Where's Home?

Where’s home? Where is home? Home is where your heart is. Home is where your spouse is. Home is where your family is. Home is where your motorhome is parked. That’s what I was feeling as we drove up Interstate 41 after crossing into Wisconsin on Thursday (4/21) afternoon. I left my home in Indiana. My heart, now that’s another matter all together.  It was strange driving from Richmond IN back to Oshkosh. For one thing, I couldn’t stretch my legs, make Bill a sandwich, or take a bathroom break as we traveled. We actually had to stop and get out of our vehicle. I told Bill that it didn’t take long for me to be spoiled by the freedom of traveling in a motorhome.  As we got closer to Oshkosh, I had conflicting emotions. Excited to see friends and family including precious time with grandchildren, overjoyed to be able to worship and hear some great preachin’ at New City and see our church family, and glad to be able to pick up a few more things to continue in making our motorhome, home. And therein lies the conflict. I am amazed (and truly grateful) that I am full on engaged in the motorhome lifestyle. It’s my home and I love.  It felt very odd, leaving my home parked in Indiana when I’m so used to it coming with us wherever we go.  The most conflicting emotion upon our re-entry into Oshkosh is difficult to put into words. Not because it was such a strong emotion, but a very subtle one. I was born in Oshkosh and returned when I was six years old. Oshkosh has always been my home. But that’s not what I was feeling as we crossed the Winnebago County line.  Don’t get me wrong, I was thrilled to be back, but as a visitor, not a resident. So unexpected.  But, again, so very grateful knowing we are exactly where God wants us.

I must admit though that the reception we got everywhere we went made me feel very much like home. First thing we did was stop at the Post Office to pick up mail. That’s one thing I do miss…reading my own mail. Very very grateful to Sam Smith for being our personal secretary while we are on the road picking up our mail and going through it with me over the phone or email. Huge blessing!!!  And, as long as we were on the south end of town, might as well go pass our former home on Ohio and our good friends, the Mellgrens, who are also the adoptive parents of our 16 year old kitty, Montana. Going pass our old house, we knew was going to look different. Not the house so much, but the fact that the 50 foot pine tree alongside the driveway is gone! We knew that was going to happen to make way for a two car garage but it looked pretty strange to us. Not bad, just different. On to the Mellgrens, and what a surprise to see the McDuffie’s standing outside. Thanks for the shriek and big hug, Aurora. (The McDuffie’s 13 year old daughter.) Montana seems very happy in her new home…even with a very interactive one year old. Unfortunately, Montana’s regurgitating (sorry for those of you who have week stomachs or think this is TMI) has increased and little Gracie doesn’t know enough not to check it out or, you guessed it, put it in her mouth. Yuck! What do you expect, she’s only one!  We may have to find her a new home. Montana…not Gracie.

Being we were only in Oshkosh for just less than five days, we definitely managed to jam pack it full of… Lots of appointments: Bill and I both saw the chiropractor, I got my hair done, Bill had the car fixed, I had a follow up breast ultrasound (everything is fine), and I went to the dentist; and some fun stuff: We got to go to our LifeGroup gathering on Thursday night, had dinner with our good friends the Coltons on Friday night (got to see Jayla’s nursery…can’t wait to meet this little bundle), a full day Board Retreat on Saturday for His House Christian Fellowship (so wonderful to see everyone), church Sunday morning at New City was amazing (sure do miss our church family), followed by lunch with our dear friend, Courtney Kolb, went to see our grandkids in Ocononomoc Sunday afternoon and evening,  lunch with Matt & Nina, our good friends (and Innkeepers of the Greenway House B&B)  on Monday who helped us gather  up more stuff to take back with us and packed up our car, had dinner with our dear Rush family Monday night, went to a staff meeting Tuesday morning at His House and left Oshkosh at 10:45 a.m. Whoa, no wonder the time went by so fast.

Oh, I must tell you, when Bill took our car in for a much needed oil change he also was having them check on a rattle. Bill thought it was something to do with the wheel bearings. I was a bit concerned about it as it had been going on for awhile. Really wanted to have it taken care of before we left on our road trip back to Oshkosh but Bill said he’d feel more comfortable taking it to someone he knows (besides we were too busy settling into our first mission project). Okay Share, button your lip, trust Bill’s judgment and the Lord’s protection. Anyway, I bring it up because our prayers were answered. Nothing serious, in fact, something rather comical. A box end wrench was found in the wheel housing. Bill is convinced that it had been left in there by the manufacture and that it took this long to find its way out. Too, too funny!!! Just so grateful it wasn’t anything serious! PTL!

Another answer to prayer happened at the Board Retreat. As you all know, if you’ve been reading earlier posts, I struggle a great deal with traffic fears especially on multi-lane highways. I’ve been feeling like I needed some serious intervention and had been praying along those lines. During one of the Board discussions, I felt lead to talk to one of the Board members and asked God to make it happen. At lunch, as we all sat around the same table, I asked God to give me the opportunity to speak to this individual (Eileen) privately. Within a matter of seconds, everyone except Eileen stood up to get dessert from the buffet line (except me, of course, I already had my dessert). We talked and she prayed privately over me later in the day. I am so very grateful as she is a great woman of faith and a powerful prayer warrior. I now pray that God brings to my remembrance the wonderful Scriptures she quoted (one was…You hem me in, behind and before) and the peace and calm I experienced as well as her prayers for my future and how God plans to use me in this season of life. So very blessed by her. Love getting those kisses from heaven.

One more God story.  We praise Him for using Bill’s alertness and love of wildlife to make us aware of two herds of deer (at different times) crossing the highway as we were travelling back from Oconomowoc Sunday night. Bill is always on the lookout for wildlife and I am so very grateful; both times he applied the brakes in plenty of time and what a beautiful sight to watch. We are so very blessed.

Okay, we’ve been back in Indiana for two days now and I really want to get this posted tonight so I’ll stop with the stories (of course, I’ve got lots more) and end with this. As we headed out of town Tuesday morning and as wonderful as our time in Oshkosh had been, I have to admit, I was excited about going home.