Fingerprint Friday

I'm participating in Fingerprint Friday. If you'd like to, too...go here!

This Friday I'm realizing God's goodness, grace, mercy, provision...and sovereignty.

A house that Hubs and I have been 'stalking' and I mean S.T.A.L.K.I.N.G. seems to be (as of today) in God's plan for us. I haven't written much about it because I'm silly superstitious and prideful. Stupid, I know...especially with God. I don't like talking about something that may not happen because then there is the "what happened with that?" questions and I hate to have to admit that I didn't hear God right or that what I thought was His will for me...was really *gasp* my will for me.

But there have been too many things that happened in regards to this house for me NOT to say something. Praying for a house is a big deal! Where does God want your kids to go to school? Where does he want you to make an impact in a neighborhood? Where will your family memories be made? Where will triumphs and failures in life be cushioned by 'home'? Our biggest prayer was not wanting to be in a financial crunch by keeping our first house as a rental...

First off...we loved this house almost 18 months ago when it was another house, but same floor plan and going for 40K more.

We knew we loved it and could see our family living there, but something said, "not yet." Mostly God...and our finances at the time. And me freaking out about renting our house out instead of selling it. Besides, it was more than we could have asked, or dreamed of having...we thought it was a pipe dream. We thought we'd be asking too much...too big of a house...too many rooms...things we wanted, but didn't really need.

Then, about 8-10 months later...the same floor plan came up. What a mess. But this house felt different. It wasn't a divorce forcing the sale and the overall feel of the filthy...FILTHY short sale was better. I mean, this house needed some money work. Carpet, microwave/vent, stove/oven, paint, patching, new floors in the bathroom and HOURS worth of bleach/ammonia/disinfectant poured into every nook and cranny. We were willing to do all of these things ourselves because we have no plans to move ever again. Ever. This is our "forever house." And then, the sellers wouldn't budge. Our offer was accepted but we couldn't get them to move out. WHY? Who knows? God did. But boy, were we FRUSTRATED! So...we went looking at other houses to find another "forever house." There was always something just a little wrong with them....south of Shaw or wrong school...or not in Clovis (why am I so silly about being in Clovis?).

The house had water damage and things wrong with it that we wouldn't have known until AFTER they moved out. Which we saw when the house went to foreclosure. We still put in an offer (remember, this is our forever house!). Thank God for our real estate agent. She asked for repairs to be paid for...including the water damage. They agreed. We would have never known to ask for that if we hadn't seen it and the short sale had gone through.

We definitely had a lot of ups and downs. We were getting the house...we were NOT getting the house...then we were...then we weren't. Right now, it looks like we are, and with the best possible deal we could have imagined and within a workable price with our budget. Hubs walked through it yesterday with a contractor friend (thanks Mike!). Since we walked through it the first time...someone has painted-even the dark brown and purple walls, there is a new microwave/vent and a new stove/oven. They have also started ripping up the carpet...no biggie...we were gonna anyway! Can you believe that??? Some of the things we were going to replace have been replaced FOR US! *Edited to add that they weren't just ripping up the carpet...apparently, they are replacing it...today!*

That is a fingerprint of God in this situation, if I ever saw one.

If we actually do end up in this house (which feels like a dream, right now) we'll have:

4 bedrooms/3 baths
a formal living/dining area (which just equals extra space for the kiddos right now!)
a bonus room (for hubs' office and game room-his favorite)
stairs (the kid's favorite)
kitchen with an ISLAND! :) (my favorite)
a laundry room INSIDE!
Clovis schools
north of Shaw, just south of Herndon
a nice sized backyard (but not a park, like our current house)
a shed! (which we've always wanted to buy)
and room to add on...if we ever need to!
And...for a time...I'll have my own sewing room (one of the four bedrooms).

Like I said...more than we could have dreamed (or afforded with one income)...and that's why it has to be God. We're supposed to sign some paperwork today!

To God be the glory and honor!

Now, I desperately desire to see His fingerprint in another, more personal area. Sometimes things are hard to comprehend and His fingerprints are hard to find. I just want to see them, Lord.