Home sweet home? Yes.

So, I went on my hall retreat with my Villians this weekend. I don't think there were any intentions for God to rock us like he does at retreats/conferences that I went to back in Oak Harbor. Not that we need retreats to have God rock us.

Anyways, I don't know about the other guys, but God did rock me this weekend. He didn't cause an earthquake in my heart, but he did shake me. He made something make sense.

For anything I'm going to say to make sense, we have to go back to two weeks ago...

I was kind of in a bind; I found myself not leaving any time to have one on one with God. I had gotten to a point where what used to identify me and where I found validation (volleyball, school, etc.) started to identify me once again. It was definitely like I was having identity problems. The greatest thing that could give me validation and give me some sort of identification, I wasn't giving the time of day to.

It started to make me feel homesick. Don't get me wrong, I miss my parents no doubt, but I started to miss them even more. It just didn't feel the same without them. Then I started missing the Youth Group back at Living Word. My brother's and sister's. My support system. My family.

The Youth Group back in Oak Harbor were the people I did life with my Senior year of High School ...

That's the thing though, God wanted to tell me something about you guys back at home this weekend:

"Rick, you're not in high school anymore, it's time to let it go. It's time to move on."

By no means was he telling me that my Youth Group couldn't be my family anymore, but that I was blinding myself from seeing the family that he put me into here at the University of Portland.


Psalms 68:6
"God places the lonely in families"

I'm not saying that I was lonely, but without the good ol' Youth Group at my side I was feeling lost. God knew what he was doing though when he placed me in a dorm that I didn't even apply for. He knew that he put me in the best dorm on campus :)


Villa Maria: All male & Catholic Frat house - words that are too shallow when it comes to describing the place I live.

Villa Maria: Brothers & Community - much better words to describe the place I call home and the place where my family comes from.

Again, God knew what he was doing. He put me with guys of different backgrounds and upbringings. He put me with guys that annoy me, anger me, laugh with me, laugh at me, but most of all, he put be with guys who challenge me.

Some of these guys have done nothing more than push me in my walk with god. I definitely don't like it, but they see that there's some growing up to do, and boy are they making sure I grow up.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that no matter how far we get from home, God is going to put us in a place that we can call home and find a family to do life with. I'm doing, living, and enjoying life with these guys.

Villa Maria - Home Sweet Home? Yes.

To everyone back at home: I miss you guys. I love you guys. MUAH :)

Rick Baleros