Home is different things to different people. It might be a geographical location. A physical building. A community of people. Or even a feeling. A dream. A memory.
My single-wide trailer is located in small-town Ohio. But home is my family and friends. It's being known and understood and loved by them. It's knowing and understanding and loving them.
Home is being able to be me with all my flaws, inabilities, all the undesirable things that make me hard to know and love.
Sometimes home is sitting quietly in pj's on a Saturday morning sipping coffee - ahem - Mt. Dew and reading a good book. A book that speaks of dreams, of a place where people come first. Where "love is about seeking the best for a person, even at expense to ourselves and even when it is hard in the moment." A place where animals matter, art is appreciated, and stories - real or fiction - are shared and honored and lived.
This place, this dream come true after fifteen years, is God's Whisper farm. It is the home of Andi Cumbo, writer, editor, teacher, and friend.
A few months ago Andi wrote and released God's Whisper Manifesto, the makings of a dream. In it, she shares 10 principles of what she believes makes up an ideal community. Having read and re-read her manifesto, my heart longs for such a community. And one day I hope to visit God's Whisper farm, to share in the joy of a dream come true.
To celebrate Andi and God's Whisper farm, I am giving away a Kindle edition of God's Whisper Manifesto.* Not only is Andi's dream beautiful, she also writes beautifully. Every sentence, every paragraph, paints a picture of the farm and the community that dwells there. It's a beautiful picture. And I want to share it with you.
To enter to win a copy of God's Whisper Manifesto please share in the comment below of what home is to you.
*Winner will be announced on Monday, March 25.
It's funny how the definition of home shifts for me as I move from place to place. My parents moved us from Illinois to New Jersey when I was 8 years old. Up until I was 11 or 12, I would say Illinois was my home. Then, I lived in New Jersey for 17 or 18 years, and I would still refer to The Garden State as my home. Now, I've lived in Pennsylvania for nearly 17 years, and I can honestly say that I am a Pennsylvanian.
ReplyDeleteHome has so many definitions thought. If home is where the heart is then I'm at home right here, right now - with my wife, with my kids, with my church, and with my job. I'm so thankful to be at this home.
But I also realize that I long for a much more meaningful home - my heavenly home. Only when I arrive there will I truly be home.
It's interesting how "home" creates a different picture for everyone. I've lived in several different states, but Ohio was always my home. The older I've become, home is no longer a place but people. It's my family & friends.
ReplyDeleteI love the fact that you mentioned how this place is not our home. One day we will be in our true home, and I can't wait for that day.
Beautiful picture of home, Denise.
ReplyDeleteSorry for the delay in announcing the winner...
ReplyDeleteJon, you've won the copy of God's Whisper Manifesto!