ways from California. Thinking about it takes my attention off of my work and sometimes makes me homesick. But that is not what happened yesterday.

No matter where I am, home is with me. I am on the other side of the country, but I still remember what it looks like, what it sounds like, and what it feels like to be at home with my family. It's my favorite! The cozy, familiar, whirl of home life feels safe and happy. I want to feel like that all the time everywhere! The cool thing is that I can.

God is part of my  family. He is my Heavenly Father. The familiar, safe, and happy feelings I associate with home on earth is exactly how I am starting to feel around God. That is totally awesome. That is the way it is supposed to work. The closer we come to God, the more at home we feel. We can have the happy, cozy, whirl of home everywhere we go. We can feel happy and safe.

"Heaven is a continuation of the ideal home" (Preach My Gospel, p. 85).

Champion good! Make home heaven; and make heaven your home!