Wall of Homeland Security

My love for my work has taken me to places far from home. While residing in Seoul, Korea I found I truly loved the people who were around me; I loved the the culture and country, and I loved the energy of the city! But... family, close friends, the familiar landscape of the Midwest, that is where my home was. So, what to do?

After experimenting with a number of ideas, I settled on posting my life and my family on a wall in the bedroom. Not very creative, I know. But it worked. The wall was the first thing I saw in the morning and my last image as I ended my day.

My wall listened as I practiced my sermons.

My wall mocked me as I attempted my push-ups and sit ups on the floor below.

My wall sang along to my butchered imitations of Willie and Johnny. My wall quietly observed my frantic pecking at the computer. My wall offered no criticism of my many faults and cracklines. The cards and photos were a constant source of joy and strength.

Each photo, each card, each written line stapled to the wall brought alive treasured people, places and experiences that provided a constant source of inspiration for my days in another world that has also become a world of joy and hope--but still another world.

There are many ways to define homeland security. For some of us, it is doing the things that ground us in our homeland where we are safe, protected, secure--yet propels us into the larger world where we offer, through our lives joy, hope, love and peace. Making all secure.