I’ve been in Florida with the kids for a while now. I’ve loved every minute of it, as I always do when I visit. I soak up good time with my daughter and son-in-law, not to mention the sound of little voices saying my name, sloppy kisses, bedtime stories, and the latest news from an early childhood perspective. And now I get to add the delicious stuff of newborns to the list.  Sadly, though, it requires being away from my own home, my real, everyday life, my other daughter, and the company and arms of my man. I go through this struggle in my heart every single visit: loving where I am, but longing for home. Oh, how I wish we were all in one place!

It seems this is a struggle for us all, if you think about it. We go through our lives, hopefully, living and loving, building our lives around and with the people we love, and doing work that leaves us fulfilled. And yet, most everyone I know tends to long for something more…something they can’t quite put their finger on…just more. We love where we are, but we don’t quite fit into it all perfectly, do we? Something always seems to be missing.

We’ve moved around a lot over the past 15 years. If you’ve done any moving, you’ll understand what I mean when I say that it’s hard to really put roots down anywhere. Especially if you know that you won’t be there more than a few years. I’ve gone about my life and formed relationships, but I’ve struggled with a hesitancy to go deep with anything because I’ve always known we wouldn’t be there forever.

I look at both struggles now, and realize they are such a picture of us being in the world, but not of it. We are, very literally, just passing through. We are born with eternity in our hearts, a longing for Home that will never be found this side of it. We aren’t supposed to get too rooted here in this world, because we are aliens in it, bound for our own true Country.

So, what of the saying, “Bloom where you are planted”? Aren’t we supposed to make a difference here, in this time and place? I say yes. But doesn’t that require putting down roots? Again, yes. However, some of the most brilliant blooms are the annuals, planted every year for the brightest color, but with shallow roots.

Bloom. Make a difference where you are, and for the kingdom, but don’t dig deep into the temporal soil of earth. Cling gratefully, instead, to the Vine of eternity, and let your roots sink deep into a Heavenly Country.

“…they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” Hebrews 11:16 NIV

“Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT

“Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul. Live an exemplary life among the natives so that your actions will refute their prejudices. Then they’ll be won over to God’s side and be there to join in the celebration when he arrives.” 1 Peter 2:11-12 MSG