New thoughts on our housing situations...

Since Daddy L accepted his job as the Building Official, our plan has been to sell our house that we have been renting out in Forest Acres, and use the money we make to purchase a house in Darlington. Since our tenant's lease expires August 1st, we have been praying that the house would sell quickly since we can't afford to pay the steep mortgage since I'm not working.

I started talking to an agent around the beginning of June about listing it the first of July, so maybe it would sell by the time the tenant moved out. The agent said she would mail us the contract to sign so it could be listed by July 1st. While we were waiting for the paperwork to arrive, we starting getting nervous about how we would manage financially if the house sat on the market for 6 to 9 months, which is the average selling time in Columbia with the economy. There are also numerous houses for sell in our old neighborhood. Why would someone want our house when there are so many others for sell? I kept telling myself that God would answer our prayers, but I couldn't help but to worry a bit. I started thinking that I might need to scramble around and try to find a job teaching, even though many schools are not hiring.

The contract did not arrive for a week or so. Then finally, last Wednesday, our anniversary, the agent called and said that it had been returned to her in the mail. She said that she didn't know why, because the address was correct, but she would send it back to us immediately. When Daddy L and I went out to dinner for our anniversary that night, we discussed our situation the entire meal. The waitor even said that he didn't bother us much because he could tell we were in deep conversation. Through much discussion, we decided that our safest option would be to try to find another tenant to rent for a year, but raise the rent to give us enough money to manage the house from Darlington. I posted our house on Craigslist for rent that night when we got home. By Friday morning, I received an email from a 2nd Lt. in the airforce who was interested in renting while attending gradschool at USC. Baby B and I showed her the house yesterday and she agreed to sign a 18 month contract. It was a true answer to prayers.

As I read the bible over the last few weeks, scripture kept reminding me that God would provide, but things seemed so hopeless. If the contract hadn't have gotten "lost" in the mail, we would not have had time to think about the situation, and probably would currently be locked into a 6 month contract. It is amazing how God shows us the way and guides our steps in his direction.

I guess this means that we are stuck in a wonderful neighborhood, right behind the best grandparents in the world, for a little while longer than we anticipated. :) For that reason, I'm thinking that I may attempt to paint the outdated, wood paneled kitchen all white. If the owners agree, I'm hoping to have it completing by the time Pamela's Girls are reunited in a few weeks.
These are some pictures of the before and I'm hoping afterwards it will look more like our kitchen in Forest Acres.

This was yesterdays reading from the Bible in a Year program... It was just like God was speaking to me.

2 Chronicles

15 The Lord will stay with you as long as you stay with him! Whenever you look for him, he will find you... Whenever they have turned to the Lord God of Israel in their distress, and searched for him, he has helped them.

16For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward him, so that he can show his great power in helping them.

Love to all my Pamela's Girls!

~Mommy M