April 21: There's No Place Like Home

Discussion:

1. In what ways do you show appreciation for where you live?
2. What do you like most about your "home?"
3. Where also does it feel like home to you?

Reading:  Psalm 84: 3




Reflection:
It was a beautiful summer night in an area of Pennsylvania known by the Greek word meaning "love."  Thousands of people had gathered to hear a nationally known musical artist.  The musician dazzled the crowd with his gift of song, but also took the time to tell a few stories about his life and his experiences traveling around the world. 

The performer mentioned that recently his band was in another part of the United States, heavily engaged in the rigors of their current tour.  Caught up in the stress of touring, our star told him band, "Maybe we should quit doing this, sell our equipment, and move to Pennsylvania.  It is so beautiful there."  

About a month later, I vacationed in another part of this country.  As we boarded the bus at the airport to go to our hotel, I remarked, "Where are the mountains?"  And while I enjoyed visiting the city (despite the high heat and humidity which is the norm for that time of year), I longed for the dog days of a Pennsylvania summer which now just didn't seem so bad, and the majestic Appalachians which surround and protect us in Pennsylvania.  It is so beautiful there. 

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we forget about the beauty that surrounds us.  In my home state, we are blessed with green mountainsides in summer, a rainbow of colors in the fall, and the freshness of a white winter day.  Sometimes we need to leave the place we call home to truly appreciate the benefits of living there.  Or sometimes, a famous musician has to remind us that there is no place like home.  --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director


Closing:  Look around you and note the beauty in the place where you live.  

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