Longing for Home

Sunday is the day I share a little of my soul. Enjoy. 

Marvin J. Ashton said,

" When we have a yearning and don’t know what it is for, perhaps it’s our soul longing for its heartland, longing to be no longer alienated from the Lord and the pursuit of something much higher, better, and more fulfilling than anything this earth has to offer."

I thought of this when I returned home last week to visit my parents. More particularly...the garden of my father. 

Some of you may remember last July when I shared pictures of my dad's garden and yard. He's a master gardener and I've gained much of life's lessons from his hand-work in the greens.  In case you missed how it looked a year ago...

I think the part that actually freaked me out most was seeing that he had completely removed the back yard lawn and put in a full garden. It was amazing! Grapes along the back fence, trees, and some amazing herb growth starting.  It was inspiring!

Now a year later I was able to walk through a wonderland of gorgeous plant growth...all if which was inviting to me and a testimony of his love for his family. There were herbs...planted long before his Chef Tess would arrive for a visit.  I think they were there for my mom...but I'm claiming them for me too!

 I cried a little at my favorite Black Eye'd Susan's...yes...they are Yellow. Yellow is my favorite color on earth. These flowers always remind me of my childhood and my grandmother's home that always had a hearty  growth of them. Awe. It was like stepping back in time.

 I start touching all the plants...especially the herbs. The fennel in full bloom made me want to sing with it's yellow blossoms. Yes. I know...again with the yellow.

 Swiss chard in all shades of the rainbow lined many of the beds.

 Corn taller than me  was in full glory against the azure sky.

 Butterflies joined me on every turn and I marveled at the many different varieties of oregano, basil and mint that grew in lush beds along the sides of the house.

 Luscious grapes now dangled from the vine...evidence that the plants had been well attended to over the last year.

 This is what the garden looks like now...

 However, the best part of all...This.

The most attractive home that we will ever share will be that abode with our families with appropriate relationship to our Heavenly Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Those will be the homes our children will want to return to year after year...even when they're old and grown. 
What will the garden be like when we return to our home in Heaven?
 I believe that we all lived in heaven before we came to earth as God's spirit children. It's part of my basic beliefs but something that has given me much direction in my choices on earth. I read this scripture and it made me think of that moment that I left my heavenly home for my earthly sojourn...
 “See that ye fall not out by the way.” (Gen. 45:24.)
I think that there are few motivations that could spur me on more to live a right life than the thought of returning to my heavenly home and living with God forever. I know he is a loving Father...and it's not ever going to be an easy journey here...but that he will always be waiting for me. Anxious to help. Anxious to love...and anxious most of all to have me home.  Like all of His children, I have to choose to return. I think we all have to choose that for ourselves.


There it is.