Is there a good type of homesick?

So at church tonight we were singing a song that really made me think about my church family in NL and to really miss them. I miss talking with them, praying with them, worshipping with them. I love them and now I'm stating to feel a bit homesick for NL. Man this whole having lived in two places thing is hard!

And then it got me thinking (along with the sermon at church tonight). I've got another home that I'm homesick for. It's a different type of homesick though, because I haven't been there before, but I'm eagerly awaiting the time that I can be there. This third home is heaven. The word 'heaven' will probably have many different meanings to the people who read this blog. As a Christian I believe that it is a place where I will meet God face to face and know Him more personally then I do now. It's a place where there is no more pain, suffering and death. Why do I believe these things about heaven? Well God has told us what heaven will be like in the Bible.

'Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelations 21:2-4

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty homesick for this. I can't wait to be there with God and without the pain and suffering that this current world has. So when I think about it, I have 3 homes to be homesick for- Australia, the Netherlands and heaven. What about you? Are you homesick for heaven?

Easter Wekend

So last weekend was Easter. Hopefully that's not news to you! Anyway, I took the chance to visist my German 'sister', Julia. In 2004-2005 Julia came to Australia on exchange. She lived with my family for the year and went to school with me and everything. Needless to say, we became very close and is now known as my 'sister', because she's the closest thing I've got to one (minus my lovely sister-in-laws!).

Julia and I in the car on our 'road trip'

So anyway, I took the chance to head to Germany for 4 days. Thursday after the Bible Study at the Haagse Hogeschool, I took the train to Groningen, which is in the north of NL. I then took the train to a small place in Germany called Leer. I always get a bit nervous as I head out of NL and into a country where I don't know the language at all. My German is atrocious, so I always double check everything and ask people if I'm on the right train (in English). Anyway, I made it safe and sound to Leer, where Julia was waiting for me on the platform. It's an amazing feeling when you're in a foreign place and you see a dear friend waiting for you. It lights my heart in a very special way. We then drove to her place in Oldenburg, so that she could pack for our 'road trip'. We spent a bit of time looking at photos from her exchange in Australia. Man we were so young then! We then drove to Hannover, where Julia's mum and younger sisters live- all 6 of them! They have a lovely big house and when we got there, and for the following day, it was completely ours! Julia's mum and the youngest sisters were off in the north of Germany at a horse riding place, and the older sisters were off with boyfriends. It was a strange feeling being in that big house with no-one but Julia and I around. It was definately more quiet!! Good Friday we went to church, which was unfortunately all in German. Thankfully, it was just reading from the Gospel of Matthew the story of Jesus' death on the cross. This meant I was able to read along in my Bible and listen to the songs that were sung by the choir in German.

Saturday brought the arrival of Julia's family, and therefore much more noise, back into the house. We were able to head into the city for some shopping. Mostly just looking, except for a Hannover mug to add to my collection. We also meet up with Julia's boyfriend, Carsten, and had lunch at this amazing Turkish resturant. I was so full afterwards that I could hardly walk back to the tram! Saturday night was a chance to join in with the neighbours in a tradition in Germany of the 'Easter Fire'. Basically we just sat around a small fire in the neighbour's backyard and drank Gluwein (hot red wine) and other hot drinks. We had to cover our mugs though, because it was snowing! I found that quiet funny. An Easter Fire is traditionally used to burn the things in your life that you want to rid yourself of, so the neighbour had some papers to burn.

Sunday was the start of daylight savings, so I got a bit confused about the time. I wasn't sure if my phone changed automatically, so I changed it myself, and then it changed itself. Anyway, I think everyone was a little sleepy and not so organised. We planned to go to the church for breakfast, but we didn't make it. We had a nice breakfast at home, intending to get to church after, but we again didn't make it! So we spent the day at home. I was able to talk to my parents and my Poppa over Skype and we even had a sauna, which is in the shed out the back. It was so great to have some warmth after such a long, cold winter! In the afternoon, Julia and I packed up and left for Osnabruck, which is where Carsten and his parents live. It was so nice to meet them, but was a bit hard due to me not knowing German and Carsten's parents not having used their English since high school! With all the German that I heard, and didn't understand, over the weekend, I realised that my Dutch actually isn't that bad. Just don't tell anyone that I know here in NL, because they'll make me talk Dutch!

Anyway, on the Sunday night, we went with Carsten and his friend to a big Easter Fire, which was much more like an Aussie bonfire. It was great to stand around and be warmed by it's flames. After a while we headed to a really old cute bar in the city centre to talk and eat some more over a glass of beer/wine. It was great to just chat about so many random things.

A German BBQ- fat sausage in a bread roll!

Me by the Easter Fire in Osnabruck

Monday was a tour of Osnabruck, which is a really nice place. We then hit the road again in order for me to get back to Leer to catch the train back to NL. Needless to say, it was a busy weekend, but it was such a great one! I hope you all had a great Easter weekend too. I'd love to hear what you got up to- just leave a comment.

Church is family

Please don't take your church family for granted. I hope you go to a church where you feel at home. You know people there and they know you. I don't mean that they know about you, but that they really KNOW you and they care about and for you. I had a church famliy like this in Adelaide. I loved seeing them every week, spending time with them and worshipping God together. Just like my 'real' family, I took them for granted. I took for granted the fact that they'd be there for me no matter how I was feeling. I took for granted the love that they shared with me when they invited me to their homes; as they prayed for things going on in my life; as we read the Bible together. Mostly I miss the love they conveyed in such simple ways as smiles and hugs.

'Church shopping' isn't fun. It's like going to live with a long-lost sister that you only just found out you had. You know there's a connection between the two of you, but you don't know the first thing about her. You aren't comfortable around her and you don't know what to say. I hope this is making some sort of sense. There's a comfort to family (church or not) that you don't realise is there until it's not there- or you're not there. That said, there's things you can do to grow the relationship, but it's not easy. The best thing to do is persevere. Persevere with going, with talking to people, with getting involved, with taking up invitations etc. That said, I guess it's the same with your church family too. Sometimes you won't feel like seeing them, or going to church at all (for whatever reasons). You just have to. 

The thing I need to remember is that church is about worshipping God. It's not about how I feel, but about having the chance to gather with others to sing praises to our most wonderful creator. It's about reading the Bible together and listening to what God is saying through the songs, Bible, preacher, and other people around us. It's not about us at all- it's about God.