April 4, 2008

Last week, I wrote about our trip to Nashville for Lads to Leaders, which was held at the Opryland Hotel. And whenever I go to that area, it is a bit like going home.

When I was five years old, my family moved to Nashville, and we lived there for about a year and a half. And where we lived was right across Briley Parkway from Opryland. To a kid, that's great having a theme park so close to you. The summer that we were there, we had season's passes, so we would go quite often. And whenever anyone visited, they always wanted to go to Opryland. We could see the Grand Old Opry House from our front yard, and hear some sounds from the park. And on July 4th, we could sit in our front yard and watch their fireworks.

I remember our house there, which had what seemed to me to be a large yard. In reality it may not have been that large, although it was bigger than the yard we had before. Across the street was a large empty field. And behind us was another field that was owned by a church, whose building was just down the street. I remember playing in the yard with my neighborhood friends. I remember falling and breaking my arm in the back yard. I guess not all the memories are quite so pleasant.

I remember the church we attended there. Not all that large, but full of nice people. That's where I led my first song. During Vacation Bible School, the preacher got me up on the communion table to lead "Jesus Loves Me" for the rest of the kids. Little did he know he was starting something.

I remember going to kindergarten and first grade at the school there. The school wasn't very far from our house, and I would beg my mom to let me walk to school like some of the other kids did. I can't imagine why she wouldn't let a first grader walk to school!

But in going back, things aren't quite the same as they used to be. Opryland was torn down some years back and replaced with a large shopping mall. It's a nice place to shop and all, but it just isn't the same. And the Opryland Hotel wasn't even there when we lived there.

However, some of it hasn't changed all that much. The area around the highway exit where we get off still looks much the same. I'm sure they have added some lanes, but it still seems familiar to me. The Opry House is still there, looking much the same as it did. And standing in the parking lot of the Opryland Hotel, I could look out across Briley Parkway and still see that same church building where I led my first song.

It is interesting to think about the places that I have called home. What makes a house a home? I guess it depends on how long you live there, or what memories you make while you are there, or if that's where your stuff is. I have lived in four houses and one apartment during my years, and I considered each one of them home.

And then I think of the song we sing at church, "This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through".

The LORD's curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the home of the righteous. - Proverbs 3:33

All notes

About the author

© 2007-2009 Deserted Island Productions. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. The "NIV" and "New International Version" trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by International Bible Society. Use of either trademark requires the permission of International Bible Society.

For more information, contact the .