Back Home(?)

We are back home in Cebu, although a day late. A storm hit the Visayas yesterday, and all scheduled boat and ferry trips were cancelled due to poor sea conditions. So we had an extra day to spend with the Bermejo Clan. Our kids enjoyed the entire day playing with their cousins. It was a lot of fun to see them have so much fun with each other. Of course, my dad was very happy to see them so happy. We are happy to be home after living out of our suitcases for much of the last two weeks.

Unfortunately, we had to wake up at 4 am this morning to catch the first boat ride back to Cebu. The ferry ride was only 90 minutes to Cebu island and then another 90 minutes taxi ride to Cebu City. We were home in less than 4 hours. We enjoyed seeing the sun emerge over the calm seas during early dawn. I came home to shave and shower and then went back to work. It was nice to see my co-workers after several days away. Unfortunately, the power electricity went out in the office for most of the day, so whatever work we could do, including attending a meeting in the afternoon, was completed in the "dark."

Although we had a good time in San Carlos, my mind was restless, and my soul downcast throughout most of my time there. I admitted to Megumi yesterday that I am feeling homesick for first time since our arrival over three months ago. My dad will be returning back home next week and there is a part of me that just wants to pack-up the family and go back home with him. Last Friday night we had dinner with a pastor from Southern Cal, and to hear that he was leaving on Saturday so he could preach on Sunday made home so close yet so far. Thousands of miles of ocean and nine months away - that's how far we are from home. Megumi later admitted to feeling the same thing.

I miss my Auntie Gloria, I miss my Lolo Layon, Lolo and Lola Bermejo, and all those who are now enjoying eternal rest in Christ. It seems like I have become increasingly restless, never truly at peace with life under the sun. Although we are enjoying ourselves immensely here, there are constant reminders every day here that this is not home. If you've traveled and/or lived abroad, you know this feeling or experience. And then to see how people suffer here and for that matter, everywhere - it seems like our entire existence is one of groaning.

Perhaps, this is what Paul describing when he says that our earthly bodies are "groaning" for something eternal (2 Corinthians 5). And if you want to know how meaningful and satisfying life under the sun is read what what the wisest man had to say about it all in the Book of Ecclesiastes. In this same book, Soloman reminds us that our disenchantment here stems from what has been planted in our hearts - a desire for eternal things. Many times the Word reminds us that this place is not our home and in a sense, we are to live out of our suitcases, traveling light throughout our time here.

This is what I love about Scripture - it always seems to re-orientate me - serving as a compass leading me to True North. More than ever, I want Jesus to come. Soon. Now. Anytime now would be good. When I was younger, I could give you a list of things I wanted to do FIRST before Jesus came back. Now that list is zero. I want to go home.

Until then, there is work to be done. Christ needs to be shared and my character needs to be shaped into being more and more like Him.

Pauls says: "That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18.

Restless, yet certain. Weary yet steadfast. We should all be homesick for Home.

By the way, I heard we have elected a new president. Don't even know who this man Obama is..........