A Time of Preparation

For many years I have been fascinated with a different life than the ordinary city-dweller. Most people, it seems to me, grow up and eventually buy a house, but they do it with other people's money. Then they spend the balance of their working life paying for that house. When it is all over, they have an ordinary house on an ordinary yard and have paid some mortgage company $264,000... in interest.

I have been tantalized by a different picture. I see beautiful land with gently rolling hills, an apple orchard, and open fields. Perhaps it is 15 acres -- or more. There is enough land to grow all kinds of things, including children and animals. A kind of peace permeates the land.

The house is small and rustic with log siding and a wood-burning stove. It has enough comforts to keep my wife from declaring a mutiny, but otherwise it is basic and almost off the grid. The living area is inviting, a place for crackling fires, a stone hearth, and a colorful rug.

But it is a long way from there to here. We already own a home on the edge of town, complete with its own mortgage, five bedrooms, and ONE bath. We have been here over two years. Before that we did a year and a half on five acres near Mantorville, before that we were downtown in a 1900 four-square. Before that we owned a little 1.5 story just south of Silver Lake. Before that I was not marred... I mean, married.

We are not all in agreement about the need for this move. Tara, for example, thinks our current house is a delight: "They'll have to carry me out of here in a body bag." Evan "doesn't really want to move... I would prefer to stay here." The little ones more or less agree with Evan.

So the fall of 2010 was filled with discussions of this matter that finally ended with Tara agreeing to a Year of Adventure. These are the rules:

1. Our current house goes on the market February 1st. I have until August 1st to sell it. If it does not sell by August 1st, the experiment is over.

2. If it does sell and a good "final" property for our family is available, we snap it up and move directly to it. If a destination property is not available, we explore the following options:

a) We rent a house in town for six months. During those six months, we search for the destination property and then execute step two.

b) We rent an apartment in town for six months. Again, we use the time to seek a good destination house.

c) We buy one of the foreclosures that are selling for $38,000 in town or in one of the surrounding little towns. We live in it and fix it up. When we're done with it, we sell it for presumably a bit more than $38,000. Then we return again to step two.

d) If we like the rehabbed foreclosure house, we stay there and forget about the rest of these plans.

3. If no "final" house is available, we are also willing to consider buying land and building our own rustic home in the style of the pioneers. (Yes, plumbing; yes, electrical; yes, internet. Don't get crazy here.)

4. By Christmas of 2011, we either are where we intend to go, or we're know how we're getting there.

5. If no plan is available by Christmas of 2011, we will seek and ordinary home in town and abandon these delusions of grandeur.

In a few days, look for pictures on Craig's List.

In all of these plans and preparations, we are mindful of James' admonition in Scripture. We need to hold our plans loosely. If the Lord wills, we will do this or that. We submit our thoughts, hopes, and dreams to Him!