PRAYING FOR A HOUSE

In my previous post, Moving Blues Part 2, June 28, I mentioned that we found another very promising home. I said it was an Arts and Crafts bungalow built in the ‘30s. Turns out it was built in 1920. We’ve been through it three times now. Last Monday we had a good friend who is a contractor go through it with us. He pronounced it very solid and said we could move into it just like it is. It will take some work. For example, it only has one bathroom; but we can add one in the basement easily enough. Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s there was little appreciation for the beauty of the Mission style of architecture so the owner put in drop ceilings and paneled the entire interior of the house. Pretty soon we will want to fix that up. Also, we should put a new electrical service in and get rid of the old fuses and stuff. But this is almost all cosmetic and we can take our time doing it. (Except for the bathroom! We need that yesterday!)

The house is for sale by owner. We met with the owner’s daughter-in-law who is handling the sale on Friday and made an offer on the house. It was significantly less than their asking price but there is a lot that has to be done and we don’t think we can pay their price. We offered a generous earnest money payment. The lady said she would stop showing it and give us six months to sell our house. I thought that was generous and fair.

She called us Friday night to let us know what her mother-in-law said. She accepted our price with the condition that they be allowed to continue to show the house and give us a chance to match an offer. Also, they only wanted to hold the house for three months. I was just a little disappointed but I honestly think this is still pretty fair. After all, we don’t even have our home on the market yet!

Well, here’s my point. I’m having an interesting time praying about this. I really want this house. I want it for Mia most of all. It’s like her dream house. It’s in a nicer neighborhood than the Victorian we were looking at and this house would fit our family much better. Yes, I really want this house. I keep telling the Lord that I would really like it if he would work it out for us to have it. He keeps NOT promising it to me. I’m happy she accepted our offer but she didn’t TOTALLY accept it.

I tell the Lord that most of all I want to be in the house he wants us in. If this isn’t the one then I don’t want it. After all, our personal comfort may not be the most important thing to him. He may want us in another house for completely different reasons than what we like. He may want us to meet other neighbors in another neighborhood completely.

I tell the Lord that things are out of my hands and I am entrusting the whole matter to him. I don’t have the energy to keep trying to figure out all the various possibilities and what we should do in each of them.

I find it takes a lot of effort to not take matters into my own hands. I find it consumes energy to not worry. I find it physically exhausting to intentionally yield my own will to his. It actually reminds me of how I was feeling so tired when Roz was dying. Waiting just wore me out and it’s wearing me out now!

So, my friends, do you have any advice for me? I’m excited to see what the Lord is going to do for us. At the same time, we’re going through an interesting period of the testing of our faith. If you know how to pray for us, I invite you to do so.

Lord, the truth is, I really want this house!

You’re all great! Thanks for stopping by!