Living in another country for five months has given me a better understanding of what it means to be a foreigner. I feel at home in this country now, but I will always be a stranger who lacks understanding. The cultural things I know are intentionally learned rather than assumed.
I miss the familiarity of home. It's such a luxury to know what to expect, the right things to say, and the correct way to react. Being away from home has also showed me how much of my identity I find in the place and culture I come from. I love talking about my home and how my family and friends live life.
It's strange to me that, as children of God, heaven is our home and yet we have never been there. We get to see God's kingdom on earth, but there is a homecoming of joy, belonging, and identity that is still to come.