What is "home"?

I was asked for the umpteenth time today where my home is. This incident occurred in the dining hall by a new lady on campus. Sometimes this question occurs in the classroom, frequently at church, every once in a while outside in the common area, but mostly everyone I know asks me this question at some point or another. I shouldn’t be, but I’m always hesitant with my answer. I never know what to say. Being an Air Brat and living in so many different places, all of which I’ve called “home” at some time or another, which one do I pick? Is it something I can just choose? Is my home where I currently reside? Is my home where my parents are? Is home where I have the most friends or where I lived last?

Frequently I’ll respond, “Flagstaff”. With that response some people critique, “Well, that can’t be your home. You have no family there and that’s only where you attended college. Yes, you have many friends who still live there, and you visit frequently. BUT- You were only there four years. It doesn’t count.”

Occasionally I’ll answer, “Hawai’i”. With that response some people critique, “Well that can’t be your home. Your parents live there but you’ve only spent the summers there. I know you’ve worked there the past three summers and have a wonderful church that you’ve been very active in there. I know that you have a good chunk of friends on the islands. BUT- You’re parents have only been there three years. That doesn’t count.”

Every now and then I’ll reply, “Sun Valley”. With that response some people critique, “Well that most certainly can’t be your home. You’ve only lived there three months and you don’t even plan on staying forever. You’re living in an apartment by yourself and you don’t even own it. You live at a school and you’re in the middle of nowhere. That doesn’t count.”

My question is, “Who makes these rules anyways!?  Who are the ‘home location’ police?”

The comfort behind all of these debates, however, is that despite my frequent relocating in this world, I have an eternal home in heaven that no one can question. Are people going to tell me that heaven is not my home for reasons such as, “Well, you’ve never even lived there”, “You don’t know what it looks like”, or “You don’t have many friends there”?

I know I do have at least one friend there- Jesus. I also have Great-Grandpa and Grandma Bonesteel, Mary-Margaret, and Mrs. Branscom. I know they’ll greet me upon arrival.

So as I continue to sit here pondering the location of my home, I will leave with the peace that every “home” on this earth will soon pass away, but my eternal home is awaiting me with gates wide open.