She listened empathetically and comforted me the way she always did, but I soon realized that my need to feel Christ’s arms around me, and that my intense longing to be physically close to my Father in Heaven, wouldn’t completely leave while I was here on earth. In fact, I still have very similar feelings during various times in my life.

I don’t know why I was so surprised when my eternally sunny five-year-old daughter told me matter-of-factly not long ago, “Mom, I’m really homesick for heaven today.” I hadn’t heard those words uttered since my own childhood and they certainly spoke to my soul. I guess we are kindred spirits, Elizabeth and I.

No doubt, we all experience a longing for our heavenly home – inwardly sensing that we’re strangers here – being so far away from our true and most natural setting with God. It’s not hard to imagine how heartbreaking it must have been for our first parents when they were cut off from His presence and sent into this lone and dreary world to fend for themselves.

Today, like Adam and Eve, we’re each doing our best to “fend” and to remain faithful during our mortal sojourn. And even though we’re physically separated from our Eternal Father and His Son, we are gratefully each given a heavenly lifeline through prayer -- as well as the Holy Spirit to comfort and guide us while we’re away.

So, when life seems unbearably lonely and you feel like a stranger at the address printed on your bills – remember you’re probably just a little bit “homesick for heaven.” If you endure this earthly mission well, you’ll be there soon enough.

I’m sure they’ll leave the light on until you get there…