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HOME - Coincidence or God-Incident?

My idea of home is changing. When I used to talk about "home" I was referring going back to my home - the great state of Texas. When I said we were spending Thanksgiving at home I meant I was going to stay at my mom and dad's house for the holiday. My concept of home has always revolved around my parents and the place I grew up - Clear Lake, Texas (about 30 miles south of Houston).

When I chose to go to Loyola University in 1993, I was only 17 years old. I couldn't wait to leave home and get out on my own. Here in New Orleans is where I began to become the woman I am today. Many of you do not know that I am a recovering alcoholic. I have been sober, by the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, for 6 years. The deepest roots of my addictions and my darkest secrets are here in New Orleans.   This fact is one of the biggest reasons I never intended to claim New Orleans as my home.

Thankfully, New Orleans is where I met my very best friend 14 years ago. Greg is now my husband of 8 years and the father of my three beautiful children. At the time we lived here, we did not realize the extent of my addictions. We even jokingly named our two dogs Dixie and Abita - after local beers. You see, in the horror of my addition to using alcohol and drugs I began to destroy my friendship with my husband and ruin my marriage. I thank God every day (sometimes a few times a day) that Greg, the man God made especially for me, would not forsake me despite my sin. I believe the only reason Greg and I are still married is the power of prayer.

Author Philip Yancey writes in his book "Prayer - Does It Make Any Difference?":

"When I pray, coincidences happen," said Archbishop William Temple; "when I don't they don't." Rather than dissecting such incidents, I try to use them as building blocks of faith, to see them as God-Incidents" instead of coincidences.

The interesting part about my wedding day is that Greg and I decided NOT to get married in my home state of Texas or in Kentucky where we were living at the time. We chose to be married at Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral on St. Charles Avenue - here in New Orleans. When we had to rank our top choices for where our family would spend Greg's medical residency...yes, you guessed it - New Orleans again. When Katrina attempted to destroy our lives (and I was safely back in Texas with my family) Greg asked me to come HOME - to New Orleans.

Now, this is what I wrote to you all last week:

Date: Thu, 18 Oct 2007 13:27:56 -0700             Subject: Staying in New Orleans ?
Please pray for God to send Greg and I a clear message if we are to stay here in New Orleans . I am obviously feeling a great movement of the Holy Spirit to stay here. I'm not trying to get any one's hopes up. We never intended to stay here. Greg finishes his residency June 30, 2008 and we can go anywhere in the world. I apologize for this seemingly selfish prayer. I truly feel a call to serve this city and can't imagine doing it from Houston. But, I'll do that too - - if that's what God wants. So, please pray that Greg and listen intently to God's voice. With love and many prayers for our family, Catherine

This morning as I write I want to share what God had revealed to me in the last 7 days:

Home is 122 Gardenia Lane. Home is with Greg, Julianna, Daniel and Darren. Home is our children's preschool - the Early Learning Center. Home is Woodland MOPS. Home is at Woodland Church at the corner of Woodland and Berkley. Home is New Orleans, Louisiana. And most importantly, borrowing a concept from Robert Boyd Munger, Home is my heart - Christ's Home.

In His Service,
Catherine Rumph