Guide Our Path, Lord

In May 2015, I wrote about my desire to move from our current residence - the house we've been in for the past 17 years. The kids have been raised and are all living on their own. The nest is empty. Ironically, just three months after my post, one bounced back for 10 months. Thankfully, he's back on his feet again.

This was the desire of my heart a year and a half ago:

"My prayer is that by next spring, we can sell the house and buy a small condo instead. Perhaps when we pack and sort through all our stuff, we can dump half the crap we don't need. One can only hope."

God's timing is perfect. Always. No matter how bleak things seem, there is ALWAYS hope. Spring 2016 came and went. I'll admit, it was not a happy-go-lucky season by any stretch of the imagination. Nevertheless, God was working. Things were happening according to His plan. After Father's Day, we started doing some massive cleaning and packing so that we could put the house on the market. On July 22nd - after MUCH pain and sweat and work (mostly done by Don) we were finally ready! The listing was up! It took 44 days on the market, plus a price reduction, before we finally got a bite.

In the meantime, good habits were formed. We made the bed every day. We kept the dishes washed and the counters clean. We kept the bathrooms orderly, and all of the clutter put away. The pool, patio and yard were also maintained. Gosh, why can't we live like this all the time? It's amazing how many unfinished projects we got done when we put our mind to it! The house really does look great!

Even though it looks lovely (and it really does!) it still feels like time to move on. There's something stirring that says, "put this house behind you, this neighborhood, this area." The offer is very fair. The buyer seems motivated. The sale is in God's hands. Meanwhile, it's time to start packing. 

The plan? At this point, the "plan" is to find a smaller house. Downsizing has always been the goal. Smaller yard. Less maintenance. Unload some of our furniture, along with the pool table. It's looking like a retirement community may be the path the Lord leads us down. We still aren't sure. Lincoln? Roseville? Rocklin? Don seems to be especially drawn to Sun City Lincoln Hills. In a few weeks, he will be entering a new season as he reaches retirement age (62). This will be a transition, for sure. In addition, we are expecting our first grandchild in March 2017. We would LOVE to be close, regularly involved, and able to impact this little one's life.

Lord, we are praying for your guiding hand. Lead us down the path you have carved out for us. Plant us where you want us. Thy will be done! Amen.

Psalm 143:10 "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground."