Hobo

Fun fact of the day: the word hobo comes the first two letters of the words "homeward bound."  Hobos and bums are very different.  Bums are the ones that will give political rants to their imaginary friends and beg you for change.  Hobos are the ones that pack a few things and hop trains across the country, for adventure and to just explore and see new things.  They venture for a while, and eventually hop trains back home.

Today is Christmas, and I can't help but think of all the Christmases from my childhood.

I had it all.  Traditions?  My sister ran in screaming to wake us up Christmas morning, we made a big breakfast every year, we volunteered to help out with our neighbors struggling with poverty.  It was a well-rounded holiday, full of laughter, family memories, and never forgetting to remember Jesus, the namesake of the whole holiday.  In a lot of ways I was part of the "perfect family"...4 kids, mom and dad still together, everyone happy...but when I was still pretty young things changed.  I don't begrudge anyone because we aren't all together anymore.  I don't harbor any negative feelings...I've had an awesome Christmas every year since, even when we lived in different cities or states.  Somehow it's always been a great opportunity to remember what I liked about everyone, and I've still taken the opportunity to catch up with everyone even if I hadn't seen them in a while.  But the older I get, the more I realize that things are incomplete.

I can attribute this mostly to the fact that I've been friends with lots of Christians for about 7 years now.  And most of them have that "perfect family" situation going...moms and dads still together, everyone gets along, no major problems.  It doesn't make me feel jipped, don't get me wrong.  But when everyone binds together and finds their place--their security and identity--in their family, it leaves me feeling a little awkward.  In that moment all the accomplishments in the world won't save you from the funny feeling in the pit of your stomach...the feeling like there's something wrong with you, because you aren't doing what these other people are doing.

I'm writing today as an encouragement for anyone who knows what I'm talking about.  I know that most of you don't.  But what I was reminded of today was that I have a home and a family waiting for me when my days on this earth are done.  When you find yourself alone on Christmas (or any other time that makes you feel alone), you can either say that things are hopeless, or you can be reminded that you are homeward bound.

It's sad how misunderstood hobos are.  People view them as dirty, as leeches of society.  But those people don't understand that life is about more than your standing in society; that family means more than the people you were born into.

Today is a reminder that I'm homeward bound.  For now, people can put me on the outside because I didn't happen to randomly be born into some big family of "perfect" people that have no problems...but I will someday come to my true home in Jesus Christ, and I'll be welcomed with open arms.  And then my hobo days will be done.

If you have felt what I feel...remember that now we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, but we will someday get beyond all this, all things will be brought to light, and we will know that we have a place with Him.

Happy Christmas.  May your hopes be in Him, and not in the many things that fade away.