I am slightly disappointed, as I would have loved to be done with the deep cleaning and all that comes along with having your house ready to show at a moment's notice. Also, I would have loved for Donny's client to have made an offer and help him get his first sell/buy as a realtor.
BUT, it was simply not meant to be...for now.
And honestly, I am somewhat relieved. We would have been moving just days before Kellah's first birthday, and a week before Christmas. Not exactly the ideal time, but I would have been too excited to care (I think). Plus, we were taking a huge step of faith (and still will be once the house officially goes on market and does sell). With the current market, we can afford a house that would provide us with ample space to have people over and do some of the ministry ideas we have (like backyard Bible clubs, kids hanging out in a rec room, families over for supper, Bible studies with former students, etc.). While being able to buy a bigger house and keep -- or LOWER -- our mortgage payment each month is amazing, it also means that our house will sell for less than what we owe on it right now. So frustrating and discouraging!!!! Especially since we have basically finished the basement and done extensive landscape in both the front and backyards. Isn't that supposed to ADD value to your home? I distinctively remember Mr. Ron Harder telling us back in high school that buying a house was an investment and would result in a profit, NOT a loss!
Since our house didn't sell, we have more time to see if we can qualify for re-financing and work on paying off our current mortgage, at a much lower interest rate!
Not only that, we will be able to put the new roof on the house BEFORE we put a "For Sale" sign in the yard. Thanks to some generous people, we have the funds necessary to pay for a new roof, which was a necessity for selling our house. We would have had to save for many, many, many months to get the money we received last month. Because of these Simons, we are getting a new roof next week!
Once the roof is done, we will move forward with putting our house on the market, officially. Then, we can be more serious about looking for a new house in the Kellybrook area (there are four main subdivisions). Maybe that house we saw (and really, really, really liked) last week will still be available. :) If not, then God must have something else, something BETTER, for us.
In the mean time, we will keep on doing what we can to reach the students and their families from right where we are at in our current house.
Last week, we cheered for the Liberty North football team and visited with several former students and their parents. I even got to talk with one of MY former students, who is now a freshmen at LN and plays trumpet in the Screaming Eagles Marching Band. Coralyn was more interested in the half-time show when the Cheerleaders and Golden Girls (dance team) did a performance with "little" girls (ages 5-13) who had attended a day camp. I even told her she could be a cheerleader when she gets bigger, though I did remind her that volleyball season is at the same time. In Liberty, you have to choose ONE thing to do: cheerleading, band, volleyball, tennis, softball, dance team, etc. Unlike the small town school I attended where you could be a cheerleader, compete in another sport, play in the band, sing in the choir, have the lead in the school play, and serve on STUCO. Guess that's just one difference between 2A and 5A schools.
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| Go Eagles!!! |
This past weekend, we went to the Liberty Fall Festival. We waved and cheered for Lawrence's students and former students as they passed in various "floats" as part of the parade. We kept our eyes peeled for students as we walked the streets and toured the booths as well.
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| Heading to the parade |
Tuesday, we watched the Liberty North Lady Eages play volleyball. One of Lawrence's former students, a freshmen, plays on the Varsity team (quite an accomplishment!). Several other students play on JV or the Freshmen teams, so we got to say hello to them as well.
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| Madison had just served and then made this great pass! |
Last night, we attended Kellybrook's Skate Night. We saw numerous students and their families. Not only did Coralyn get to have some fun, but Lawrence's students (and other Kellybrook kiddos) got to interact with him outside of the classroom.
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| The Taff family goes to DC as well. Ethan was disappointed to find out he wasn't in Lawrence's class. |
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| Hi, Mr. Young! |
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| Talking with Kierra, a current student, and her older brother Devin, a student from Lawrence's very first class. |
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| Chatting with another former student |
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| Kaitlyn needed some help getting her skates laced up. She's in Lawrence's class this year. |
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| Kellah didn't skate, but she sure had fun watching everyone there! |
Next week, we are meeting with parents about starting a "Ponca and Beyond" Bible study for students in grades 5-7 to provide follow up after their week at camp. Some of these boys and girls won't have even come to Ponca, but are friends of those who did. Regardless, they all need help learning what it means to love Jesus and live boldly and passionately for him, they need encouragement and support, they need to know we are there for them, that they are there for each other.
Everything we do is about building relationships with the kids and families who live in the Kellybrook area. This is the ministry God has laid on our hearts, and we want to be faithful to complete it. Just this morning I read in 2 Timothy 4:5, "Work at bringing others to Christ. Complete the ministry God has given you."
THAT is why we want to move into the Kellybrook area. Yes, we can have an impact on the students and their families from where we are at right now, but how much more effective could we be if we live AMONG them, if we are doing life SIDE BY SIDE, if they can see firsthand how we love Jesus and live for Him day in and day out?!
And so I have mixed emotions about not getting an offer on our house. I really want to move sooner rather than later. I don't want to wait and miss out on possible ministry opportunities that will happen only when we live in the Kellybrook area. BUT, I have to remember that God is in control, that He will work everything out in HIS perfect timing. I have to trust Him and to be faithful with what He has given us now. There's no doubt that God is already at work and allowing us to make a difference in the lives of the students and their families right now!
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