Advent Shelter Theme: Devotion #2

“Home” --  by Elizabeth

 

I currently live in Alberta for work, but I have loved ones across the country. My immediate family is in Halifax (my hometown), but I also have family and friends in other parts of Nova Scotia, in Ontario, and in British Columbia. As I’ve traveled to visit, I’ve noticed that I use the word ‘home’ to refer to many different places.

 

When friends and I are on a backcountry hiking trip in BC, there is usually a point in the day where our conversation turns to planning, step-by-step, what we’ll do when we get ‘home’ to our tents. We’ll get water from the lake to filter-purify and boil for hot chocolate and rehydrated pasta, and then we’ll plan to immediately zip ourselves into our sleeping bags where we’ll recount the day’s shared adventures.

 

When visiting my grandmother’s cottage in Ontario this past summer, my dad and I went out for a paddle in the canoe. As it started to rain, we decided that we had better turn for ‘home’. Back at the cottage, we’ll change into dry flannels, heat up the well-loved percolator to start the coffee, and show other family members the photos we took of various birds and trees on the lake.

 

During a December in Alberta where the sun sets at 4:30pm and temperatures can reach -40°C, after work I walk as quickly as possible from my bus stop to get home to my apartment. There I’ll wrap myself in one of my grandmother’s handmade quilts, boil water for tea, and call my family in Halifax to make plans for the upcoming Christmas holidays.

 

I’m grateful for the many places and people that I can call home, across the country. For me, home is a feeling of warmth and connection to loved ones.

 

 

Dear God,

As the days get darker and colder, help us all to find ‘home’: warmth and connection with one another. This might look different at different times in our lives, but we thank you for the various ways that you provide for us. Help us to help provide warmth and connection for those seeking ‘home’ in our communities and abroad. In Jesus’ name we pray.

Amen.