I haven’t lived in Oklahoma for eighteen years, but in many ways Oklahoma still lives in me.
It feels like home.
It’s funny how a place can seep so far into your bones you feel its soil fertilizing your heart long after its soil rests under your feet.
When I went to college forty miles from my childhood home, I assumed that if I met a boy, I would meet one with solid Oklahoma blood who had designs on staying put. As it turns out, I did meet a good Oklahoma boy, but he most definitely had no desire to stay put. So after he put a ring on my finger on a humid June evening, we packed up my grandma’s old orange and cream Chrysler Horizon and drove off into the sunset.
Or rather, to Ohio.
Goodbye, familiar surroundings. Hello, brand new everything.
To say I had a period of adjustment would be a gross understatement. Oh how I missed home, missed feeling like I belonged. But time turns new surroundings into familiar ones, and I learned much goodness existed beyond the borders of my home state.
I learned people without a southern accent are still nice folks.
I learned I can indeed survive a northern winter and a desert summer and all climates inbetween.
I learned I can be the first one to extend the hand of friendship.
I learned that comfort zones can be pushed not just seasonly or yearly, but daily.
I learned my worldview can and should exist beyond my driveway.
I learned every time the Lord brought our family to a new place, we were better off than in the old one.
And most importantly, I learned home is a Who, not a where.
Eighteen years later and several moves under my belt, it still shocks me to find much goodness exists beyond a goodbye. And no matter what, you can always go home again.
If you are sharing your own surprise goodbye story today, here are some things to remember:
1. New to link-up’s or have questions? Read this first.
2. Since we all dig surprises, please surprise another writer by leaving a comment on her post *or* by giving her a facebook shout-out or tweet. Use the hashtag: #outoftheblue.
3. Be sure to include the out of the blue banner {see below} in your post or link back to Chasing Blue Skies so your readers can join in the fun. That way, we can all easily find each other.
Next week’s prompt: Places. Tell me about a place that surprised you by how much you liked it. Write about how you didn’t expect to love it and why you now do. Maybe you live there now or hope to in the future. Maybe you vacationed there and hope to visit again. Either way, you were surprised at how the Lord softened your heart towards this location and how He’s used it to bless you. {And many thanks to Kristin Taylor for suggesting next week’s prompt!}
“I learned home is a Who, not a where.” Love everything you share Kristen. While I have not had to move around with my husband’s military career, I do always pray that for my son and his wife that they embrace each move they may have to make with a similar attitude as you have shared. Wherever God takes us, there is something new He is wanting us to learn. Blessings to you.
You are a good, good mama, Beth. Thank you for being a light to those near you in real life *and* through screens. xo
Yes, home IS a who, not a where. I’ve discovered that over the years, too. I am content and happy where my husband is and my children. But, what to do when those children move on….
It’s funny because I’ve had to learn the same things but from an opposite perspective. I am also from Oklahoma (since 3rd grade), but we moved around so much (whether from town to town or simply from house to house within the town) that I never knew what it was to stay in one place and grow roots – even if just with a home. We moved every year of my life, not necessarily to a new town either. So my life was constant change until my husband (a military kid who also moved around a lot, but my family didn’t have the military excuse) and I had been married for about 6 years. Then we moved to where we live now and we’ve lived there since 1998. And it took us awhile to adjust to not moving. But the same lessons have been learned. I’ve had to learn contentment with things not changing. That’s been huge!
I love the things you’ve shared and how God gets us outside our comfort zones to help us change the world!
When my hubs retires from the military and we stay put in one location, I will definitely have to learn this same lesson, too.
Thanks for your words, Karla.
Substitute “Missouri” for “Oklahoma” and add the fact that I moved a lot as a child, and this is my story also.
Kristen,
Having moved a lot, home is definitely a “who” and not a “where”. Because of your moves, you are now blessing other women who perhaps are moving for the first time. God uses all of our experiences to bless others. Moving definitely pulled me from being an introvert into being an extrovert. It’s very often the “new” face in town who has to extend the hand of friendship. Thanks for sharing from your heart…as always!
Blessings,
Bev
I think it did the same for me too, Bev. Here’s to comfort zones that keep stretching!
I’m surprised all the time by where we end up. But after 20+ years of active duty, home to me is still Illinois and my parents don’t even live there anymore! We even surprised ourselves by buying our retirement home in Illinois. (see chappytwife.com) We always said we would not settle there.