Homesick

As any of you out there who has a lost a loved one knows all too well ~ honestly, the whole holiday season is just plain difficult. It just is. Everything else might be absolutely wonderful but part of your heart hurts. You miss that person all the time, of course ~ not just on the holidays ~ but I think the loss is more evident this time of year as so many people gather together for holiday celebrations.

I've been having a whole lot of "missin' my mom" days lately. There are so many times I wish I could just pick up the phone and call her. Just about trivial stuff, you know. Like parenting advice, how do you make that one recipe of yours, what do you think about this ~ that kind of stuff...

I think there are a lot of times we take all of that for granted ~ just being able to pick up the phone and call the people who are near & dear to us...Family members...Good friends...We sometimes mistakenly think that there's always gonna be "later" or "tomorrow". Sadly, that is just not the case.

You may remember a song by MercyMe from a few years ago called "Homesick". I loved it from the first time I heard it. I have to say, it really reminded me of my mom and how much I miss her. (There's a neat story behind MercyMe's frontman Bart Millard writing the song. Google it and read it ~ good stuff.) I am comforted to know that there are no goodbyes in Christ.

"Homesick"

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And a least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me, Lord, 'cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
'Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbyes
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now...

I'm always touched to the very core when I hear that song! For those of you out there who have lost loved ones and are struggling with the loss right now, I want to say I understand what you're going through ~ I'm right there with you. Doesn't matter if the loss happened years ago or recently; it still hurts. I pray that you would look to God for comfort ~ He'll take care of your heart and meet you right where you're at.