I'm Gonna Move...

I'll tell you what's hard about selling a home.  And it's not because I have any expertise in the area of real estate.  In fact, I've never sold a house.  Of course, my parents sold three of our houses when I was a kid, and at that age, all I was really concerned about was whether my room was going to be bigger and if the new house would have a swimming pool.  Ironically, I've never once had a swimming pool, and the rooms I had never seemed big enough.  Something about the newness always excited me as a child, so it never bothered me when we'd sell one home to move into another.  How is it that I now know what's hard about selling one?

For a month, the Lord has made it very evident.  From the long drive to our new church home to the occupied walls we have worked diligently to repaint and depersonalize, it didn't take long for us to realize it was time to move on.  Time to take the leap of faith that is Nashville.  Time to move in the direction of where He has planted us.  Time to see that He's got something else in store.

When we figured out that moving was what God wanted us to do, everything fell into place.  We just so happened to get a Tennessee Football refrigerator magnet in the mail that week with a real estate agent's picture on it.  We just so happened to come upon a bundle of brand new boxes from dad's work.  We just so happened to be incredibly tired of all of the clutter that two and a half years of marriage (and 26 & 29 years of life) will bring upon you.  We were ready, and within a week, we had our house on the market.

That was Monday, and all of that was ridiculously easy.  Not near as emotional as I would have expected.  Not near as much trouble getting the house ready as I would have thought.  Not near as difficult seeing that "For Sale" sign in the front yard.  Why?  Well, that's where the hard part of selling a house comes in.

I am ready.  I am completely ready.  And yet, not a single change because we're still here.  It seems as if that's how it always goes in life.  We get in our minds the plans God has for us, and then when He doesn't make them happen right away, we get discouraged.  Somehow, somewhere in the midst of knowing that God is in control, the devil finds his way into our determined minds and really messes things up. 

Now, from what I've been told, it can take two weeks before showings begin, and it can often take six months to receive an offer.  What I've also been told is that God works miracles, and folks, we are going to need one.  I mean, we all know where the economy is sitting, and just today, another house on our same street went on the market.  When I say "another," I mean the fourth. 

What's hard about selling a house (or moving on) (or simply having faith) is this:  we are not in control.  Sure, we are going to sell our house.  The Lord has already made it clear that He wanted us to.  However, He didn't say when or how or in what time frame.  He didn't tell us that it'd be easy or that we'd have "lookers" within the first week, like I had envisioned He would have happen.  I just know that He's in complete control of what's happening.  And whether it's next week, next month, or next year, God can do with this house whatever He wants.  Doesn't matter what the economy looks like or if every house on this street is for sale.  God will move when HE is ready, and that's what makes everything, not just selling a house, hard on us.  It's a matter of faith, friends.  Are we ready to move when HE is?!

Empty Boxes

I had boxes full of Kindergarten supplies, classroom decorations, and crayons. As we packed up my room into cardboard boxes, I felt so empty. I am not saying this is a bad thing. I expected to be over-emotional, crying, and not wanting to leave, but counting down the minutes until time to leave, I had no feeling at all.

I know I could put this into elegant words to explain what this taught me, but let me just say this: I firmly believe God filled those cardboard boxes with exactly what needed to be in them for this point in my life. I was afraid that leaving was the wrong thing to do, but when God says to do something, I do not have to second guess Him. He proudly watched me as I looked into each empty box and packed it full of things that I had to say goodbye to. It is sad, knowing I will not be teaching next year, but the peace I have about not going back is so comforting. FULL! Just like those boxes, I am packed full of God's spirit and He is leading me onto my next move.

Sorry it is so short, but I am writing my husband's blogs for the next two weeks. I just finished this week's post. Please visit his Words of Encouragement site to view my article(s).

Help me to PRAY for him for the next 12 days until June 7th. He is with my grandfather and 20 others on a tour of Israel. Pray for safety and spiritual understanding. Keep up with their trip on Israel 2008.