Happy days are here again.
Not. Heh.
Nah, this is all not a big deal. It's just that yesterday I spent the day at our kitchen desk, reading mostly, because this was the only room cooler than 87 degrees. Well, the bathroom actually has the one-room air-conditioner (which blows into the kitchen) and felt cool, of course, but who wants to spend the entire day in there?
And yes, there are worse ways to spend a summer day than reading, making lunch and washing dishes in a kinda-air-conditioned kitchen. I understand that. It's just that confining feeling which bothers me, the one that taunts, "Leave this small
Anyway. Tom had to leave at 6:30 last night to travel to our former town so he could pick up our 2010 tax receipts from our tax guy and of course, right after he left, Cher called with some bad news. The (kinda sullen) bank appraisal lady from Tuesday appraised our house at $5,500 less than our asking price.
Good grief. And here we'd thought we were generous with that sale price.
But as I told Cher, I'd been concerned that the bank appraiser didn't even step into our (expensive-to-build) garage we'd added on and did she even notice all the other improvements we'd made since the last appraisal in 2008?
Then I told Cher, "Well, I don't think she went inside the garage. Hmm... I should ask Tom when he gets back." Cher said do that because that could mean something good for us later.
Oh these tests, especially the patience ones. They come hot and heavy and annoy me. But still, I try to pass them with peace and faith because--once you pass them--they do become easier the next time. At least, that's the theory.
So I waited and cleaned the house (slowly) till Tom arrived home, told him the news, then he called Cher saying, no, he didn't see the appraiser step into the garage. We (miraculously) found the original appraisal paperwork from 2008 and Cher promised to try to work some magic for us today.
Of course, the other test is test is to believe God will provide the extra $5,500 we'll need to buy Hobbit Cottage--if it comes to that. But you know? I can do that. Believing for God's monetary provision is one thing I've done since I was a girl growing-up in a Baptist minister's home when that's pretty much all we did--believe for money. heh.
But it was the other thing--the thing of Cher calling with bad news as soon as Tom drove out of the driveway when he'd been here all day long. Those tests make me bonkers. And that, of course, is why I still experience them.
They won't cease (or won't stop bothering me) until I start passing them, until I stop moaning, "Why does this always happen? Why can't we get these calls when we're both here? And where is Tom anyway?" They won't stop until they no longer zap my peace and make me roll my eyes.
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John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My [own] peace I now give and bequeath to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. [Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful and intimidated and cowardly and unsettled.]
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"You will remember all the way the Lord your God led you in the desert these forty years, to humble you, and how He tested you to know what was in your heart to see if you would keep His commandments or not." Deuteronomy 8:2
For a more detailed post about tests, here's one I wrote years ago.
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4 comments:
Just wondering when yall actually move- I was thinking ya'll had 3 weeks to find a out and be out - and it seems like its been that long or longer. I may have been confused though. I will be praying that the appraiser will make the amount right since she did not even check out the whole property.
Can't wait for ya'll to get to move into the new place and to hear of the stories of what all you do there!
Lisa :o)
Hi Lisa--well, we had three weeks to find a house to buy and then that's when escrow began, after that. So that means we have an additional two months because that's how long escrow takes in New York when you're getting new financing as our buyers are.
So we're looking at around the first week of September or so. Cher also said we could perhaps work out something with our sellers so to get in earlier if we'd like. So we'll see. Right now it's just one step at a time.
Thanks for asking and for praying! Blessings, Debra
The steps are a bit different in each state I think, but always aggravating. In our experience of building houses especially for sale [ in WY] we found that some appraisors simply don't care--are not thorough and turn in a very cursory and damaging report--its one of the more stressful parts of the selling and buying process.
Hopefully your realtor can point out the additional ammenities and the appraisor will amend the report. Some of it has to do with how diligently they look to find good "comps."
There never seems to be a point when we have passed all the tests with flying colors and reached "graduation." Maybe if that was the case we'd get to thinking we no longer needed to cling to Jesus's hand?
As I think about this and write it out I know I'm needing to apply the reasoning to a rather large stress test currently in our own lives!
I'd love to have all the solutions and answers in one tidy package, but then, like Peter, I would be prone to take my eyes off The Master and flounder in the waves. [I am a non-swimmer!]
Morning's Minion--sounds like you've had lots of experience with selling/building houses and appraisers! :)
Oh, and don't worry. No way will I ever pass *all* the tests. Always there will be more to conquer through God! And even when something no longer becomes a trial, no longer pushes my patience, always I'll remember it's God who changed me. And that will keep me humble. (He does, after all, expect us to mature in Him and stop acting like frightened babies.)
It's when we try to change ourselves that we get into trouble and go back to our old selves down the road. But when we cooperate with God and He changes us-- we remain changed. And grateful to Him and humble because it wasn't our doing. Thanks for commenting....Debra
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