Longing for home.

I'm homesick. Very homesick. I've been away from home for over a month now, and I'm just ready to get home.
Papa and I were discussing my homesickness during devotions this morning, and he said something I thought was interesting. It went something like this, "Your homesickness is a picture of how all Christians should feel for heaven." Just as I can't wait to get home to see my family, so all Christians should be homesick for heaven, longing to see Christ. We were not created for this world of sin. Romans 8 tells us that all creation groans under the bondage of sin, and Christians groan inwardly for the redemption of our bodies.

(Rom 8:22) For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
(Rom 8:23) And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

I long for heaven. Nothing on this earth, not even my home, can satisfy me, but when in heaven, I will be completely satisfied. I will be free from this body of sin. I will stand before my Savior, sanctified.
Are you homesick for heaven? I am.

And all creation groans, travails in pain.
The cosmos cries to be redeem'd from bondage.
It grinds, it groans beneath our sin's domain.
But Christ alone this woe sure will assuage.
I wail, I weep. I'm made for something more.
I'm saved, but not yet glorified, I long
For home. "Redeem, Oh God," I beg, implore,
"Redeem me from this earth; I don't belong."
I don't know what to pray to Heaven's throne,
But this is why God gave His Spirit who prays,
Who intercedes, with prayers, with cries, with groans
I can't begin to understand. I'm amaz'd.
And now, I hope in what I cannot see;
My Lord will glorify. He hears my plea.

My Blueberry Smoothie with Whipped Cream on Top.

Swinging lazily
on my back.
Blueberry smoothie
overhead,
whip'd cream
on the top.

Close my eyes and
sip the sky.
Blueberry smoothie
overhead,
whip'd cream
on the top.

Stir the sky and
out swims a swan.
Blueberry smoothie
overhead,
whip'd cream
on the top.

Taste the sky,
a fluffy feast.
Blueberry smoothie
overhead,
whip'd cream
on the top.

Painting

I write orange.

Great globs of green
glump off my pen.
I swish them round.

My purple paint
spills. My hair slips
in. My page turns purple.
I do too.

Red makes a river
through the purple.

A blue dot,
a black blob.
Yellow stripes flow
across the page.

I write orange.

Advice for staying home alone with a sister.

1. Don't watch scary movies.
2. If a scary movie must be watched, huddle up next to sister and cover face with blanket.
3. Always sleep with a pillow over head. This blocks out noise and hides you from monsters.
4. Keep sister nearby while sleeping to beat up bad guys, real or imaginary.
   
5. Keep a big book or something heavy nearby while sleeping to wake sister to beat up bad guys.
   
6. Eat lots of spinach. Force sister to eat lots of spinach so she can better beat up bad guys.
   
7. Eat lots of garlic and onions. The boogie man does not like bad breath. Don't let sister eat lots of garlic and onions. You don't like bad breath, either.
   
8. If you hear noises outside your window after dark, force sister to investigate.
9. Don't read murder mysteries.
10. If murder mysteries must be read, pile all bedroom furniture and sister in front of bedroom door and sleep in the closet.
11. Keep shoes near pillow for throwing at sister when bad guys need beating up or noises are heard outside.