I just got back from R&R. It was a short two-week vacation from the deployment that I spent at home. The past several months has provoked a lot of thought about “home” in the Robinson family. My Soldiers here and their families have thought about home, too. Some have forgotten the sacredness of home, some have missed home but they have all longed for it…at least in my opinion they have. There are two kinds of home I’ve longed for…one is my home in Fort Riley where a beautiful woman, spirited girl and a smiling boy are awaiting my return and the other is in the everlasting arms of God…Chad Bohi in his song, “Jesus Our Relief” describes it like this, “when I’m broken down and weak, it is your grace that covers me, it comforts me. In your everlasting arms it is where I belong, it is where I’ve found my home.”
Another look at home came from an article I read a few weeks ago that interviewed the wife of an Army Chaplain from Fort Carson in Colorado. Her husband was killed by an IED along with several of his Soldiers while he was out “bringing God” to his men. In the interview she said one of the most difficult things she had to do was to tell her young kids about what happened to their daddy…she asked the kids where the best place in the world was…they said “home.” She then asked where their REAL home was and they said “heaven.”
Home is best experienced when our relationship with both “homes” is in the right place. The past several months the Robinson family has worked hard and prayed a lot about those two relationships and though we would all say we are fine never experiencing a deployment again we are still in some way excited about the next several months of deployment that are left…not just because the deployment will be over and I’ll be back home for a while either. We are excited because God has been so involved in our lives in amazing ways throughout it…it doesn’t take a deployment to experience God and grow in your relationship with Him and your family but right now it is all we’ve got. We certainly experienced the love and goodness of God over R&R…since I’ve returned I haven’t stopped talking about how God has been so involved…from how impressive Kim is to how well Maya and Eli are doing. I hope you experience or are experiencing this with your family, too.
the fam...
I can’t wait to go home…both homes.
January 8, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Loved reading your post..you have just reminded me of what HOME is really al about and it is about HIM>>We love you guys and are sooo proud of you !!!
January 9, 2011 at 8:57 am
Great stuff Pete. I’m so glad you to hear from you and that your time spent at home was great!
January 10, 2011 at 10:13 am
Nice thoughts Pete. It’s a great perspective that most wouldn’t normally think about. Can’t wait to see you again!
February 1, 2011 at 12:22 am
I’m sure you know who Thomas Kinkade is or you’ve at least seen his pictures. Its the paintings of little homes or cottages that I like the best; the kind that make me at home. How true it is that we are really at home when we’re with Him! How much more I adore the Father than those beautiful paintings created by His servant Thomas!
It’s hard to believe that Maya is growing up so fast since the last time I saw her she was just a little thing. May God bless you, Kim, Maya, and Eliot.
February 8, 2011 at 12:42 am
I’ve been reading your blog today because my boyfriend is currently in the candidate program while getting his MDiv. I am really struggling with whether or not I can support him in this or not. We are seriously praying about this, and I have agreed to try and get a better perspective on things. You said in one of your blog entries that your wife was opposed to the idea of you being a chaplain at first, but then changed her mind. I was wondering if there is any way that I can get in touch with her to hear more of her thoughts about how she came around to supporting you in your career choice.
Thanks for you time.