Saturday, May 4, 2013

Dream Home

"Dream a little BIG dream with me." 

There's a saying rolling around the 'churched' community that goes: If you're dreams don't scare you, they're not big enough. It's easy to read those words on a pretty Instagram post and think "Yah! Absolutely!", but then to actually step up to the plate and swing for the fences with your dreams? Well, that takes some moxie and a lot of faith in the God who can provide above and beyond all that we can ask or imagine.

I've often wondered if we somehow disappoint God because we don't dare to ask for or pursue that which seems--at initial glance--beyond our abilities or capacity. But God... (hear that one roll around too?) He's big, and when I use that word I know that it's not big enough.

We read in the Bible that we don't have because we do not ask ... so, in a time when we are feverishly scouring the Internet for our next home, today we are daring to do two things: Dream Big and Ask Big!

For the past couple weeks every home we've researched just hasn't felt like 'the one'. Now I know that where we live is just as much a matter of choice as it is God's will--what are our priorities in location, size and price--but I also believe that we often tend to settle, for fear that what matches our dreams is just asking for too much.

Hear me on this: when I speak of asking for too much, especially regarding our next living location, I'm not referring to a Westlake mansion with a pool cabana bigger than our current entire living space. That's 'Upper 1% Asking' and even I don't go there. But what about asking for 4 bedrooms instead of 3, or a house with a yard instead of an apartment? What about asking for something that matches your color theme or flooring preferences? Or how about looking at locations with a pool instead of just assuming that's beyond our price range? (Right, Plestie???)

I'm asking all of this as I post a photo of our 'Dream Home'--the newest home posted online just two days ago, in the dream area in which we are looking. She's so beautiful and full of character; reminds me of Old Town Orange in California. And she has the exact number of rooms we are praying for. And she has a front porch (swoon). And she is located in the exact neighborhood we verbally dreamt about last week and, again, just minutes before logging online to look at a different house I had found days prior--that's not in our dream neighborhood but definitely within the specific high school boundaries we are looking in.

For weeks there hasn't been a single rental bite in this neighborhood, but now ... there she is. Our Dream Home! Yes, technically it's a wee bit more than we need--in terms of the number of bathrooms, not bedrooms she contains--but everyone should dream, right? And while we may not end up being able to work out all the 'necessaries' for her, I am loving looking at her and ... dreaming.

And so I'm posting her picture here because I do serve a God who is capable of providing above and beyond, and I want to remember this day that He showed us what a Dream Home looks like. We're praying that God will make a way for us with this gem, and if right now it's not possible, then someday it will be. And I'm okay with that.

6 comments:

  1. After I posted this we found out that the other two (realistic) homes we were looking at, and had drove by the same afternoon we drove by this house, had gone off the market. That left only this home in the 4-bedroom range on the boundary map we have to stay within. We also found out, through the realty company listing this home, that they already had an applicant and would call us only if something changed. That was Saturday, May 4, 2013,

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  2. So, last night we get an email from the realtor listing our Dream Home that the application they were processing had fallen through and they wanted to schedule an appointment for us to come see this house! As soon as I finish this comment we are heading out to our 10am appointment. I am anticipatory. Anthony is excited. Because I don't have a "word" from God that this is our place, I still feel like so much is up in the air and undecided. But last night I ran our financials and that passed the test. This morning we are asking that God give us tremendous discernment and, simply, a peace and knowing if this is ours. Will check back soon...

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  4. It's 5:30pm on 5/7/13. We got to look at the Dream Home this morning and it's even prettier inside than it is on the outside, if that's possible. And it's even more perfect in its floor plan than the online photos detailed. First, there's an office right off the front door that's not listed in the photos or the home description. An actual separate office space for Anthony? Bonus! Second, the master suite is located downstairs while all the other bedrooms are located upstairs. Bonus, Bonus! Third, there's a smaller, second living space upstairs that's not shown in the photos or listed in the home description. Bonus, Bonus, Bonus! Seriously, the home is laid out beautifully and couldn't be more perfect if we had designed it ourselves. There wasn't one, not ONE thing I didn't like about this home. It was just one sweet surprise after another as we walked through.

    I've just completed all the documents needed for the lease application, scanned them in and emailed them off. Tomorrow I shall run the original documents with application fees to the realty office and then ... we wait. We wait for a 'yes' or 'no'. That's gonna be the the only tough part in all of this: the waiting. With our financial struggles we could easily get the 'not approved' box checked on the application, and honestly, I feel like God is gonna have to do some fancy footwork for our financials to go through. But God ... yep, there's that saying again, He's bigger than the boogie man, or paperwork. So while the waiting will be tough--because who likes to wait for approval or rejection?--I'm not anxious or worried because if this house is supposed to be ours, it will be. And if not, then we stay on the hunt ... minus $100 for our application fees, but this house was worth it.

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  5. I was struggling last night with the fear of "are we making the wise decision in pursuing our Dream Home?" I do not have a promise for this home and that has unsettled my soul.

    Also, I was struggling to believe that we are worthy of this blessing, such a huge gift. Oh, as I write that I hear this in my heart: "Why do you find it hard to believe that I would give you a home when I already gave you my most prized possession: my one and only son as a sacrifice for your sins and reconciliation with me? Is he not worth far more than a home, yet I gave him up for you?"

    Thank you Holy Spirit for speaking that. You've settled me now, as I was asking you to do.

    Also, I wanted to include that reading thru others' notes on YouVersion regarding Isaiah 30:18 was so encouraging to me. To be reminded that others see the shear beauty and extravagance of this verse, of God longing for us and longing to give to us was necessary food for my heart, soul and spirit.

    "And therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him [for His victory, His favor, His love, His peace, His joy, and His matchless, unbroken companionship]!"

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  6. We received feedback last night from the realtor asking for an offer letter showing Anthony's future with Auxano so that it could be used as income verification moving forward past this 90-day contract. Will produced that and more in his "temporary" letter for us ... also providing a glowing written reference for Anthony and including his phone number should they need to contact him personally to verify anything from employment to a personal reference. "more than we can ask for or imagine."

    First, the fact that they were moving forward with our application by asking for more information instead of delivering an "application denied" was not lost on us at all. It was like stepping over a huge first hurdle. Forward progress, of any kind, lit something inside of me ... the first tingles of anticipation turning into excitement.

    So Anthony emailed the offer letter earlier and we just got back a response that it was "perfect. just what they needed.", yes those word were used, and that we should be hearing back from her regarding our application sometime later today.

    She could have just written "thank you. we will be in touch with you later.", but she wrote PERFECT! JUST WHAT WE NEEDED! Those words are not lost on me at all, either.

    So we continue to wait, but with growing eagerness now.

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