This is #9 of a nine-part series.
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Be like a solid tower whose brave height remains unmoved by all the winds that blow; the man who lets his thoughts be turned aside by one thing or another, will lose sight of his true goal, his mind sapped of its strength.
- Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
A house sat empty, nestled in a wooded hillside among a stand of tall pines - waiting...waiting for the sounds of family; of the daily clatter of life under its roof once again.
More than four millennia ago judgment came upon the Earth as "were all the fountains of the great deep broken up". Our world's outer crust was shattered as the waters burst forth. The great deluge dramatically changed the surface of the land; buckling and stressing it. The mountain ranges of the Earth were heaped high and valleys were cut deep as the entire globe sought some measure of stability - a tentative state of equilibrium. Throughout the generations of man since those terrible days, the ground beneath his feet has remained unstable - still displaying visible scars and enduring a host of festering wounds. He has felt its awful effects right down into the very footings which bear the soil upon which he toils. And to this day, we all have an inescapable sense; a perception that something is amiss with this world in which we dwell.
A man worked in the heat of the tropical sun each day - month after month; spending nearly all he had until his house was ready; eager for the day he and his wife would call it home. He was like so many others in his economically depleted city - doing what he must to survive; using what skills and wares he could bring to market to provide sustenance for his family.
Today, the walls he'd so laboriously erected along with the roof that rested atop them tumbled into a heap. With an acrid cloud of dust hanging in the air, the man desperately clawed at the debris that hours ago had been his home. With his bare hands and makeshift implements, he dug into the pile; hoping to find his wife alive. He didn't. You see, the man is a Haitian and that mound of rubble is one of countless others in Port au Prince. The Earth shook today and it's likely that thousands have perished. Many more are wandering through the devastation with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The world looks on - horrified by the images of broken children and bewildered adults; of destroyed homes; of destroyed lives. Some will ask, "where is your God?' How can a loving God allow such misery?"
August 29, 2009 - a mild, late-summer Saturday morning and the house was buzzing with activity. Friends and family arrived early to lend a hand - there was much to do and only a day in which to do it. Bed frames were disassembled, boxes were passed along a human chain toward the exits and pieces of furniture were carefully maneuvered through doorways. An entire household was being loaded into a moving van and a few accompanying vehicles.
By midday, the house was emptied of all that had accumulated under its roof over the past several years. Gradually, the noise faded, the hustle & bustle gave way to a somber stillness. A single pair of boot heals slowly paced the well-worn wooden floor. Echoing through the empty house, those footfalls were the only remaining sounds. I paused at the front door long enough for a last glance around the room; wanting to somehow mark the moment and give it a special place of remembrance in my thoughts. A couple of dust balls swirled on that bare floor - caught in the eddying currents of air created as I pulled the door closed behind me. And all was silent. Moving day had finally come.
Last year as the snow and ice gave way to the warmth of springtime, we had to face the reality that personal bankruptcy was the only option left to us. With almost no working capital, we pressed on in our effort to begin again - building a new business on the bare foundations of the old one. I had little if any expectation that we would prevail. With no cash on hand and a depressed market, I went through the motions of establishing a partnership with my brother; convinced it would fall short of sustaining both our households as well as our parents. By April, we knew we would be losing our house.
I prayed each day; asking God for wisdom. I needed answers. Where was God leading my family? Was He purposely uprooting us to be transplanted into some other community? How would such a move be accomplished given our current state of affairs? One thing was clear: if we were to remain in this community, then either our business would need to prosper quickly or I'd need to seek out another opportunity to replace the income I had lost.
As we moved into late spring and our first full quarter in business was behind us, I took a look at our numbers. I compared our profit and loss from the same quarter of 2008 to our performance in 2009. I checked my figures and then rechecked them. "Was this right - did I miss something?" I thought. There was a significant swing from deep deficits to profitability! Though it was way too early to call it a trend, it appeared to me that God was giving me the encouragement I needed to go forward boldly. It would seem that He was answering my queries; granting me enough vision to press on with our efforts to remain in this community - to remain here and seek His will for me, my family and our business.
My wife and I began to search the area for our new home. We had about six months to get this done but practically speaking, we'd need to accomplish it much sooner than that with a new school year on the horizon. Prayerfully, we asked to find a new home and have our household functional by summer's end. The search proved difficult and at times very frustrating. There are many homes on the market right now but our particular needs narrowed the offerings down to but a few. Given our financial situation, conventional financing was out of the question - we'd need to find a seller willing to negotiate either a lease with the option to purchase or a land contract. Furthermore, the property needed to be large enough to accommodate a family with eight kids, have an out-building which could house our business, and fit our housing budget!
By July, we had exhausted all but one property. It was a bit on the small side for us - sort of like trying to jam a size 10 foot into a size 8 shoe but we were excited about the possibilities. I was fairly confident that this was to going to be our new home. God seemed to be blessing our business and providing for us the means to remain in the community we had grown to love so much!
We waited for over two weeks as the sellers considered our offer to purchase under a land contract. Late in the afternoon on August 6, I was feeling a bit anxious as I ambled about outside our home; asking God for some answers to this question of housing. The clock was ticking - not only our clock but the bank's clock as well! My prayer concluded as I heard the phone ring inside the house. The answer had come - it was "no". I felt the color drain from my face as our agent continued to speak. He went on; offering some suggestions or some such thing but I heard nothing after the "no".
After sundown that evening, I stretched my legs and went for a long walk. I needed some time with my Father. The first mile or so I just vented my pent-up frustrations: If this is where God wants us to reside, then why all the roadblocks? As I made my turn to head back home, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit restoring my strength and resolve to trust in my Heavenly Father and follow his lead. I recalled the long hike I'd taken back in March (see My Journey Part-6). Along the frozen shores of Lake Michigan I had found a piece of driftwood which now hangs in my shop as a reminder that I am not adrift - floating aimlessly in a sea of uncertainty. God has a plan and a purpose for everything in our lives and if we're willing to follow Him, He'll lead us to places we could never imagine! They're not roadblocks, they're directional signs!
A couple of hours later, I strode through the door with a new measure of resolve for finding God's will for me and my family. My wife greeted me as I walked into the living room. "I think I've found our new home" she said; gesturing me to have a look at her computer screen. Feeling a bit incredulous, I humored her; not at all in the mood for looking at more properties at the moment. I immediately recognized the house from the photos on the listing page - we'd seen it back in April; right across the road from the very first house we looked at with our agent. A beautiful house; nestled in a wooded hillside among a stand of tall pines...and well beyond our price range so it was no more than a passing curiosity at the time.
With my wife looking over my shoulder; eager to know my reaction, I read the property description:
~Over 4,400 square feet - more than enough room for our size 10 family. CheckMore than four millennia ago judgment came upon the Earth as "were all the fountains of the great deep broken up". Our world's outer crust was shattered as the waters burst forth. The great deluge dramatically changed the surface of the land; buckling and stressing it. The mountain ranges of the Earth were heaped high and valleys were cut deep as the entire globe sought some measure of stability - a tentative state of equilibrium. Throughout the generations of man since those terrible days, the ground beneath his feet has remained unstable - still displaying visible scars and enduring a host of festering wounds. He has felt its awful effects right down into the very footings which bear the soil upon which he toils. And to this day, we all have an inescapable sense; a perception that something is amiss with this world in which we dwell.
A man worked in the heat of the tropical sun each day - month after month; spending nearly all he had until his house was ready; eager for the day he and his wife would call it home. He was like so many others in his economically depleted city - doing what he must to survive; using what skills and wares he could bring to market to provide sustenance for his family.
Today, the walls he'd so laboriously erected along with the roof that rested atop them tumbled into a heap. With an acrid cloud of dust hanging in the air, the man desperately clawed at the debris that hours ago had been his home. With his bare hands and makeshift implements, he dug into the pile; hoping to find his wife alive. He didn't. You see, the man is a Haitian and that mound of rubble is one of countless others in Port au Prince. The Earth shook today and it's likely that thousands have perished. Many more are wandering through the devastation with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The world looks on - horrified by the images of broken children and bewildered adults; of destroyed homes; of destroyed lives. Some will ask, "where is your God?' How can a loving God allow such misery?"
August 29, 2009 - a mild, late-summer Saturday morning and the house was buzzing with activity. Friends and family arrived early to lend a hand - there was much to do and only a day in which to do it. Bed frames were disassembled, boxes were passed along a human chain toward the exits and pieces of furniture were carefully maneuvered through doorways. An entire household was being loaded into a moving van and a few accompanying vehicles.
By midday, the house was emptied of all that had accumulated under its roof over the past several years. Gradually, the noise faded, the hustle & bustle gave way to a somber stillness. A single pair of boot heals slowly paced the well-worn wooden floor. Echoing through the empty house, those footfalls were the only remaining sounds. I paused at the front door long enough for a last glance around the room; wanting to somehow mark the moment and give it a special place of remembrance in my thoughts. A couple of dust balls swirled on that bare floor - caught in the eddying currents of air created as I pulled the door closed behind me. And all was silent. Moving day had finally come.
Last year as the snow and ice gave way to the warmth of springtime, we had to face the reality that personal bankruptcy was the only option left to us. With almost no working capital, we pressed on in our effort to begin again - building a new business on the bare foundations of the old one. I had little if any expectation that we would prevail. With no cash on hand and a depressed market, I went through the motions of establishing a partnership with my brother; convinced it would fall short of sustaining both our households as well as our parents. By April, we knew we would be losing our house.
I prayed each day; asking God for wisdom. I needed answers. Where was God leading my family? Was He purposely uprooting us to be transplanted into some other community? How would such a move be accomplished given our current state of affairs? One thing was clear: if we were to remain in this community, then either our business would need to prosper quickly or I'd need to seek out another opportunity to replace the income I had lost.
As we moved into late spring and our first full quarter in business was behind us, I took a look at our numbers. I compared our profit and loss from the same quarter of 2008 to our performance in 2009. I checked my figures and then rechecked them. "Was this right - did I miss something?" I thought. There was a significant swing from deep deficits to profitability! Though it was way too early to call it a trend, it appeared to me that God was giving me the encouragement I needed to go forward boldly. It would seem that He was answering my queries; granting me enough vision to press on with our efforts to remain in this community - to remain here and seek His will for me, my family and our business.
My wife and I began to search the area for our new home. We had about six months to get this done but practically speaking, we'd need to accomplish it much sooner than that with a new school year on the horizon. Prayerfully, we asked to find a new home and have our household functional by summer's end. The search proved difficult and at times very frustrating. There are many homes on the market right now but our particular needs narrowed the offerings down to but a few. Given our financial situation, conventional financing was out of the question - we'd need to find a seller willing to negotiate either a lease with the option to purchase or a land contract. Furthermore, the property needed to be large enough to accommodate a family with eight kids, have an out-building which could house our business, and fit our housing budget!
By July, we had exhausted all but one property. It was a bit on the small side for us - sort of like trying to jam a size 10 foot into a size 8 shoe but we were excited about the possibilities. I was fairly confident that this was to going to be our new home. God seemed to be blessing our business and providing for us the means to remain in the community we had grown to love so much!
We waited for over two weeks as the sellers considered our offer to purchase under a land contract. Late in the afternoon on August 6, I was feeling a bit anxious as I ambled about outside our home; asking God for some answers to this question of housing. The clock was ticking - not only our clock but the bank's clock as well! My prayer concluded as I heard the phone ring inside the house. The answer had come - it was "no". I felt the color drain from my face as our agent continued to speak. He went on; offering some suggestions or some such thing but I heard nothing after the "no".
After sundown that evening, I stretched my legs and went for a long walk. I needed some time with my Father. The first mile or so I just vented my pent-up frustrations: If this is where God wants us to reside, then why all the roadblocks? As I made my turn to head back home, I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit restoring my strength and resolve to trust in my Heavenly Father and follow his lead. I recalled the long hike I'd taken back in March (see My Journey Part-6). Along the frozen shores of Lake Michigan I had found a piece of driftwood which now hangs in my shop as a reminder that I am not adrift - floating aimlessly in a sea of uncertainty. God has a plan and a purpose for everything in our lives and if we're willing to follow Him, He'll lead us to places we could never imagine! They're not roadblocks, they're directional signs!
A couple of hours later, I strode through the door with a new measure of resolve for finding God's will for me and my family. My wife greeted me as I walked into the living room. "I think I've found our new home" she said; gesturing me to have a look at her computer screen. Feeling a bit incredulous, I humored her; not at all in the mood for looking at more properties at the moment. I immediately recognized the house from the photos on the listing page - we'd seen it back in April; right across the road from the very first house we looked at with our agent. A beautiful house; nestled in a wooded hillside among a stand of tall pines...and well beyond our price range so it was no more than a passing curiosity at the time.
With my wife looking over my shoulder; eager to know my reaction, I read the property description:
~Over four acres of land - more than enough room for the kids to romp. Check
~Large kitchen and spaces for my wife to conduct her home-schooling. Check
~A large heated out-building with office space, a full bath and plenty or room to store equipment and supplies. Check
~A monthly payment that fits our budget. Check
~A large deck with a screened gazebo. Okay, that's nice too! (Check!)
~A hot tub, jacuzzi, theater room with an 8-foot high-def projection TV. Uhm...Are you kidding me, God? (Check?)
The place had been sitting on the market for months with no offers. The owners, having already moved to Arizona decided to go ahead and offer it as a lease with the option to buy - just one week prior to us exhausting all other possibilities! Negotiations took place and an agreement was reached.
As the summer dwindled and the trees started to hint at the onset of autumn, we filled that house on the hillside - filled it with the sounds of family; the daily clatter of life were once again heard beneath its roof. And our children began their school year - right on schedule!
As the summer dwindled and the trees started to hint at the onset of autumn, we filled that house on the hillside - filled it with the sounds of family; the daily clatter of life were once again heard beneath its roof. And our children began their school year - right on schedule!
Three houses: One filled, one emptied, and one destroyed
They have a common thread; they sit upon uncertainty.
They're all part of the same story - the struggles of man in a fallen world.
This world is fallen and broken; it is passing away. We know not when the very ground under our feet might be shaken. Do you trust in markets and economies - in business models and bottom-lines? Do you derive your security and sense of well being from your home or your health? Do you believe that the incessant tinkering of men will ultimately create stability and universal happiness? Well, then you're destined for disappointment my friend. There is but one unshakable foundation upon which to build your hope - Jesus Christ!
The past couple of years have been some extremely trying times for my family. We've sailed through some very stormy seas and there's no guarantee that our future doesn't hold more of the same. For reasons I may never know, God chose us too endure such times as these and He also saw fit to measure out to us some unexpected blessings as well. Why? Why does God allow what He allows and stays what He stays? Why did I and my family find ourselves moving into such a nice setting while others, perhaps more deserving of such a blessing, languish in their troubles? How can a loving God allow such misery in the world? I won't even attempt to offer a complete answer to such questions - none of us with our finite perspective can begin to wrap our minds around the ways of God. However, there is one thing I've gained through my own adversity: a stronger faith and belief in God's providence and His perfect plan to integrate my life into His kingdom. This world - such as it is, is not how God intended it to be - not what was originally created. The curse of original sin brought futility to all of creation way back in Genesis 3:17. The very hill upon which our new home sits bears in its soil the scars of that curse. Yet God's plan for me and my family is older than the hills. For He knew us before the foundations of the world were laid. You see my friends, we're not some accidental concoction brewed from the elements and left to careen down life's road - undirected and without purpose. The things which befall us, however wonderful or unpleasant - they're all useful tools in our lives. God uses such things in preparation to fulfill His good works in us and through us! Whether in prosperity or in great need, I'm convinced that God's glory will be accomplished in my life - and in all those who seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness!
I trust that God will use my story to somehow edify and encourage you as you seek His will in your life.
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."John 16:33 (New International Version)
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."Jeremiah 29: 11-14 (New International Version)
