Where is Home Little Pip? This is a story about a penguin chick who needed to find her way back home, back to her parents. It is a story I have read to my children many times. The penguin asks various other animals, “ Where is home?” But the home they describe is not the home that she knows. Oh how we can relate!
Home is a complicated and tricky topic for many like us who have lived outside their passport country for extended lengths. This is always amplified during the days surrounding our international travels.
Is my passport country my home? My children know we are Americans, but if you asked them where their home is, they would say that Thailand is home because that is where all of their things are, including their close friends.
Is home the place of your birth? In the case of my two youngest, that would make Thailand their home, but they have no privileges to stay when we no longer have permission (visa) to do so.
Is where I lay my head my home? Well, considering we slept in 4 different places in the matter of 9 days during our transition back to Thailand that would complicate things.
Some like the phrase, “Home is where I am with you”. While it is a sweet sentiment, as we do love to be together as it provides safety and settling, I pray my children eventually find “home” outside of their relationship with Chris and I.
On December 30th, our family returned home? to our dog Snoopy, home? to the familiar noises of the birds (and traffic), home? to our beds, home? to the ants, home? to the space we have worked to create over 13 years, home? to hugs and hellos from close friends, home? to both the teams and work that we enjoy, home? to our favorite Thai foods, home? to our normals.
I also returned home? to all the memories from the last few weeks here: days of chaos, concern, and God’s provisions in the first weeks of Chris’s cancer diagnosis.
The song, Christ the Lord is with Me by Steffany Gretzinge shares the truth
“I have lived enough to know, anywhere with you is home”
In this time of transition this is the truth we continue to remind ourselves of- both in our joy, and times that are palpably surreal that we are in fact back in Thailand: anywhere with you, Lord, is home.
It has been well over a month since we last wrote. Thank you for your prayers as this was another significant transition for our kids; to leave family, school and new special friends in the US. Our time of returning included our organization’s annual conference 2 days after our arrival, a rich time for all of us. All of this mixed with unpacking, Emalene’s birthday, jumping into the middle of the cross country season for all the kids, meetings for Chris, and starting a new semester of school (with no snow days, boohoo).
This blog will continue but less often than the fall of 2023, it will continue to update on Chris’s cancer checks and our family’s ministry journey as there is both inspiration and opportunity to share.
Years ago a friend quipped, “Home is where your wet toothbrush is.” 😉
Welcome home Chris and family!!! Praise God. May he strengthen all of you as you transition yet again.
So glad you are back to your Thailand home and your family routine. I can imagine Snoopys reaction to see you!
Keep the Faith
Miss you guys, but know your HOME.
Love you all so very much.
Love, Aunt Dawn
Thank you for the update and best wishes on your life upon returning home.
Glad to have you back in the “home” we share, at least for now!
So glad you all made it back to Thailand! May God continue to use you all to bring His good news through you.
Your reflections and questions about “Home” in the midst of the unexpected Journey you have been on are comforting, thought-provoking, and inspiring. Praise God for His continued faithfulness to help us find a home and build home with Him and others. Praise God for healing and health. Thanks for your writing.
What a journey! May your lives return to a predictable normal and may your ministries continue to bring fruit and honor to God.
What a beautiful culmination to your story! I love your ruminating on the word “home”. I recently read that another definition for the word “abide” in John 15 is “being deeply at home with Jesus”. May that be each of our desires. God’s best to each of you as you enter this next chapter in your lives.
Cynthia Brown
Like you, my last year was one of constant change and relocation. It’s helped me understand the Lord’s constant care for me and that my home is only temporary. Thank you for all your blog posts. They’ve been a source of inspiration for me.
Such a thought-full-y written pondering and update. Thank you for the words and pictures.
The visuals help settle you in Thailand in my mind after having seen you last in Ada!
And when we first met almost a year ago we were all in a different country!!!
Seems like you lived last year on warp speed once Chris’s cancer came to light.
I gather that he continues to do well. Warm regards to you and your beautiful family.
Welcome home! Thanks for the good update–amid all the emotional identity issues notwithstanding!
Thank you for sharing and reflecting on your return journey. God does use your experience to bless and encourage others, me included!
So thankful to hear that you are safely back where God’s planted you for this season and know that prayers and love follow you.
Deeply thankful for your return to your home and routine!
Looking forward to many more happy posts!🤗
As always, Becca, it’s always a joy to read your messages as you reflect on the topic the Lord has given you in the particular step of the journey with your family these past months. I’m so thankful with the many for answered prayers for Chris’s health and God’s provision for you and the children. You all provide inspiration, hope, & love in and because of Jesus! Your pictures are extra special! How wonderful you are all back to what has been your family home so many years. No matter where God leads we are united now at home in the heart of God. The Lord Bless You!
Sending my love,
Lorraine Everett
Glad to hear you have settled in and are getting back into the swing of your life there in Thailand. Continued prayers for you all!
God is bigger than we usually imagine and closer than we usually realize. He certainly is always “at home” with us, wherever that is! Lovely thoughts, Becca, on being back where you all feel loved and purposeful. God Bless your ministries and daily lives.
Thank you for this thoughtfully written update. I am grateful with you for all that God has done for your family during your time home in Grand Rapids and your transition back home to Thailand. Listening to the birds – such beautiful(!) birds of Thailand and the words of the song, especially the child singing at the end – so rich and the pictures of family, Snoopy, Thailand flowers and yummy food is a sweet glimpse into your return home to Thailand. I look forward to the next update.