The psalmist writes:

By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.
On the willows there we hung up our lyres.
For there our captors required of us songs,
and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? Psalm 137:1-4 (ESV)

For me – this is exile:

People have conversations with you – they smile – they tell you how wonderful you are – they tell you that no one will ever be able to replace you when when you are gone – and on and on and on.

And then later you discover that what you have been told to your face is the complete opposite of what the same people are saying about you to others – that is exile – that is captivity in a foreign land!!

Home is where both of those conversations are the same – where people have the courage to honestly speak their mind – where the value of another child of God is not determined by whether we agree or disagree – where we hear God’s call to love one another – remembering that God’s call to love one another does not mean that we all need to be of one mind on everything (or anything) – or – that truth may only be spoken if it is convienient, pleasant, and socially polite.

I am so grateful to be back home!!