Home is Where the Heart Is
Written by Marta Boxell
We love because God first loved us. — 1 John 4:19
In 2018, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was no surprise as it runs in my family. Tough summer but we got through it and I have a clean bill of health.
The experience completely changed my life priorities. Breast cancer made me realize that my life was missing something….family. We had been blessed with two amazing sons, and a wonderful daughter in law; and at that time, one grandchild. That grandchild and his parents lived 440 miles away. Seven hours one way. We made the trip about every third month, (or they came to us). We were missing so much! That kid was growing like a weed and kid number two was on the way.
So I sat down one day and broached my hubby about moving to Wisconsin. He looked at me like I was nuts. Forty years in southern Indiana and I wanted to move to freezing Wisconsin? After much discussion with the entire family, including my husband’s 88 year old mother, we decided to go for it.
Fast forward to 2024. We now have three grandchildren who live twelve minutes away. We get to see them at least twice a week. We babysit. We have sleepovers. We attend dance recitals and school programs. We spoil them. Most importantly, we watch them grow and we love on them all the time.
Our lives are all about family and love. That’s all we leave when we’re finished on Earth. As this Christmas season approaches, may you remember how blessed you are to have little people OR big ones to love, whether they are twelve minutes or seven hours away.
God of love, thank you for the clarity that can come after big life changes. Help me love the people closest to me like you love us. Amen.
