Home Sweet
Home…
I just got
back to Austin from a lovely week in the Mountains of Tennessee. The real treat was that my entire immediate
family was together for several days. It
had been almost a year since I had seen my brother Knox and several months since
I had seen Thomas. So, you can imagine
how excited I was just to be in their company.
Of course spending time with my lovely parents was icing on the cake!
Being home
is a good reminder of why seminary is so important for my formation as a
disciple of Christ. When I am home, I am
reminded of God’s love through other people, especially my family. They make me feel that what I am doing is so
worthy and they are just great cheerleaders.
But, being with them is comfortable.
Right now, to grow and flourish, I need to be uncomfortable. I need to be pushed, to stand up in front of
my classmates and preach a sermon (which I will be doing in an hour or
so). I need to spend time in Christ
Chapel soaking up the Holy Spirit’s presence.
I need to be here to learn - that’s the bottom line.
I will
repeat my precious mother’s phrase; “if you don’t leave you can never come
back.” So I have left home for a while
and I will have sweet dreams thinking of them all and I will enjoy the
uncomfortableness and love of being exactly where I need to be right now, in
God’s amazing care.
Blessings as
the ride continues… Mary Balfour
